Feeding is usually neglected with pet birds. Many times, cockatiel breeders assume that they are feeding their birds an appropriate diet, when in fact they are not, which can lead to many health problems. Therefore, you should continually strive to improve your cockatiel's diet by constantly educating yourself on proper nutrition. At Petaholic, you do not need to search much, as we have provided you with a comprehensive guide on eating a balanced and healthy Cockatiel Parakeet and how to feed it to it. In our store you will also find all the useful and high quality foods that you can use.
What is a healthy cockatiel parrot food that I should feed my birds?
Cockatiels are susceptible to vitamin A deficiency, insufficient dietary calcium, and other feeding-related problems. Therefore, a balanced and varied diet must be maintained at all times in order for these birds to remain healthy.
Seeds
Wild cockatiels feed on different types of seeds. Commercial seed mixes generally contain 4 to 10 different types of seeds and nuts. However, these mixes tend to be high in fats and carbohydrates, and provide a limited or unbalanced source of many nutrients if relied upon as the sole food for your birds. This can eventually lead to ill health and possibly a shortened life. Cockatiels will often selectively eat one or two of their favorite types of seeds.
Cockatiel owners usually offer millet seeds or millet bunches, but these seeds are deficient in many nutrients and should not be relied upon as a primary concern either. Thus the seeds are highly palatable and favored by cockatiels, but they are nutritionally incomplete and lacking in vitamins, minerals and proteins. So seeds should be a very small part of a balanced diet, but not the whole diet.
fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables should not exceed 20% to 25% of the daily diet. But you should know that dull vegetables with a high water content like lettuce and celery offer very little nutritional value. Avocados are also potentially toxic and should never be given to birds.
Fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly to remove chemicals, and they should be cut into small pieces to match the size of the bird. It is not necessary to peel off the fruits. Serve fruits and vegetables on separate plates. If your cockatiel seems to be developing a craving for just one fruit or vegetable, reduce its size or stop feeding it temporarily to encourage consumption of other foods. Fruit and vegetables should also be left in the cage for no more than two hours, especially in warm climates, or they may spoil.
Pellets or bird pellets are the most balanced cocktail parrot food
The recommended cockatiel diet is food made from pellets for birds. There are many brands of pellets available in different shapes, sizes and colours, at Petaholic you will find plenty of them. The pellets have been developed to meet all of your bird's nutritional needs. Young Cockatiels who are being bred should start on a pellet-based diet. As for an adult cocktail, it may be difficult to convert it to pellets, but different formulations are available for different life stages. Pellets are the perfect diet. Therefore, seed-eating birds must be slowly weaned off seeds on a pellet diet. Thus pellets should ideally represent approximately 75% to 80% of a cockatiel's diet.
human food
As a general rule, any healthy, nutritious food that you and your family eat can be eaten normally by a cockatiel, but in very small amounts (a teaspoon per cocktail equals a person's dinner plate, which is fine). Follow the general guidelines we listed above for fruits and vegetables. Cockatiels also sometimes enjoy small amounts of cooked lean meat, fish or eggs, or very small amounts of cheese. However, dairy products should be eaten in moderation, as your birds are lactose intolerant. You should also avoid highly salty foods, such as corn chips, pastries, popcorn, chocolate, and caffeine-containing products, such as coffee, tea, and soda.
Among the foods that you can rely on as a complete and balanced diet for your birds:
How do I switch my seed-eating birds to a pellet-based diet?
Some cockatiels are more difficult than others to transition to pellets or pellets. Switching seed-eating birds to a formulated pellet diet is not always easy, especially for adult cockatiels. At first, birds may not recognize the pellets as food. Pellets should be served straight on their own, not mixed with seeds, or else your cockatiel will pick out the seeds among them. Pellets should be offered first thing in the morning before any other food, when the bird is most hungry.
Also, since cockatiels are ground eaters in the wild, you can mimic this behavior by spreading the pellets on a flat surface and encouraging the bird to walk across them. You can also grind the granules into a fine powder that you can sprinkle on a very small amount of any wet food, such as vegetables, fruits, cooked eggs, and whatever your bird likes to eat. If the bird eats food covered in pellets, you can gradually grind them into larger pieces, mixing them with smaller amounts of wet food over time, eventually providing almost all of the pellets with minimal amounts of wet food mixed in.
It can take days, weeks, or months to adjust your cockatiel's diet. If the bird is slow to eat pellets, you can offer a small amount of seeds or fruits and vegetables later in the day. You should also completely remove seeds from your cockatiel's diet only when you are sure he is eating pellets, as well as some fruits and vegetables. This can be a stressful time for you and your Cockatiel, but with patience you can transition your bird from an unhealthy seed diet to a balanced, pellet-based diet.
Among the healthy balanced foods that we at Petaholic recommend to your Cockatiel for a balanced diet are:
This was a long read, but we're sure it was worth your time. You now have a clearer idea of eating cockatiel parrot and maintaining their health. You can also buy all the healthy foods you give your full confidence from Petaholics, wishing you all the best in the care of your birds.
You may also be interested:
- The best types of parrot suitable for breeding at home
- You now have a bouquet of the most important types of cocktail birds