Cockatiel Food
Variety is really the key when it comes to cockatiel food, or any parrot food for that matter. Left to their own devices, cockatiels would probably just eat bird seed, because they love it. However, this isn’t very good for them, because seeds are high in fats, and lack many of the nutrients required to keep your cockatiel healthy. A seed-only diet can dramatically shorten the life of your cockatiel!
You must ensure that you feed your pet fresh fruit and vegetables every day. These foods should be raw, washed, cut into small pieces, all pips/seeds removed, peel/skin left on, and served at room temperature.
Note 1: Do not leave fruit and vegetables in the cage for more than a few hours, because they will probably attract flies, and just become generally unpleasant.
Note 2: Do not give your bird avocado, because it is poisonous to birds.
In the wild cockatiels eat protein in the form of insects, so it’s a good idea to occasionally include some protein in their diet. You don’t have to feed them live insects, but things such as beans, cooked meats, and eggs are good alternatives.
So, there you have it, there isn’t just one type of cockatiel food that is best – your bird needs a variety of foods to remain healthy. However, because a lot of baby parrots are fed only seed by breeders, they might be reluctant to try new things such as fruit and vegetables. This means you need to be persistent and patient, and only introduce one type of new food at a time, and resist the temptation to introduce anything else until your parrot has started eating this new food.
photo credit: Frazzled Jen
