What Do Cockatiels Like to Eat?

Cockatiels are curious birds and will eat almost anything. However they don't always know what is best for them and some human foods that they will choose to eat can actually be poisonous to them. Giving them a balanced and varied diet of fruits, vegetables and seeds is similar to what they might eat in the wild, and is a good way to keep your pet cockatiel both healthy and happy.

  1. Cockatiel Seed Mix

    • Cockatiel seed mix is readily available in pet shops. However, most seed mix contains too many sunflower seeds that can be fattening to the cockatiel. To prevent your cockatiel from getting fat, mix canary seed with the cockatiel mix. Do not buy in bulk because the seeds will not be fresh after being stored for a long time. Buy in small amounts so that the seeds will retain freshness.

    Vegetables

    • Cockatiels love to eat nutritious vegetables such as zucchini, bok choy, lettuce, water cress, peas, green beans, squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, corn and Brussels sprouts. You can also serve parsley, broccoli and spinach, but they should be served in small amounts because these vegetables can absorb calcium. Cook and cool the vegetables before serving them to the cockatiel.

    Fruits

    • Fruits can also be served to your cockatiel including grapes, bananas, apples, kiwi fruit, guava, nectarine, mango, melon, peach, orange and pear. Cockatiels also eat plums, pomegranates, watermelons, strawberries, tangerines and papayas. Cockatiels cannot eat avocados as these will make the birds sick. Before serving the fruits, wash and cut them into small pieces, and remove the seeds.

    Other Foods

    • You can also serve some types of human food to cockatiels including cooked rice, pasta and eggs. Only serve small portions as they can be fattening. Fresh drinking water must be served to the cockatiel every day.

    Never Feed

    • Some foods that you should never feed a cockatiel include chocolate, rhubarb, leaves and stems from potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes, cabbage and bean plants. Coffee, tea, alcohol, greasy food, and seeds or pits from apples, cherries, plums, apricots and pears can also make your bird sick.