Cockatiel diet help

[Safamirza🤍]

Hello! 👋 I have a male cockatiel named Kiko 😊

I have posted about this topic awhile back, but I wanted to repost it since I needed some help and advice around bird diet.

1. I need major help and advice trying to figure out if a seed or pellet based diet is better. Right now, Kiko eats seeds. I have attached a screenshot of the ingredient list:

I have heard from some that a pellet diet is better than seed, and I do not know wether this is accurate or not. If it is, is it a good idea to switch to pellets? Can someone recommend good brands?

2. We have tried almost everyday to encourage Kiko to eat veggies and fruits. I have tried cutting them in different sizes, mixed them with his seeds, tried eating them myself in front of him, but he will not try them! He only PLAYS with some things like broccoli, spinach and apples, but he won’t ever fully eat them. I have become a little hopeless and tired and I don’t know what to do at this point with him. I don’t want to give up because I really want a big part of his diet to be veggies.

3. This is a question in regards to a specific thing I heard about called “birdie bread” has anyone tried making it and can someone please explain a bit more on if it’s safe and good for birds? I would really appreciate if someone can link a video or recipe page because I don’t know exactly all the ingredients and how to prepare it.

Thank you to anyone who replies!

 

[Safamirza🤍]

Hello! 👋 I have a male cockatiel named Kiko 😊

I have posted about this topic awhile back, but I wanted to repost it since I needed some help and advice around bird diet.

1. I need major help and advice trying to figure out if a seed or pellet based diet is better. Right now, Kiko eats seeds. I have attached a screenshot of the ingredient list: View attachment 48254

I have heard from some that a pellet diet is better than seed, and I do not know wether this is accurate or not. If it is, is it a good idea to switch to pellets? Can someone recommend good brands?

2. We have tried almost everyday to encourage Kiko to eat veggies and fruits. I have tried cutting them in different sizes, mixed them with his seeds, tried eating them myself in front of him, but he will not try them! He only PLAYS with some things like broccoli, spinach and apples, but he won’t ever fully eat them. I have become a little hopeless and tired and I don’t know what to do at this point with him. I don’t want to give up because I really want a big part of his diet to be veggies.

3. This is a question in regards to a specific thing I heard about called “birdie bread” has anyone tried making it and can someone please explain a bit more on if it’s safe and good for birds? I would really appreciate if someone can link a video or recipe page because I don’t know exactly all the ingredients and how to prepare it.

Thank you to anyone who replies!

Oh and another important question!
- are quinoa, rice, and different types of lentils good for birds? What about nuts that are healthy and less fatty? How do you serve them things such as lentils? Do you cook them?

 

[zERo]

Sorry to hear Kiko is being so stubborn!

People say a bird that eats pellets as part of the diet has a lower risk of missing anything nutritional they’d need.
My cockatiels were very fond of TOPs and Caitec Oven Fresh Bites. It was very easy to get them to eat them.
I just added a new bowl with a few pellets into their cages and they decided to eat them.
I make Birdie bread for my birds, it’s part of their daily dinner. Great way to sneak veggies in!
Here’s a recipe I posted on here:

Everyday Birdie Bread!

Thought I’d share my recipe, my birds get this a part of their dinner 3-4 days a week. Other days they get other breads. Recipe: Dry ingredients: 1/3 cup pellet powder (I used TOPs) 1/3 cup almond flour 1/3 coconut flour 1 tbsp. Ground flax 1 tbsp. Coconut flakes 1 tbsp. Rolled oats 1 tbsp...

www.parrotforums.com

To answer your last question, yes, quinoa, lentils, and rice (not white rice)
I sprout mine, but you can cook them.

As for nuts, not all cockatiels will really like nuts, all nuts are healthy in small amounts, almonds are high in calcium.

 

[BabyMango]

Hi,

Please don't give up trying to feed fresh veggies and fruit. I have done a lot of research for my bird and veggies should be given every day and fruit only once or twice a week (possibly more depending on which fruit). My gccs are very picky and didn't touch certain veggies, fruit, or sprouts for a month or two. I have read on other posts that some birds even take years before eating something. We have to be very persistent with them. An all seed diet could cause a lot of health concerns in the future. The quantity of things given from what I have seen online is as follows: veggies > grains > beans > seeds and fruit somewhere in between. I give my birds fresh veggies every morning and then TOP's mini pellets for dinner. TOP's is usually recommended by people over other pellets because they are cold pressed instead of heated (which destroys a lot of the nutrients). Some other brands add coloring, sugar and salt. I still do give a little bit of Zupreem natural pellets (non-colored) to my birds, but only as treats to train them. Search birdtricks diet conversion on youtube for advice on trying to get your cockatiel to eat veggies. You can mix seeds and veggies and pellets together and slowly give less seeds once your bird starts eating the other stuff.

 

[Safamirza🤍]

Hi,

Please don't give up trying to feed fresh veggies and fruit. I have done a lot of research for my bird and veggies should be given every day and fruit only once or twice a week (possibly more depending on which fruit). My gccs are very picky and didn't touch certain veggies, fruit, or sprouts for a month or two. I have read on other posts that some birds even take years before eating something. We have to be very persistent with them. An all seed diet could cause a lot of health concerns in the future. The quantity of things given from what I have seen online is as follows: veggies > grains > beans > seeds and fruit somewhere in between. I give my birds fresh veggies every morning and then TOP's mini pellets for dinner. TOP's is usually recommended by people over other pellets because they are cold pressed instead of heated (which destroys a lot of the nutrients). Some other brands add coloring, sugar and salt. I still do give a little bit of Zupreem natural pellets (non-colored) to my birds, but only as treats to train them. Search birdtricks diet conversion on youtube for advice on trying to get your cockatiel to eat veggies. You can mix seeds and veggies and pellets together and slowly give less seeds once your bird starts eating the other stuff.

Thank you for your reply ❤️ I am still trying to encourage veggies on Kiko and won’t give up until he starts eating them properly. I will also be switching his seeds to pellets, hopefully with little difficulty!! My 2 choices will have to be TOPs or tropican for Kiko because they are the 2 best brands I am able to find near me. I do have a question about pellets: I believe that pellets do expire, so how much should be bought for 1 cockatiel without it going bad and us having to buy another bag too soon?

Another quick question: you mentioned above that your birds eat veggies for breakfast and pellets for dinner. Can you please tell me what they eat in-between? Should pellets be provided at all times, since they eat and poop a lot?

 

[BabyMango]

Thank you for your reply ❤️ I am still trying to encourage veggies on Kiko and won’t give up until he starts eating them properly. I will also be switching his seeds to pellets, hopefully with little difficulty!! My 2 choices will have to be TOPs or tropican for Kiko because they are the 2 best brands I am able to find near me. I do have a question about pellets: I believe that pellets do expire, so how much should be bought for 1 cockatiel without it going bad and us having to buy another bag too soon?







Another quick question: you mentioned above that your birds eat veggies for breakfast and pellets for dinner. Can you please tell me what they eat in-between? Should pellets be provided at all times, since they eat and poop a lot?



Hi, of course I am no bird expert. I only speak on some experience and a lot of searching. I give them either more fresh food or pellets if they scream for food in the middle of the day. Once in a while I give them a treat like a nutriberry or some freeze dried berries too. A 1lb bag of Top's lasted me around 2-3 months for 1 green cheek conure because he only ate that once a day. I have 2 gccs now so I bought the 4 lb bag of mini pellets. I think it depends on how much of the pellets and how many times a day your cockatiel will eat in a day. I don't keep pellets in their cages overnight because if they eat those they won't be as hungry in the morning when I give them veggies. I sometimes let them have pellets left out during the day when I'm busy though. Maybe try a 1 lb bag to see if your cockatiel will even eat it and then start buying the 4 lb bags if he does like them. I buy mine at chewy and add a toy or two for free shipping.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Thank you for your reply ❤️ I am still trying to encourage veggies on Kiko and won’t give up until he starts eating them properly. I will also be switching his seeds to pellets, hopefully with little difficulty!! My 2 choices will have to be TOPs or tropican for Kiko because they are the 2 best brands I am able to find near me. I do have a question about pellets: I believe that pellets do expire, so how much should be bought for 1 cockatiel without it going bad and us having to buy another bag too soon?

Another quick question: you mentioned above that your birds eat veggies for breakfast and pellets for dinner. Can you please tell me what they eat in-between? Should pellets be provided at all times, since they eat and poop a lot?

Store "excess" pellets from a large bag in the freezer in a ziplock freezer bag so they don't "go bad".