Just some questions about Cockatiels...

[aether-drifter]

Probably. Do they seem to eat the pellets and extra stuff or just the seeds? Mine won't eat their pellets unless they're in a separate dish.

I mix sizes...I buy Zupreem naturals and fruit blend in the parakeet size, as well as fruit blend in cockatiel size and Avian Entrees "harvest feast" cockatiel size. I even have some of the canary/finch size fruit blend that I bought because i had one tiel who only liked millet for a while and those are the size of millet seeds. And I have Harrison's high-potency extra-fine mixed in too, but I don't think they eat much of it.

 

[Yellow_Tang04]

Okay so on Zupreems site, I see tere are lots of different sizes and types of foods...what are the specific types and sizes I should feed it? Sorry i am so ignorant on this topic. So, once I figure out what I am feeding it and all, I just feed it every morning and what about when I have to leave for school or something? I would not get back home until around 4 ish, would it be okay alone?

 

[aether-drifter]

These are the ones I feed, that they make for cockatiels:
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Zupreem-Fruit-Blend-medium-Parrots-Lb/dp/B002KLCJVU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1361855221&sr=8-2&keywords=zupreem+fruit+blend"]Fruit blend[/ame]
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/ZuPreem-Natural-Bird-Cockatiel-2-5lb/dp/B0002AQLK6/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1361855283&sr=1-2&keywords=zupreem+natural"]Natural[/ame]
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Zupreem-Avian-Entrees-Premium-Harvest/dp/B001F97HVU/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1361855315&sr=1-1&keywords=zupreem+harvest+feast"]Avian Entrées Harvest Feast[/ame]

You can tell they are for tiels and similar-sized birds from the pics of tiels on the packages. These can be found in almost any large pet store such as Petco, Petsmart, etc. Or bird specialty stores. And here are the budgie-size pellets, which are a more manageable size for tiels actually:[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Zupreem-Avian-Maintenance-Natural-Parakeet/dp/B001LK3E1U/ref=sr_1_13?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1361855430&sr=1-13&keywords=zupreem+natural"] Natural[/ame]
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Zupreem-Fruit-Blend-Bird-Parakeet/dp/B002KLEIEG/ref=pd_sim_sbs_petsupplies_8"]Fruit[/ame]


Oh, and I only change the pellet dish once every other week or so. Most days I just check it, carefully pick out any dirt or poop, maybe pour the pellets into another bowl in order to clean out the one they are in if it's gross. Then I put them back in. Obviously you don't want to do this if they look sketchy, but it would be a huge waste to throw away the uneaten portion every day. Seed I change every day, but I only give a shallow dish with a thin layer on the bottom of the cage every day so almost all of it gets consumed. Fresh foods I only leave out for 4-6 hours/day.

 

[MikeyTN]

I feed mine ecotriction cockatiel mix, is it mainly waste?

IF it has a lot of whole soybeans and that size of corn, then yes, IF it's cracked in smaller pieces then it's fine. BUT most of those soybean and corn are too hard for Cockatiels to chew as I never see my tiels really eat them, I see them nipping on cracked corn, but to me it's still a waste as I see more being tossed out then anything else.

 

[MikeyTN]

I'm with moonchild there on the budgie size pellets, you actually go through lesser waste. If you watch them eat, you'll notice they eat a few bites and toss the rest as to how they de-shell seeds, same process. When it's the smaller pellets, less to waste.

 

[Yellow_Tang04]

Oh ok thanks! So from all of those foods moonchild linked, should I get all of them or just certain ones?

 

[MikeyTN]

You choose the one you like and let your parrot try.

 

[Yellow_Tang04]

So all I need is one? So you don't have to mix seeds and pellets, are they all just pellets?

 

[MikeyTN]

The pellets is just pellets, IF you want to mix seeds, that's at your own discretion. BUT you must be sure they're eating pellets first before not providing seeds. Otherwise you can do one bowl pellets and one bowl seeds.

 

[Yellow_Tang04]

So what would be the best out of those foods in your opinion? Would you mix seeds?

 

[MikeyTN]

For my Cockatiels I do a mix and they eat them all, they get to fly so they get the proper exercise they need. Make sure when you feed seeds you need to mix some parakeet seeds with it, basically one part to 4 part parakeet seeds cause Cockatiel seeds have way too much sunflower seeds in it that can be bad for them to get fatty liver disease.

 

[Yellow_Tang04]

So what's the best brand of seeds to get? And what pellets would you get from the links moonchild provided?

 

[MikeyTN]

I feed Zupreem pellets and I get Kaytee seeds, The Kaytee Fortified seeds has pellets mixed in already, but you do need to mix parakeet seeds with it as it has a ton of sunflower seeds.

 

[Yellow_Tang04]

Ok, so does this sound like a good diet plan?

I mix this fruit blend
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002KLCJVU]Zupreem Fruit Blend-medium Parrots 2 Lb.:Amazonet Supplies[/ame]
With this Seed mix
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001VAIJLA?qid=1362114668&sr=8-1]Kaytee Forti Diet Pro Health Food with Safflower for Cockatiels, 5-Pound Bag:Amazonet Supplies[/ame]
But take out some of the sunflower seeds (yes or no?) and add a bit of this
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001LK3E1U/ref=redir_mdp_mobile]Zupreem Avian Maintenance Natural Parakeet 2.25 Lb:Amazonet Supplies[/ame]

And mix that all, (how much portion wise should I feed it?) and then in another bowl have the fresh foods then the last bowl for water.

 

[MikeyTN]

I think your getting my suggest of the mixes messed up a bit.

What I mean is mix two type of seeds together, Kaytee forti diet seeds to Parakeet seeds, basically 1 part cockatiel seeds to 4 part of parakeet seeds, because of the excessive amount of sunflower seeds they add to the Cockatiel mix. Then choose a pellet of your choice. But like I've mentioned before, Kaytee forti diet have pellets mixed in already, so if you decide to add more pellets, that's up to you. And IF your Cockatiel decides to eat pellets pretty good, then you can knock out the seeds period. But over the years of raising them, I like to give them the seeds mix along with the pellets, it all goes back to when my flock caught the virus that almost wiped out my whole flock. They were not gaining any weight on pellets until I went with the mix when they become fully healthy again with the proper weight.

 

[MonicaMc]

There's a reason I feed Kaylor of Colorado as part of my birds diet... No sunflower seeds and very little "crap". I tend to change between the parakeet or cockatiel no sun seed.

Sweet Harvest Cockatiel without Sunflower
Sweet Harvest Parakeet

I have mixed those blends with some sort of finch or canary seed for "extra variety". As previously mentioned, I'm mixing it 50/50 with Goldenfeast. Currently, I'm feeding the Australian blend, but I'd prefer to feed the Petite Hookbill Legume the next time I order any.

Australian Blend | Goldenfeast Direct
Petite Hookbill Legume Blend | Goldenfeast Direct

Pellets are Harrison's Adult Lifetime Fine.

Adult Lifetime Fine-harrisonbirdfoods.com



If you want to know what's in your birds food, then read the ingredients. Here's one that was started on pellets.
http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/28242-ingredients-pellets.html


A seed only diet is not healthy. It can lead to malnutrition and possibly liver failure.

A pellet only diet is not healthy. It can lead to kidney failure.

A combination of seed and pellets, along with fresh and cooked foods makes a great diet! If you find the right foods to feed in the right amounts, you can have a bird that lives a very healthy, and long life!



MikeyTN, I agree that any pellet may be better than no pellet. If you can get your birds onto a better diet, or start them off on the better diet, then why not? If you can't, then you can't. I recall when I first started getting my birds to eat pellets. At first, they wanted nothing to do with them. Then they would eat the pellets, but only as long as the pellets were *NOT* in their cage. It had to be in someone else's cage. Then it was ok to eat pellets, but they'd only eat one kind of pellet (back then, it was Zupreem). Then I was able to get them switched over to another pellet, but they wanted nothing to do with TOP's or Harrison's. Now? They eat Harrison's. And I can give them other pellets, and I have no problem feeding them. I can certainly understand the frustration of trying to get them to try something new when they refuse to do so.

 

[Yellow_Tang04]

Alright, so what about if I do a mix of the Zupreem Fruit Blend and sweet harvest without sunflower, and add in some Zupreem Avian Maintenance...Natural Parakeet?

 

[MonicaMc]

Don't feed more than 50% pellets.

Find out first what your cockatiel is being weaned onto, and get some of that food prior to weaning him/her onto another blend. That will ensure that he/she will be eating when you bring him home.


It may also help to find out what's available in your area in case you can't order something off the internet. Have it as a "back up".


Otherwise, sounds alright.

 

[Yellow_Tang04]

Ok thanks! I got the cockatiel yesterday! She is a pied. She makes these really annoying screeches thought, and it is non stop. Why is she doing that? Howcome she doesnt wistle? Is she just too young..is this what all young cockatiels do? Breeder said she is almost 8 weeks old. Here is the link to a video of her and her noises... [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL_NCLl0jMk]Cockatiel noises? - YouTube[/ame]

 

[MikeyTN]

Is she weaned???? That's a baby begging behavior!!!! Have you seen her eat anything?