Confused about what to feed cockatiel?

[pkrang]

I recently bought a handfed cockatiel from a bird specialist and plan to pick it up soon. I asked an employee about what exactly to feed my bird and he said to feed it about 3/4 seeds and 1/4 pellets (because as he stated "too many pellets will calcify its liver") but from all the research I've been doing it seems like it should be the other way around. I had thought that too many seeds would lead to malnutrition? Or am I wrong?

 

[camelotshadow]

Too many pellet can be hard on a tiels system too. Guess they are dry.

Budgies & tiels seem to do well with some seed in the diet.

You should also feed veggies & grains.

 

[sunnysmom]

Opinions differ on "best" diet for tiels. The employee is partially wrong. An all pellet diet can be too hard a on a cockatiel's kidneys. An all seed diet can damage their livers. Cockatiels are granivors. So they naturally eat seeds and grains. I always aimed at about 50% seeds, 10% pellets and the rest fresh vegetables and grains (brown rice, etc.). Cockatiels tend not to eat fruit. So, it's usually better to concentrate on getting them to eat vegetables. Some of my tiel's favs were broccoli, all types of lettuce (except not iceburg it has minimal nutritional value), squash and cooked sweet potatoes.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

It's true that cockatiels need more seed in their diet then some other birds. My vet said 50/50 consumed amounts with as much fresh food as they will eat in addition to this, but another vet I talked to said even less pellets than this.

 

[CeciliaZ]

My vet also recommends a 50/50 seed/pellet mixture as well as veggies and other healthy human food. Sprouts are also healthy...my tiels love sprouts - mostly wheat berry sprouts.

 

[Birdbabe]

Pellets, seed, parsley, broccoli florets, scramble eggs, fine dice carrots, celery leaves, cilantro, kale, try all of this while the bird is young and gets used to eating it, play with the food, pretend to eat it yourself and make sure to make it a big deal,, yummy noises help. Oh, also try Nutriberries and avicakes..

 

[camelotshadow]

Tiels will eat grains like oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice...add mixed veggies.
scrambled eggs they like broccoli, peas, string beans peppers, jalapenos,
pop corn no salt air popped,
They will eat alot of things esp if introduced young not like my Rio who eats veggies & fruits but not much else.

 

[iamwhoiam]

My 'tiels get Volkman Avian Science Super Cockatiel no sunflower, Caitec Oven Fresh Bites...small, and cooked mixed vegetables. Their diet is more seed based than pellet based. They also get Lafeber Avicakes and Popcorn.