Ideal cockatiel diet...

[macaronish]

In preparation for a new tiel, I want to have the diet down from the start. In nature tiels are grainivores. Although an all seed diet is bad for them, seeds are to my understanding very important in their diet... I have this unopened seed mix. Thoughts on composition?

Ingredients
White Millet – High in Protein & Fibre, Striped Sunflower – Rich in Healthy Fat & Vitamin E, Canary Seed – High in Antioxidants & Protein, Oat Groats – High in Carbohydrate & PotassiumRed Millet – High in Protein & Carbohydrate, Buckwheat – Iron & High Oil Content, Safflower – High in Healthy Fats & Oelic Acid, Oats – High in Fibre & iron, Soya Bean Oil – Source of Healthy Fats.

 

[birdfloof]

seeds are an important part of their diet, but it is also very important that there are pellets and fresh vegetables in their diet as well. as for the composition, I am not the best with knowing about specific types of seeds, but what is the brand that you currently have on hand? ill see what I can do to help.

 

[macaronish]

seeds are an important part of their diet, but it is also very important that there are pellets and fresh vegetables in their diet as well. as for the composition, I am not the best with knowing about specific types of seeds, but what is the brand that you currently have on hand? ill see what I can do to help.

https://amzn.eu/d/6PQOxxe

It's just this seed mix from amazon

I also have zupreem pellets... loads of them

 

[macaronish]

Oh and a bag of harrisons lifetime. Macaroni wouldn't eat that one but I can try and use it with another bird

 

[Emma&pico]

My lovebirds have pellets in their cage they get a choice of pellets seeds in their outside dishes I put seeds in foraging tray toys etc or handfed sunflower seeds or hand full of seeds for tricks

All have a sewer in their cages for veggies fruit but only mango and apple pie eat it I do plate of veggies on top of their cages when out put fresh veggies in their cage about 6 when i usually put them back when I am working 7/7 they just get pellets 2days a week

I have started giving sprouted seeds but again only mango and apple pie will eat them

plus millet and dried chillies

 

[birdfloof]

ok, as for the seed mix, it seems fine at first glance, but I normally do not recommend using zupreem as a main diet as it is high in sugar. even the natural pellets have a high sugar content. i personally would recommend a more natural brand like tops mixed with chop or fresh vegetables. I typically only use seeds for foraging/treats as it is high in fat. you could always soak the seeds or even sprout them!

 

[Emma&pico]

I use these pellets and all fourhave taken to them

someone on here recommended these but mine haven’t taken to them yet !

 

[macaronish]

ok, as for the seed mix, it seems fine at first glance, but I normally do not recommend using zupreem as a main diet as it is high in sugar. even the natural pellets have a high sugar content. i personally would recommend a more natural brand like tops mixed with chop or fresh vegetables. I typically only use seeds for foraging/treats as it is high in fat. you could always soak the seeds or even sprout them!

I can't get tops where I live :/ I looked before

 

[macaronish]

View attachment 421935
I use these pellets and all fourhave taken to them
View attachment 421936
someone on here recommended these but mine haven’t taken to them yet !

Is the hagen one better than zupreem natural? I compared ingredients and it seems about the same but I'm not an expert lol. Will definitely order this if it is better

 

[birdfloof]

I can't get tops where I live :/ I looked before

I think you might be able to order some on amazon.

i definitely do not recommend zupreem because of the sugar content, so I would say that the hagen would be a better bet.

 

[Emma&pico]

mine love this seed mix I find it as less sunflower seeds in it

 

[Emma&pico]

Is the hagen one better than zupreem natural? I compared ingredients and it seems about the same but I'm not an expert lol. Will definitely order this if it is better

I think so @Mizzely did a really good review on pellets but I do t know how to link it will try but from what I read if I understand it correctly it’s doesn’t contain dye or artificial colouring

 

[macaronish]

I think you might be able to order some on amazon.

i definitely do not recommend zupreem because of the sugar content, so I would say that the hagen would be a better bet.

I looked on amazon and there's only a seed and soaking mix available by that brand, is that what you mean? No pellets and I looked across multiple pages just in case

 

[birdfloof]

https://www.amazon.com/TOPs-Parrot-Food-Cockatiels-Parrotlets/dp/B07TWNT3YT?th=1
this link should hopefully work and if it doesn't let me know and I will try something else.

i do think that you should also check out the foods that Emma&Pico suggested because they seem like they would work well too.

 

[Emma&pico]

Pellets for Parrots

Click the links below to be taken to that section. All Living Things | Caitec | FM Brown's | Goldenfeast | Hagen/Hari | Harrison's | Higgin's | Kaytee | Lafeber | Mazuri | Pretty Bird | Psittacus | Roudybush | Scenic | TOP's Parrot Food | Versele-Laga | Vetafarm | Zupreem I have gone through a...

lilmonstersbirdtoys.com

I hope this works

 

[tka]

TOPs isn't supplemented. The most important thing that it lacks is vitamin D; lack of calcium, iodine and vitamin A might also be an issue. If the bird lives in northern Europe, north US and Canada, a vitamin D supplement is vital for birds - and, to be honest, most humans. TOPs might be okay as a small part of the diet but I would never feed it as my birds' main pellet.

Zupreem contains less sugar than many kinds of fruit. It's kept fussy eaters on this forum well-nourished and alive. Perhaps it's not the ideal pellet but it's certainly not junk food. If a bird eats it, is doing well on it and it's a pellet that's available and affordable on your budget, then that's good.

 

[Emma&pico]

tropican as no sugars or dyes
These do the ones you have I think

 

[Mizzely]

The best pellet is the one your bird eats, does well on, and that fits your budget (and that you can easily source!!).

Please do not let anyone pellet shame you. Zupreem is not junk food. Have you ever eaten it? I can promise you it is not very sugary. Less than 3% of their food is sugar last I asked.

Is a pellet without dyes and sugar ideal? Absolutely! But if your bird won't eat the natural colored, unsweetened pellet then its not going to do much for them.

If you have Zupreem, feed Zupreem. You can always add in other pellets to the diet to see what else they may like. But do not stress out about it if that is what is available, affordable, and your bird thinks is edible.

The seed mix you have looks pretty decent. I like that it doesn't have a bunch of extras added to it, as that usually equals waste in my house!

 

[tka]

Please do not let anyone pellet shame you. Zupreem is not junk food. Have you ever eaten it? I can promise you it is not very sugary. Less than 3% of their food is sugar last I asked.

To put that into perspective, it is near impossible to find breakfast cereals that are less than 4% sugar (i.e. 4g of sugar in every 100g). Basic cornflakes and rice crispies might contain 4-6%. Fancy muesli might contain as much as 25% or even more.

 

[Emma&pico]

The best pellet is the one your bird eats, does well on, and that fits your budget (and that you can easily source!!).

Please do not let anyone pellet shame you. Zupreem is not junk food. Have you ever eaten it? I can promise you it is not very sugary. Less than 3% of their food is sugar last I asked.

Is a pellet without dyes and sugar ideal? Absolutely! But if your bird won't eat the natural colored, unsweetened pellet then its not going to do much for them.

If you have Zupreem, feed Zupreem. You can always add in other pellets to the diet to see what else they may like. But do not stress out about it if that is what is available, affordable, and your bird thinks is edible.

The seed mix you have looks pretty decent. I like that it doesn't have a bunch of extras added to it, as that usually equals waste in my house!

Sorry I hope you dont think I was pellet shaming I was just sharing what I used as I am in uk too
your totally right it’s what your birds eat that’s best