{"id":366,"date":"2025-08-18T02:44:12","date_gmt":"2025-08-18T01:44:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bbfeathers.com\/?page_id=366"},"modified":"2025-09-07T03:58:28","modified_gmt":"2025-09-07T02:58:28","slug":"cockatiel-food","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bbfeathers.com\/index.php\/cockatiel-food\/","title":{"rendered":"Cockatiel Food"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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“Feed the birds in winter; in return, they will feed your soul with the look of gratitude!\u201d <\/h5>\nMehmet Murat Ildan<\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Cockatiels in general need more than seeds for their well being. This is true for other birds too. Following is a typical food list for cockatiels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seeds<\/strong>: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are different types of cockatiel or lovebird seed mix available in the market. Any brand should be fine like living world, Hagen, etc. One thing to keep in mind is that some cockatiels love sunflower seeds. But they increase fat in the bird. If the bird is let to fly out of the cage regularly then this should not be a big concern. Otherwise there has to be a limit on the amount of sunflower seeds fed. Hemp seeds, safflower seeds are good alternatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pellets:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pellets are important like seeds. They have vitamins and minerals added which compensate for any deficiency in the regular diet. There are different brands and flavors available. It is a good idea to mix different types like Zupreem fruit blend, Tropican life-time formula granules, Tropican high-performance formula granules, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Egg Food:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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During weaning stage, molting stage as well as the stage when parents feed their chicks, egg food is one of the essentials. At all other times, periodic feeding is needed instead of daily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Treats<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This is nothing but spray millet. This is useful for taming birds. Birds like them as snack.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Vitamin supplement:<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If pellets are served as major food (75% or more of the total diet) then additional vitamin supplements are not needed. Pellets would have those already.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If seed is the main food, then birds do not get all vitamins from seeds or soft food. For such diet, feeding vitamins atleast once or twice a month is advisable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Any vitamin supplement like Hari Prime is good. During breeding time and molting time, supplements are essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calcium supplement:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are 2 forms of calcium supplements available in the market, one is in powder form and the other liquid. It is essential for cockatiels during breeding time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cuttle bone<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is good for the bird’s bones, beaks. This is one of the important supplements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mineral block:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This is good for bird’s beak. Birds use it for trimming. Available at Petsmart, amazon etc.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Charcoal<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This helps in bird’s digestion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sample: https:\/\/www.amazon.ca\/Hari-Suppl%C3%A9ment-charbon-pour-oiseaux\/dp\/B0002ARUR4\/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=bird+charcoal&qid=1588631956&s=pet-supplies&sr=1-1<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oyster shell (Crushed): <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is good for calcium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sample: https:\/\/www.amazon.ca\/Hagen-B2460-Oyster-Shells-15-5-Ounce\/dp\/B0002ARURE\/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=bird+calcium&qid=1588632000&s=pet-supplies&sr=1-6<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clay-Cal:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is good for calcium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sample: https:\/\/www.amazon.ca\/Hari-Clay-Cal-Bentonite-Supplement-Birds\/dp\/B0849F5QDZ<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Charcoal, Oyster shell and clay-cal can be mixed together and crushed.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Egg shell:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Crushed shell of boiled egg. Layer of skin on the inside of shell needs to be removed before crushing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rich in Calcium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not recommended when parents feed the babies.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Vegetables:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mixture of freshly chopped Spinach, Kale and Lettuce<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Mixture of freshly chopped Carrot, Beetroot, Broccoli, Beans and small piece of boiled egg<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\"\" When the parents feed their chicks, they eat lot of soft food<\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corn<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Full or cut into small pieces<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Apple<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Apple with seeds removed, skin peeled and cut into small pieces<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Grams<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chick peas, green gram, green peas (dry) – soaked and crushed a bit<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Soaked and crushed mix of chickpeas and green grams <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Soaked wheat:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Wheat soaked overnight<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Rice:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Brown and red rice mixed and boiled<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Sprouts<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sprouts from Green gram<\/mark><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Sprouts cut into small pieces<\/mark><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\"\" Always keep an eye on the quantity of the food. Too much is also not good<\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\" There are other fruits, peas\/beans and vegetables like cucumber, coriander leaf etc,<\/mark><\/mark><\/mark><\/mark> which can be fed. Please research and choose the ones based on your liking.<\/mark><\/mark><\/pre>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
“Feed the birds in winter; in return, they will feed your soul with the look of gratitude!\u201d Mehmet Murat Ildan Cockatiels in general need more than seeds for their well being. This is true for other birds too. Following is a typical food list for cockatiels. Seeds: There are different types of cockatiel or lovebird […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-366","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bbfeathers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/366"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bbfeathers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bbfeathers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bbfeathers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bbfeathers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=366"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/bbfeathers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/366\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":450,"href":"https:\/\/bbfeathers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/366\/revisions\/450"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bbfeathers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=366"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}