





Safe Foods, Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs and Treats for Cockatiels

By Eleanor McCaffrey Copyright©

This list may be printed for your personal use for your own bird.

Any other use requires site owner's written permission.

In addition to pellets, offer your bird a variety of safe table foods for a well balanced and nourishing diet. Table foods should include fresh fruits and vegetables each day as well as, other foods, seeds and treats. Portions should be kept small so all of of these foods combined do not exceed 20% to 30% of your bird's diet or the personal recommendations of your avian vet. The list below may be printed out for you to use with your own bird. Safe, fresh herbs and safe spices, along with safe seeds from garden plants are listed below the list of safe foods for cockatiels. For specific recommendations and limitations of individual foods, read our first page about Healthy Table Foods Click Here.

cooked chicken

cooked turkey

cooked lean meats

cooked fish

hard boiled eggs

scrambled egg

cottage cheese

yogurt

asparagus

basil

beets

beet greens

bok choy

broccoli

beet greens

brussel sprouts

carrots

carrot tops

celery

corn

chard

chicory

cilantro

collard greens

coriander

chamomile

Chinese parsley

cucumbers

dark green lettuces

dandelions

dill

endive fennel

green and yellow wax beans

ginger root

kale

lemon balm

cooked lima beans

marjoram

mustard greens

oregano

peas and pods

parsley

*****

pumpkin

red or green sweet peppers

romaine lettuce

rosemary

*****

spinach

sprouts, fresh

sweet potatoes (cooked)

thyme

turnip greens

watercress

yellow squash

zuchinni

apples

apricots

bananas

berries

cantaloupe

cherries

cranberries honeydew melon

kiwi

mango

oranges

papaya

peaches

pears

pineapple

plums

watermelon

cooked pasta

cooked brown rice

cooked barley

cooked dried beans

dried fruit

bird bread

whole wheat toast,

oatmeal (cooked)

other cooked cereals

Treats Include:

Cheerios

Rice Krispies

Shredded Wheat

Grape Nuts

unsalted popcorn

animal crackers

graham crackers

unsalted crackers

unsalted pretzels

Pet Shop Treats

Homemade treats. Click Here

Safe Herbs for Pet Birds : Basil, Cayenne, Chamomile, Chicory, Cilantro (another name for Coriander and Chinese Parsley), Dandelion, Dill, Ginger Root, Fennel, Lemon Balm, Marjoram, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary and Thyme. Dry cinnamon is also safe. Nutmeg is toxic.

Safe Seeds from Garden Plants: (not wild bird seed purchased in stores) Canary Grass, Canola, Caraway, Echinacea, Flax, Hemp, Millet (white proso and red) Nyjer, Pumpkin, Rape, Safflower, Sunflower, Thistle, Hemp, and Sesame.

Toxic Foods: Avocado, rhubarb, alcohol, coffee, tea, chocolate, sugary, salty, greasy foods, tobacco, leaves and stems from potato, tomato, eggplant and bean plants, seeds from apples, seeds from pears, seeds from oranges and lemons, apricot pits, cherries pits, peach pits, and plums pits are toxic and can make your bird sick. Onions and garlic are also considered toxic because they cause a certain type of anemia in dogs and cats. Even though birds have a unique type of blood cell that does not seem to be affected by this toxicity, onions and garlic for the sake of safety are also classified as being toxic to pet birds as well. Fresh peanuts, Brazil nuts and other nuts in shells are often contaminated with a toxic, mold-causing fungus. Avoid feeding them to your cockatiel. Dry roasted, unsalted nuts are considered to be safe. Strawberries and grapes bruise easily and quickly become contaminated with a toxic mold. Use with caution.

Spoilage: Remove meat, fish, eggs and dairy products after 30 minutes to prevent spoilage. Remove other fresh foods within 1 hour or sooner during hot weather. Shellfish, Meat, Eggs & Beans: Avoid feeding your bird shellfish. (shrimp, crab, lobster etc.) because of high levels of bacterial contamination. A bacteria count that is considered safe for humans may not be safe for birds. Serve freshly cooked meat, fish and eggs. Do not feed your bird meat, fish or eggs that have been refrigerated after cooking then re-heated. Uncooked dried beans, barley, oats, rice, sweet potatoes, turnips and beets contain enzyme inhibitors that will interfere with your bird's digestion of food. Cook them first to deactivate these compounds. Grit: Healthy cockatiels and other pet birds, with the exception of canaries, finches, doves and pigeons, do not need grit to aid in digestion Feeding your cockatiel grit or using sandpaper type cage liners/perches can make your cockatiel sick by causing digestive impactions . Moldy Foods: Seeds, grains, fruit, meat, cheese, bread and other foodstuffs can become toxic if contaminated with mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by mold-causing fungi. Never feed your bird mushy, discolored, bruised fruits or vegetables or a food that has mold growing on it. "When in doubt, throw it out." Pesticides: Fruits and vegetables contain pesticides which are toxic for birds. Wash, scrub, peel and rinse well before serving. Soaking veggies for a few minutes in a mixture of grapefruit seed extract and water or apple cider vinegar and water will help to remove them . Canned: Vegetables in cans are often high in sodium content. The heat used during processing also destroys the vitamin content. Avoid them and use fresh or frozen instead. If you must use canned, rinse several times under running water to remove sodium. Mouth Feeding: Human saliva contains bacteria that is potentially toxic to birds. If you are getting a cold or the flu and you develop a secondary infection, your bird can get sick from you. Avoid this habit and offer you bird a separate portion of food. Back to Top Click for Food Limitations

Click for Tips on Introducing New Foods

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