Cockatiels, or quarrions, are beings that make a loving pet bird. So, if you’re a bird enthusiast or a bird owner and are wary of whether your pet bird should stick solely to fruit seeds or can indulge in other human food such as bread, we’ve got your back.
So, can cockatiels eat bread? Yes, without any doubt, they can without having any digestive issues. As part of a healthy diet, pet owners usually feed cockatiels a varied diet of favourite fruits, vegetables and seeds. Cockatiels can eat wheat bread and white bread as healthy snacks. Having stated so, you can also give bread to your pet cockatiel, but only as an occasional treat, following certain methods. Rest assured that your feathered friend will more than just love to peck into those bread slices, making it an excellent birdie treat. And if given responsibly, that occasional bite will not lead to any negative health issues.
So now that we have ensured the fact that bread can act as a healthy snack for cockatiels’ diet, let’s dive into the health benefits and method of serving.
Can you feed bread to cockatiels? [yes, you can!]
As stated before, yes you can feed bread to your pet. Both toasted and untoasted bread is good to go. Bread can become an indulgent treat which should be avoided. Bread should only be given as an occasional treat. To maintain stable blood glucose levels, this bird treat should only be given just a few times a week.
How to prepare bread for cockatiels?
You can give your bird citrus fruits or other fresh food as slices but you cannot do the same for bread. Bread needs to be served in the form of breadcrumbs. So, make sure to blend bread into bread crumbs.
The bread can also be soaked in a bowl of water or a dish of water. To avoid contamination, we need to make sure to use clean water. Water bowls used should be clean too. When repeating the process, fresh water needs to be used. This will make digestion easier for your cockatiels.
Do cockatiels like bread?
Cockatiels love the crunch of toasted bread. Any bread, if prepared in the right way, will make your pet bird happy.
How much bread can cockatiels have?
Cockatiels should only have a handful of breadcrumbs twice, at most, in a week. While bread does hold nutritional benefits and provide your bird energy, giving too much will do the opposite. Amounts of bread should be limited, keeping triglyceride level and carbohydrate content in mind.
What are the choices for bread? Any Specific ones?
While brown bread or wheat bread may be your favourite, your cockatiel will be hooked to toasted bread due to its crunch. So, you can give your bird bits of toast with fruit seeds. No matter the type of bread you use: wheat bread, white bread or any conventional bread, it will provide an additional protein that fruit seeds cannot give.
What other foods can cockatiels have?
Parrot owners can give their birds a variety of fruits. This list of fresh fruit includes kiwi, papaya and melon. Some fruit pits can also be given depending on the type of fruit. And some fruit seeds need to be removed since they can be toxic foods. To avoid a boring diet, give your birds a variety of fresh vegetables and fruits. Cockatiels also like sweet potatoes and dry bread. You can also offer them meat in small amounts to keep a balanced diet. It is advisable to give your bird-cooked meat and not raw meat. Cockatiels also turnip greens and mustard greens. Cockatiels can also eat iceberg lettuce but in small amounts since lettuce contains mostly water and provided little health properties.
Under no circumstances, let your cockatiel anywhere near avocado and chocolate. This list also includes spicy foods, salty foods and sugary foods. Since garlic is also toxic to them, parrot owners are advised not to give their birds garlic bread.
Can you give bread to baby cockatiels?
Is there a new feathered friend in the house? Are you wondering whether you can give your baby cockatiel bread? The answer is no. Bread is dry and since the birds are young, there is a risk of choking. Instead, feed your young birds a variety of seeds and veggies.
How to avoid health risks such as obesity?
Wild cockatiels fly around quite a few miles daily, so they have a consistent energy consumption. This retains any weight gain. So, to maintain good health, food given to pet cockatiels needs to be monitored strictly. Make sure your let doesn’t indulge in their favourite fruits too much and keep the bread intake at a minimum. Obesity is a common condition in cockatiels due to their usual seed diet. Obesity can lead to coronary artery disease which results in significant heart damage. In severe cases, there can be a cardiac arrest.
Quick Answers
Brown bread is the best kind of bread to feed your birds. This is so because brown bread contains the least number of preservatives and chemicals that can pose threat to cockatiels.
Yes, some fruit pits such as apple seeds are deadly for cockatiels but not all fruit pits are dangerous.
No! Any avocado-containing foods should be strictly avoided since avocado is poisonous.
Cockatiels love to have toasted bread.
Cockatiels can eat meat in small amounts.
Bits of toast should be given only twice a week and no more.
Video of cockatiel eating bread:
Enjoy this video of a parakeet happily getting treated to bread.
Do you know if your cockatiels can eat cilantro or broccoli? Read our articles about it to learn more.