Best bird food for cockatiels ?

[Safamirza🤍]

Hello! I have a male cockatiel named Kiko, and I needed some help and advice on cockatiel diet

Kiko’s diet consists of his bird food (seed diet) and vegetables everyday, and fruits and millet/some bigger seeds like sunflower as treats occasionally.

Below I am going to attach a picture of the food that he eats. Has anyone heard of this brand, and do you know if it is okay for my bird? I have also attached the ingredients list below. This bag consists of a lot of sunflower seeds, which shouldn’t be consumed in large quantities by your bird, so I remove them when I put out his food and give them as treats.

I want to change his food to only pellets, but I don’t know which brand is good and I also don’t know how to transition him to pellets only. Can someone pls help me on this? Or should I continue giving him what he already eats? When we got him, he came with a bag of some bird food which was all seeds mixed with zupreem fruitblend. We were told that once his food runs out, we should get the fruitblend and similar looking seeds and mix it. We only got the bag of seeds but not the fruitblend because it has too much artificial flavouring and dyes. It was easy to give Kiko this new food because he was already eating the same stuff before his whole life, I’m assuming. But, if we transition to all pellets, then I wonder if he will eat it or not Because I don’t think he has ever tried them.

I have heard of the brand “Harrison’s” and “Tropican” but I don’t know the best ones for cockatiels. If you live in Canada and get your pellets from a store rather than ordering online, can you reccomend some good brands? I think it’s more convenient to buy the food from a store rather than ordering it.

Thanks to anyone who replies

 

[Safamirza🤍]

Hello! I have a male cockatiel named Kiko, and I needed some help and advice on cockatiel diet

Kiko’s diet consists of his bird food (seed diet) and vegetables everyday, and fruits and millet/some bigger seeds like sunflower as treats occasionally.

Below I am going to attach a picture of the food that he eats. Has anyone heard of this brand, and do you know if it is okay for my bird? I have also attached the ingredients list below. This bag consists of a lot of sunflower seeds, which shouldn’t be consumed in large quantities by your bird, so I remove them when I put out his food and give them as treats.

I want to change his food to only pellets, but I don’t know which brand is good and I also don’t know how to transition him to pellets only. Can someone pls help me on this? Or should I continue giving him what he already eats? When we got him, he came with a bag of some bird food which was all seeds mixed with zupreem fruitblend. We were told that once his food runs out, we should get the fruitblend and similar looking seeds and mix it. We only got the bag of seeds but not the fruitblend because it has too much artificial flavouring and dyes. It was easy to give Kiko this new food because he was already eating the same stuff before his whole life, I’m assuming. But, if we transition to all pellets, then I wonder if he will eat it or not Because I don’t think he has ever tried them.

I have heard of the brand “Harrison’s” and “Tropican” but I don’t know the best ones for cockatiels. If you live in Canada and get your pellets from a store rather than ordering online, can you reccomend some good brands? I think it’s more convenient to buy the food from a store rather than ordering it.

Thanks to anyone who replies

This is the tropican brand I was talking about. Btw the pic of the ingredients list is for the bag with the cockatiel on it.

 

[Zoruace]

I used to use the prestige big parakeet mix and it was good imo
I removed all the peanuts even tho tiki has no idea how to eat them
These are the ingredients

For pellets I used harrsions adult lifetime fine and it seemed great but not sure about kiko since he’s still young

This is what the website said

I never tried tropican but I’ve tried TOPs and Roundybush but my bird didn’t like either

For converting these videos can help

 

[Zoruace]

This is the tropican brand I was talking about. Btw the pic of the ingredients list is for the bag with the cockatiel on it.

I don’t think its that good the two most used ingredients are corn and soybeans and those are used as fillers most the time
The healthiest pellets imo are TOPs

 

[BirdyBee]

Hello! I have a male cockatiel named Kiko, and I needed some help and advice on cockatiel diet

Kiko’s diet consists of his bird food (seed diet) and vegetables everyday, and fruits and millet/some bigger seeds like sunflower as treats occasionally.

Below I am going to attach a picture of the food that he eats. Has anyone heard of this brand, and do you know if it is okay for my bird? I have also attached the ingredients list below. This bag consists of a lot of sunflower seeds, which shouldn’t be consumed in large quantities by your bird, so I remove them when I put out his food and give them as treats.

It's not the best, because of all the additives, such as vitamins, but if it's the best you can afford, then it's fine. You can always use the seed as a treat.

want to change his food to only pellets, but I don’t know which brand is good and I also don’t know how to transition him to pellets only. Can someone pls help me on this? Or should I continue giving him what he already eats? When we got him, he came with a bag of some bird food which was all seeds mixed with zupreem fruitblend. We were told that once his food runs out, we should get the fruitblend and similar looking seeds and mix it. We only got the bag of seeds but not the fruitblend because it has too much artificial flavouring and dyes. It was easy to give Kiko this new food because he was already eating the same stuff before his whole life, I’m assuming. But, if we transition to all pellets, then I wonder if he will eat it or not Because I don’t think he has ever tried them.

Yes, ZuPreem Fruitblend is not good. To be honest, I don't think pellets are necessary(they aren't). Why should a processed food be most of the diet? A small bit of Harrisons or TOPs is ok(TOPs being the best), but I highly recommend that if you can, to make a dry mix with a variety of grains, seeds, nuts(small amount), dry herbs and/or spices(optional, though they contain a lot of health benifits), flowers(optional), dry veg and/or fruit(optional), etc.

Dry mix 2.0!

Hi ya'll! I made another dry mix for the flock! Please share your opinions on it :) INGREDIENTS: Grains: Hulled buckwheat 1/3 cup White quinoa 1/3 cup Pearl barley 1/3 cup(barley that has been slightly polished, all I could find, it's really similar to normal barley. Edit: I accidentally said...

www.parrotforums.com

Dry mixes

Hi everyone, I have long planned to get my birds off pellets and make a dry mix, as I now have the opportunity to do it because their pellets ran out😅. How much of it should be grains, how much of it flowers/herbs/spices, etc? Thanks in advance. (for more info it's 5 budgies and a cockatiel)

www.parrotforums.com

If he eats a lot of healthy veg, grain, sprouts, fruit etc. then pellets are not needed. Even a good seed mix is ok.

I have heard of the brand “Harrison’s” and “Tropican” but I don’t know the best ones for cockatiels. If you live in Canada and get your pellets from a store rather than ordering online, can you reccomend some good brands? I think it’s more convenient to buy the food from a store rather than ordering it.

@Terry57 do you know any good brands in Canada?

Tropican is not the best. Harrisons is OK but better choices exist(such as TOP's). I've used Roudybush before but I stop using it because I started making dry mix instead.

Thanks to anyone who replies

You're welcome

 

[Terry57]

Thank you for the tag, Pipp!

We use Zupreme, both natural and fruit coloured, and Tropimix.
They say the best pellet is the one your bird will eat, and that is our situation. Pellets are not a huge part of their diet, fresh veggies are.
Tropican/Tropimix in my opinion are fantastic foods. I'd have all my birds on them if the stubborn ones would switch.

I had only one bird who would even try Harrisons. I had a 50 pound bag of it, so I tried it until it ran out. No one wanted it. I know others have had a lot of luck in switching to Harrisons but mine aren't a part of that group.

I also tried Roudybush, as did 2 other members of our bird club when it was on sale.
In all of our flocks, our pluckers started plucking again while on it. Now plucking can start for any reason and it could be a coincidence...but it wasn't worth testing it again for me.

 

[Terry57]

I forgot to add that all my birds get a little seeds, and the cockatiels and Budgies get a little more than the other parrots.

 

[Safamirza🤍]

Thank you for the tag, Pipp!

We use Zupreme, both natural and fruit coloured, and Tropimix.
They say the best pellet is the one your bird will eat, and that is our situation. Pellets are not a huge part of their diet, fresh veggies are.
Tropican/Tropimix in my opinion are fantastic foods. I'd have all my birds on them if the stubborn ones would switch.

I had only one bird who would even try Harrisons. I had a 50 pound bag of it, so I tried it until it ran out. No one wanted it. I know others have had a lot of luck in switching to Harrisons but mine aren't a part of that group.

I also tried Roudybush, as did 2 other members of our bird club when it was on sale.
In all of our flocks, our pluckers started plucking again while on it. Now plucking can start for any reason and it could be a coincidence...but it wasn't worth testing it again for me.

Thank you everyone for the help! I wanted to switch to all pellets bc I heard that seeds are bad for your birds as a main diet and that pellets are better. I can afford to get him better quality seeds or pellets, the only issue is the transition to new food. I also want him to eat more veggies. He eats veggies every day but he only seems to like leafy greens such as kale, spinach, and he also likes parsley ALOT. I tried to make him chop once with a lot of different veggies and some fruits but he will not eat it. He eats a little bit then isn’t interested anymore. So now, I cut up some leafy greens and brocolli everyday and he eats maybe a tablespoon worth of it a day. I REALLY want him to eat more veggies through bird chop since he prefers veggies that aren’t leafy chopped finely, but he just won’t eat the chop as much as I want him to and making a lot of chop is just going to waste

 

[BirdyBee]

I forgot to add that all my birds get a little seeds, and the cockatiels and Budgies get a little more than the other parrots.

Yes, budgies and cockatiels need 15-25% seed, as they are ground foragers and naturally eat more seed.

 

[BirdyBee]

Thank you everyone for the help! I wanted to switch to all pellets bc I heard that seeds are bad for your birds as a main diet and that pellets are better. I can afford to get him better quality seeds or pellets, the only issue is the transition to new food. I also want him to eat more veggies. He eats veggies every day but he only seems to like leafy greens such as kale, spinach, and he also likes parsley ALOT. I tried to make him chop once with a lot of different veggies and some fruits but he will not eat it. He eats a little bit then isn’t interested anymore. So now, I cut up some leafy greens and brocolli everyday and he eats maybe a tablespoon worth of it a day. I REALLY want him to eat more veggies through bird chop since he prefers veggies that aren’t leafy chopped finely, but he just won’t eat the chop as much as I want him to and making a lot of chop is just going to waste

Have you tried beet/carrot/peas/sweetcorn? They're sweet so birds tend to like it.

A bit of seed is fine, just don't give 30,40,50%+ seed.

 

[Safamirza🤍]

Have you tried beet/carrot/peas/sweetcorn? They're sweet so birds tend to like it.

A bit of seed is fine, just don't give 30,40,50%+ seed.

He does like carrots sometimes when I peel them and give them to him very thin. I’ll get the ones you recommended next time I go grocery shopping ! But as for veggies and fruits in general, are there any kinds I should stay away from, any veggies/fruits that can be toxic for birds? For fruits with seeds insides such as apples, I remove them and only give the fruit. Do I need to do that with every single fruit and veggie?

 

[BirdyBee]

He does like carrots sometimes when I peel them and give them to him very thin. I’ll get the ones you recommended next time I go grocery shopping ! But as for veggies and fruits in general, are there any kinds I should stay away from, any veggies/fruits that can be toxic for birds? For fruits with seeds insides such as apples, I remove them and only give the fruit. Do I need to do that with every single fruit and veggie?

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