Cockatiel Help?

[Classroom Quail]

I'm the proud new owner of two gorgeous white Cockatiels that were a surprise gift from one of my parents. I don't have any Cockatiel experience, so I've been researching them since I got home today. There's only one problem with them. They won't eat anything but millet spray. They've had a few sunflower seeds, but nothing else. That really doesn't seem healthy to me. What is the best possible Cockatiel diet? How can I make them eat something else? Thanks in advance!

 

[sonjab314]

If they are young (just weaned) millet is the best food for them until they get the "hang" of eating seed or pellets

 

[Classroom Quail]

If they are young (just weaned) millet is the best food for them until they get the "hang" of eating seed or pellets

They're full grown. Their last owners said they're five years old or so.

 

[Avianman]

Well, millet is better than sunflower seed, and you will find that even the best seed mixes are made primarily of millet. You can buy millet in many different varieties and seed sizes, though it is usually the same type on the spray, and I am not sure that there is a significant difference in health value even with the different types.

If you plan to keep them on a seed based diet, then millet is going to make up the basis.

Of course, you are going to want to introduce fresh foods, as the seed isn't the *best* for them. That said, they are seed eating birds in the wild, not like our chickens that are omnivorous.

If you want to introduce fresh foods, put one of the millet sprays in a jar, and keep it moist for a few days (not under water though) until the millet begins to sprout and then take it out to dry for a couple hours and re-introduce the spray. They usually wont stay away from the unfamiliar item like they will with new foods and they are getting a nutritionally superior food.

After they grow to like that, you can begin to introduce other fresh foods like bean sprouts, or you may have the best luck introducing home-sprouted seed mixes. Thinly sliced carrots and leafy greens are good, too.

Cockatiels are creatures of habit and caution, so they dont generally try new things, though there are exceptions to every rule.

Best of luck!

-Beau

 

[Rosa moschata]

Try getting a mix for sprouting -- most parrots will take to them readily. I get mine from China Prairie but there are others out there. I soak the seeds with water in a screen-lidded mason jar overnight, drain and rinse the next morning, and start serving that day. I keep the batch going with two to three rinses a day at room temperature, and one rinse per day (just before serving) when the jar goes in the refrigerator on the third day -- and keep going until it's empty, and start again. Once the sprouts are accepted, it becomes easy to incorporate other things into it, like grated carrot. If you get the China Prairie mix, you can mix some of their supplement powder with the sprouts at feeding time.

 

[Allisha]

Well, the best diet for a Cockatiel is Pellets, fresh veggies, and seeds and millet as treats. Cockatiels actually thrive on seed based diets more than other species of Parrots, but it is still unhealthy for them.

In my experience in raising stubborn parrots, Zupreem is the easiest transition to pellets. Also get a bag of seed mixture. Transitioning to pellets and veggies will take a while, so still provide the millets as their main dish for a while. Provide the Zupreem(or other brand) during the early morning for about half an hour. With nothing else. Sometimes feeding them outside of the cage(like on top) will help them. And then provide the millet freely until the evening. Take them out again and offer the pellets. Don't take away the millet for good until you are absolutelty sure they are eating enough pellets.I wouldn't try transitioning them to veggies until they are eating the pellets.

Hope this helps!

 

[Classroom Quail]

Thanks for all the advice! Making slow but steady progress over here. They're now eating broccoli (I'm guessing this is because it looks similar to millet spray). I'm probably going to keep them on a seed-based diet, at least for now. I'll see about getting some sprouts for them when I can. Do I need to give them anything extra for protein?

 

[Allisha]

Broccoli was the first thing other than seeds that my Cockatiel ate. After that, it was easier to feed him other things. Feed him lots and lots of it, it's very healthy.. Most parrots don't need a high level of protein, so you don't need any other supplements for that. You could also try to make birdie bread and hide broccoli, carrots, ect, into it. Birdie bread is extremelynutritious and my cockatiel loves it, even if he dislikes veggies by themselves. I can give yout the recipe I use, if you want.

 

[Classroom Quail]

Broccoli was the first thing other than seeds that my Cockatiel ate. After that, it was easier to feed him other things. Feed him lots and lots of it, it's very healthy.

. Most parrots don't need a high level of protein, so you don't need any other supplements for that. You could also try to make birdie bread and hide broccoli, carrots, ect, into it. Birdie bread is extremelynutritious and my cockatiel loves it, even if he dislikes veggies by themselves. I can give yout the recipe I use, if you want.

The recipe would be great, I'd love to see if they'd eat it.

 

[Allisha]

2 6 oz jars baby food sweet potatoes(if you put in a little less, that's fine too)
3 eggs. I add the eggshells after grinding them to dust, for calcium. But you don't need to add the eggshells
1 to 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
A tiny bit of millet to sprinkle in the batter.
Try adding a sprinkle of regular seed mix if you have it.
Broccoli(make sure there is enough to be in everyvpiece you cut)
Grated or diced raw carrot(as much as the broccoli)
And then any other veggie you would like to put in there.

Preheat oven to 325° Mix the baby food and eggs together. Then add the flour and mix. Finally add all of your veggies and seeds. Spread the batter onto a pan like you would a cake, or put them into cupcake pans, either one is fine. Cook until they are firm to the touch. Usually 30 to 40 minutes. In my experience they look nothing like bread when you take them out, but eventually they'll harden up even more. I don't really like the smell of the Birdie Bread but it might just be me. Put the leftovers in the freezer and heat them up for 20 seconds in the microwave.

Kiko came from a rough condition and just ate seeds his whole life, but he readily ate this when he was out of his cage. He looves it now, and i only started feeding him it a few weeks ago. He absolutely hated carrots, but after eating the birdie bread he loves it.

NOTE: I actually had 1 cup of pellets that substituted the flour. The pellet nutrients absorbed into the sweet potato baby food. But you can definitely substitute the pellets for flour.

Hope they like it!