Best Food for Cockatiels: An Exceptional Guide to Choosing the Right One

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Modern people desire to be closer to nature and its residents so it is not surprising to see the increasing number of pets. One of gaining popularity new home dwellers are colorful cockatiels. These wonderful birds do not require much care apart from the best food for cockatiels.

Their ratio plays a very important role in the way they behave and feel among people. When the bird gets all the necessary nutrients, minerals and vitamins in addition to homemade cockatiel food, it pleases its owners with a playful mood and excellent health for durable life.

It goes without saying that every pet deserves a treat and the answer to the question “what do cockatiels eat for treats?” is very simple: specially created bird food for a healthy diet and all the necessary for the organism nutrients. There are 9 best examples of food for a cockatiel to choose from and let your bird be saturated and treated.

Top Food For Cockatiels in 2024

Image	Product
	#1. Lafeber Cockatiel Nutri-Berries Proportions - 4lb Useful nutrients - Minerals, vitamins, fatty acids Form - Not ground seeds and grains	Editor’s Choice Check Price Read Our Review
	#2. Harrison's Adult Lifetime Fine Proportions - 1lb Useful nutrients - Vitamins and minerals Form - Pellets	Check Price Read Our Review
	#3. Kaytee Exact Natural Food Proportions - 3lb Useful nutrients - Vitamins and minerals, extracts, supplements Form - Nuggets	Check Price Read Our Review
	#4. ZuPreem Fruit Blend Diet Proportions - 2lb Useful nutrients - 21 minerals and vitamins Form - Pellets of 5 colors and forms	Check Price Read Our Review
	#5. Lafeber's Original Avi-Cakes Proportions - 0.5lb Useful nutrients - Vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, proteins, carbohydrates, fat Form - Pellets and seeds	Check Price Read Our Review
	#6. Higgins Food Mix Proportions – 3 lb. Useful nutrient – Fatty acids, proteins, vitamins, minerals, fat Form –Seeds and fruits	Check Price Read Our Review
	#7. Kaytee Spray Millet Proportions – 12 count (8.8 oz.) Useful nutrient –Proteins, fat Form – Millet Sprays	Check Price Read Our Review
	#8. Dr. Harvey’s Cockatiel Blend Proportions – 4lb. Useful nutrients – vitamins, protein, minerals Form – Seeds and millets, nuts, fruits and vegetables	Check Price Read Our Review
	#9. Hagen Staple Vme Seed Proportions – 25 lb. Useful nutrients – Proteins, fats, vitamin supplements and minerals Form – Blended seeds	Check Price Read Our Review

1. Lafeber’s Cockatiel Nutri-Berries – Good Nutritious And The Better Cockatiel Seed Mix

Nutri-berries are similar to pellets nutrition that is also a balanced diet for every cockatiel. However, if palettes contain ground ingredients, every seed and grain in this food is kept whole. Dr. Lafeber has balanced the ratio without a necessity to grind it. He hulled every seed particle and covered it with all the necessary vitamins that are previously stabilized, important minerals and Omega 3 and 6 fatty amino acid.

The main benefit of such a diet is providing sensation for both a beak and a tongue similar to the process of consuming food in the wild. In addition, its flavor is preserved from the birds’ natural environment so every seed and grain will seem not only a regular diet but also a wonderful treat. Cockatiels eat this seed food with pleasure as it is fully flavored and tasty as well as beneficial. The capacity of the bucket is 4lb.

Common Presentation

Lafeber Nutri-Berries is a healthy and balanced food for cockatiel. If you are a happy owner of this lovely bird, this diet will be a perfect choice as it is similar to grains a parrot can find in the wild and train its beak and tongue. What do cockatiels eat in the wild? They can find different grains or seeds as well as berries so such kind of diet is preferable for these pets if kept at home. You can improve the nutrition of your parrot giving it everything necessary contained in a single diet.

2. Harrison’s Adult Lifetime Fine – Superb Pellets For Cockatiels Small-Sized

Harrison’s cockatiel food was created to maintain the birds of both small and medium size. The product has a USDA NOP Organic Seal that is a guarantee of the best quality with any chemicals absence in the nutrition. The diet consists of whole premium-quality ingredients that are grown organically and certified. These are small ball-shaped pellets that include all the necessary vitamins and minerals. Birds adore every seed of this diet even despite the fact that it does not have a sweetener or flavor improving substance. The food is natural and suitable for different not big birds as well as a cockatiel. You can feed the bird all year round with this diet as it is perfect for pets that are not going to breed or molt.

The packet includes 1lb or 454g of the ready-made food.

Assertion

The main advantage of this cockatiel food is the absence of necessity to give a bird anything else apart from the diet. Even if you feed it with this product for years, it will remain healthy and active as well as live long enough for birds. The palettes are small enough for a cockatiel’s beak to fit them easily so your bird will be happy to have such a vitaminized and mineralized ratio.

3. Kaytee Exact Natural Bird Food – Great Food For Cockatiel Birds

This food is an optimal nutrition diet with the emphasis on natural preservation of its ingredients. It includes all the necessary daily diet nutrients.

The food is produced in the form of enticing crunchy nuggets so that a bird’s beak could work well. With every nugget eaten your cockatiel increases its chances to get a perfect feathering, bright coloring, and wonderful health.

Produced by a nutrition leading company found in 1989 every product is researched by nutrition experts to guarantee premium nutrition on a daily basis.

The packet includes 3lb of the food.

Overall Impression

A good diet eaten by picky cockatiels: they have no alternative to choose from and when they taste this food, they love it immediately. It contains everything important for your bird’s health and activity and is a wonderful daily ratio, so there is no need to rack your brain what to give your pet today – quality and tasty food is always at hand.

4. ZuPreem Medium Fruit Blend Bird Diet – Best Diet For Cockatiels With Different Flavors

This type of cockatiel nutrition is suitable for every day. It will help in maintaining the excellent bird’s health being a balanced and high-quality product. Its unsurpassed benefit is the presence of ground fruit pieces in every bite. The food is made in the form of 5 different fruit of various colors each of which has a unique taste and aroma. They contribute to the sensuous develop me of every cockatiel for it to feel pleased consuming the diet.

Suitable for different medium birds this food contains 21 vitamins and minerals that are enough for a perfect bird’s development and prevent from using any other supplements.

The packet contains 2lb of the food ready for consumption.

Advice

This product is a wonderful choice if you want to diversify the diet of your cockatiel. It goes without saying that your bird will be more than surprised to see colorful pellets of different forms with such a lovely smell. In addition, this food is suitable to feed medium birds everyday and contains 21 minerals and vitamins important for good bird’s health.

5. Lafeber’s Original Flavor Avi-Cakes  – A Double Treat From The Best Cockatiel Food Brand

In search of a combination of nice flavor, original form and premium nutritional qualities pay attention to these avi-cakes.

The food is a blend of natural seed flavor and nourishing pellets rich in vitamins, minerals and Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. In addition, every seed and pallet is covered with molasses to add a sweet taste as well as provides your bird with the necessary amount of protein, fat, and carbohydrates.

All that makes this diet perfect to take care of the immune system of medium birds. Your cockatiel will get pleasure every time it will put effort to eat this beneficial treat. The packet contains 0.5lb of the food.

Judgment

A nice combination of pallets and seed food sweetened to make a treat better. It will be a nice product bought by cockatiel owners who can not choose between two food forms. There are multiple beneficial ingredients including minerals and vitamins so you should not worry about your bird’s health.

6. Higgins Sunburst Gourmet Food: Healthy Diet and Cockatiels’ Treat

Do you want to keep your cockatiel healthy? Quite naturally, a fresh food diet is beneficial. Variety of exotic fruits and veggies support your cherished pet birds. They are essential sources of vitamins and minerals. Can you feed your feathered friends 3 times a day? It could be possible only during holidays and weekends.

Thus, Higgins Sunburst food mix substitutes a fresh food diet. I would say it’s a good example of a natural, balanced blend. It contains dehydrated fruits, veggies, and legumes. Papaya, pineapple, flaked carrot, apples, cranberries, blueberries are favorite treats of my cockatiels. They love fresh food!

Variety of seeds, shelled nuts and grains are available. Small amounts of every premium-quality ingredient are added. So, it’s a gourmet and healthy blend. Omega-3 fatty acids and probiotics support your cockatiels’ immune system and ingestion. Their plumage looks brilliant. Crude proteins make 15% of this mix. Dried eggs are its basic sources.

So, add this mix once a day. Your cherished birds can eat it together with other products. If they consumed pellets before, don’t replace them immediately. Your picky birds would prefer this natural blend. It smells so fresh! Natural citrus and banana flavors make it palatable. Meanwhile, only natural colors and flavors are available.

Absence of preservatives or artificial additives makes this food healthy. Oxygen-barrier packaging helps the product stay fresh for longer. If you doubt it, keep this blend in your freezer. It guarantees it remains fresh. Additionally, no bugs or moths get to the bag.

My Recommendations

Higgins Sunburst is preferable food for your cockatiels. It contains wide variety of high-end ingredients. They are natural, delicious and healthy. So, I highly recommend this product. It suits all cockatiels’ life stages and simplifies your birds’ feeding routine.

7. Kaytee Spray Millet: Occasional Treat for Cockatiels

Millet is a healthy grain. It’s an essential part of cockatiels’ diet. This cereal crop contains proteins and amino acids. It’s a great source of vitamin C, E and B6. Essential minerals, such as magnesium, manganese, iron and zinc, make it nutritious.

These small-size round seeds contain high level of carbohydrates. They completely meet cockatiels’ energy needs. I think our lovely birds can’t live without millets. But it contains no vitamin A, not all necessary lipids and minerals. Grains and seeds are only a part of a balanced cockatiels’ diet. It includes fruits, veggies, pellets. Cockatiels’ food should be nutritionally complete.

So, spray millets are occasional treats for your birds. Quite naturally, cockatiels love them. Coming naturally on the stem, millet keeps your feathered pets active. Hang it in the cage, near the perch or in another location. It lets your cherished cockatiels feel like in the wild. It encourages their foraging activity. Millet sprays promote bonding and training.

My lovely pets pluck millets, holding sprays in their feet. Quite naturally, it’s not a toy. But these sprays enrich cockatiels’ activity. Use their favorite treat to prevent boredom and alleviate stress. Additionally, it’s highly palatable. Millets are perfect for fledglings and juvenile birds. Full-grown cockatiels also love eating these seeds.

Spray millets are 100% natural. Kaytee Products Inc. supplies them, without adding any artificial flavors or colors. Working in Chilton, Wisconsin, it sells top-quality pet products since 1866. Matching traditions and innovations it meets various pet owners’ expectations.

A Piece of Advice

Millet seeds are essential for cockatiels. They are nutritional and highly palatable. Hanging in the cage, sprays enrich birds’ activity. But one kind of seeds is not enough. Use Kaytee Spray Millet as treats only. How often should you give it to your pets? I think, about once a week. Even if millet is gone, don’t replace it more frequently. Your cockatiels need diverse and balanced food.

8. Dr. Harvey’s Cockatiel Blend: All Natural Whole Food Mix

In summer, you might be mad busy. Working hard in the office is natural for young, energetic people.After reopening, you can go to the theater or just go out on a date. During your lunchtime, you would get just a piece of pie with soda to save time. Your cherished pet birds need a balanced diet.

They get various nutrients to stay healthy. A great variety of seasonal fruits and green vegetables is to be in their feeding bowls. Simplify your daily chores. Cockatiel blend by Dr. Harvey’s is worth becoming daily food of your feathered friends. It’s healthy and natural.

Basic Ingredients

The formulation contains only fresh, organic ingredients. It contains 9 types of nuts, 10 different millets and seeds. Variety of dried fruits including mangoes, apples and bananas. It makes this blend unique and colossal. My lovely cockatiels adore it. Especially Sweetie. She digs into her food dish and picks the pieces of mango and banana out of it.

Bee Pollen is a special ingredient. It contains protein, making my cherished birds look healthy. They are a bit more active now than several months ago. Colossal blend makes their feathers glossy and beautiful. It improves color and volume of their plumage.

Cockatiels’beaks are smooth. I noticed they survived spring molting easier than last year. So, I guess Dr. Harvey’s blend is well-balanced and beneficial. The family-owned, NY-based company produces it since 1984. At least, the company founder, Dr. Harvey Cohen practiced human medicine in New York City. So, his team formulates top-quality, human-grade pet food now.

Overall Impression

The colossal blend by Dr. Harvey is natural and healthy. It’s rich in various nutrients and ingredients. My birds love it. So, I guess it’s possible to use it as daily cockatiels food, or 3-4 days a week, at least.

9. Hagen Staple Vme Seed: Balanced Cockatiel Food for Regular Use

Are you a busy person? If so, you may prefer a pellet-based or mixed cockatiel diet. Your lovely birds would love it. They get essential nutrients that support their health and energy. Ready-to-use mixes are well-balanced and nutritious. They don’t require washing and peeling or cooking like rice or fresh veggies.

Heat-loving cockatiels require a high-calorie diet, especially in spring. When it’s not too brick, but cool outdoors, they need extra energy. It keeps them warm and healthy. While molting, your cherished pet birds need support. Egg-laying period might be also challenging.

Seeds and Vitamins Integration

Balanced food from Hagen is a mad good product. It contains well-oiled mix of seeds. My feathered friends love white and red millets. They pick them from the blend as soon as I fill the bowl. Millets are their favorite treats. Sweetie and Loki especially love seeds.

I guess they need these nutrients and amino acids. They help female cockatiels lay and incubate eggs. Canary grass seeds and dehusked oats are also helpful while breeding birds. They compensate for nutrient deficiency that is typical of spring. Minerals and vitamin supplements make their fortified diet healthy.

Sunflower seeds are a bit fatty. In moderation, they are beneficial. Cockatiels do need fatty food to get over after winter nuisances. What about the bag capacity? I guess it would meet current needs of a pet store or a mini zoo. Will you need so huge amount of seeds? It would be enough to feed my 4 adult birds during 2-3 months.

Anyway, you are to keep these seeds fresh, storing them properly. I guess airtight glass containers would be suitable. Eliminate moisture and direct sunlight. It lets you avoid pests, bugs and mold issues.

General Impression

Mix of seeds by Hagen is healthy, nutritious cockatiel food. It suits regular use, especially in spring. Variety of seeds and vitamins make it well-balanced and tasty. Cockatiels do love this food. It becomes delicious treat for your picky birds. Just store it properly, keeping dry and fresh.

Frequently Asked Questions About What Can Cockatiels Eat?

People who want to own a cockatiel or have already obtained it are interested in the number of questions:

• Can cockatiels eat bread?
• Can cockatiels eat bread, rice, cheese, crackers, peanut butter?
• Do cockatiels eat meat?
• Can cockatiels eat berries, tomatoes, apples, almonds?

Let’s see what exactly cockatiels can and must eat and what food is detrimental or even poisonous.

The most nutritious and beneficial birds’ diet is seed and pellet food. However, they can eat more customary for people products.

Final Verdict

Cockatiels can consume different vegetables and fruits cut into small pieces. You can also give them protein food like meat, fish, boiled egg, yogurt, cottage cheese and peanuts in small amounts. It is necessary to give them water to drink.

It is forbidden to feed a cockatiel with avocado, chocolate, fruit seed, onion, garlic, alcohol, mushrooms, honey, salt, caffeine, beans, products with a high amount of fat, sodium, and sugar as well as sugar-free food.