Nita's Nest - Tiel FAQ 2

COCKATIEL FAQ

(Frequently Asked Questions)

What should I feed my cockatiel?

I do not believe there is only one right method concerning bird keeping, whether it be diet or breeding procedures. If it works for you, don't mess with it. If it isn't working, then you need to look for a system that does. All I can tell you is what I feed my cockatiels. It works for me. The birds are healthy, have always produced well, and feed their kids well until I pull them for handfeeding.

I use a seed mix as a base. While there are good cockatiel mixes out there, I prefer to make my own. I buy good quality parakeet mix (you can tell it's fresh if it will sprout readily) and to that I add striped sunflower and safflower. I don't measure this; I do it by eye. More safflower than sunflower, and not a lot of either. I mix this well and it's kept in a large Rubbermaid container. A smaller container (one for each type mix I use in the birdroom) is kept on the birdroom table. I find that keeping the seed in airtight containers helps cut down on seed moths.

Each cage holds a separate dish of Petamine. Petamine contains a few seeds but is mostly a granular powder, which also is rather fragrant. I believe that when Petamine was first introduced the bag used to say it was a "complete food", though now it is called a supplement for all birds. Either way, the birds all like it. When they have babies a full dish of Petamine ensures a good source of food for the parents to feed the kids, in between the times when fresh eggfood is supplied. I refill the dish whenever it is nearly empty.

Another separate dish contains pellets. I'm currently using Zupreem fruit flavored pellets. They come in different sizes, suitable for all types of birds. There is a cockatiel size that the cockatiels love, as do the meyers and red bellies and even the greys. I keep this dish full. The birds do not always eat the same amount every day. I may have to refill the dish every day for a week and then not again for two weeks.

Once a week I make up a large batch of beans/rice/veggies, and freeze it in batches that will feed my flock for two days (I use Cool Whip containers). If you only have a few birds you may want to freeze portions in ice cube trays. You'll need a bit of trial and error to find the amount that works for you and your birds. Anyway, there are no hard and fast rules to the amounts in this mix, and in fact I try to make it a bit differently each time to give them a bit of variety.

This might be a typical batch:

1/2 pound (1/2 of a bag) of dried beans (I like the soup mix that contains a large variety of types, including peas, but other times will use straight navy beans or pea beans - any type will work). These are boiled for 1 to 2 hours, till they are fork-tender.

1 large bag of mixed veggies (I like the combination of green beans, corn, carrots, and peas, but there again, any type will work). I microwave these till defrosted completely and warmed through.

1 cup dry rice, made according to the package directions (I alternate between white and brown rice).

To mix things up a bit, I may add some barley to the beans. Or perhaps a handful of pasta - anything from elbows to broken spaghetti.

When all ingredients are cooked, I rinse the beans in cold water. While this may wash away some of the vitamins, I find the birds like the texture of this mix much better if it's NOT a mushy mass. If you rinse the beans before mixing everything together, the whole thing stays nice and crumbly, with distinct pieces. So rinse and shake off as much excess water as you can. I mix the whole thing up in a very large bowl, and then portion it out to the individual containers, which then go into the freezer. I can make this just once a week and have enough of the mix to last all week, for the entire flock.

So how do I feed this? I like to put about a tablespoon per bird right on top of the seed mix. The birds love this stuff and will eat it first. If they leave anything (occasionally a bean or two) it will simply dry out, and has never caused a problem. I should mention that my birds like this mix warm, so before I feed it I microwave the container till it's very warm.

While it's not technically food, each cage also contains a cuttlebone and mineral block, as well as a mineralized salt lick. Each should be replaced as necessary.

The birds get a millet spray once a week, in general. Cheerios are also given frequently - I keep a small container of them in the birdroom and often toss a few on top of the food dish.

And that's about it!

Anita M. Golden