What is the best seed for cockatiels?

There are many seeds which cockatiels can eat. However, some of them can make cockatiels fat. So, to keep birds healthy, you should refer to the following information

Parrots are very attractive birds with beautiful cheeks and lush hats. They are often considered pets and are very sociable and loving feathered friends. This bird is native to Australia. They were discovered around the end of the 18th century, and became popular in the 20th century for their beauty and sociability. 

About the food source for cockatiels. You must ensure a balanced nutrition plan for cockatiels that includes different foods to ensure the cockatiel stays healthy.

What is the best seed for cockatiels?

One of the best seeds that cockatiels really like to eat include canary, oats, paddies, millet, sesame seeds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, corn kernels and many other seed mixes. However, each seed has a different recipe, so you need to notice it when you ration the bird. 

Some seeds which is the best for cockatiels

Oats

Oat is a whole grain with origins mainly in North America and Europe. In terms of nutrition, it is a rich source of fiber for cockatiels, especially beta glucan and a range of other essential antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Not only that, oats are also foods possessing a much higher protein and fat content than many other grains. There they can provide enough energy to maintain active energy sources for cockatiels.

Millet seeds

Millet is the seed of the millet plant, which is native to India. Like wheat, millet has a gray-brown skin that, when peeled, reveals round, pale yellow seeds inside. Although small, millet has a high nutritional content. 

Each millet contains 73% carbohydrates (powder), 10.8% protein and 2.9% lipid. Amino acids released by fermentation are lower in milk and wheat. The content of vitamins B1, B2 in millet is 1-1.5 times higher than that of rice. 

In addition, millet also contains many other trace elements such as methionine (an essential amino acid). This element contributes to the brain of cockatiels to work better and learn faster. In addition, the trace elements of methionine in millet have a good effect on maintaining mental clarity, healthy brain cells for cockatiels.

Sunflower seeds

Sunflower seeds contain a lot of beneficial fats. Each serving of sunflower seeds provides about 14g of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats that have many benefits, especially for heart health. Besides, the sunflower seeds also contain 6g of protein and 2.5g of fiber, which is essential to maintain good health for cockatiels. 

In addition, sunflower seeds also contain a lot of nutritious vitamins and minerals. Some nutritions in sunflower seeds include: Vitamin E (which has strong anti-inflammatory properties and prevents factors that lead to heart disease). 

Sunflower seeds also contain phosphorus (key to strong bones); selenium (an antioxidant that helps protect cockatiels from cell damage); manganese (helps with bone development), also copper (supports heart health and immune system function). Some vitamins like B6 (enhance system development and cognitive function of the brain); zinc (improves metabolism and immune system function). In particular, sunflower seeds are rich in magnesium. This is a mineral with over 300 different health benefits.

Corn seeds

One of the benefits of adding corn kernels to the diet of cockatiels is that it helps keep the digestive system healthy. The reason is that corn is rich in insoluble fiber. This fiber supports the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut, and in turn, the bacteria help turn the fiber into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). SCFAs can provide energy to the intestinal cells, thereby reducing the risk of problems in the intestines and digestive system.

In addition, the high content of folate in corn helps to minimize the concentration of amino acids present in the blood vessels of cockatiels’ bodies. Because high levels of amino acids cause problems in the blood vessel walls.

Maize is high in folate, one cup of corn (seeds) contains 75.4 mcg or 19% of the recommended daily intake. Thiamin (Vitamin B1) is also found in large amounts in corn, providing up to 24% of the daily allowance.

One cup of corn (seeds) also provides more than 10% of the daily value of nutrients including vitamin C, pantothenic acid, niacin, magnesium, potassium, manganese and phosphorus. Other nutrients found in corn in lesser amounts include vitamins A, E, B-6 and K, riboflavin, calcium, zinc, iron, copper, selenium and choline.

Adding corn kernels to cockatiels diets also helps provide vitamin B12, iron and folic acid. Corn kernels contain a significant amount of iron – a mineral needed to create new cells, and folic acid to prevent anemia. In fact, consuming popcorn can increase red blood cell count by up to 50% in 1 month.

What are notices when providing feed for cockatiels?

Although you can mix many foods in a ration of this bird. However, you should not mix chocolate, butter, onion in the cockatiel’s ration because they contain compounds that can cause illness and even death in your cockatiels.

In addition, you must ensure that the seeds provided to cockatiels are not molded, termites, etc

Conclusion

So, what is the best seed for cockatiels? There are many types of seeds that can be mentioned such as oats, millet seeds, sunflower seeds or corn seeds that provide many essential nutrients for maintaining activities of this bird.

In which, you must ensure that the seeds provided for cockatiels must be clean and free of preservatives as well as not being moldy, termites, etc. If these foods appear moldy, strange odors should be removed and not fed to birds to avoid gastrointestinal diseases.