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Does Polly want a cracker? Or perhaps a luscious piece of fruit? While many cockatiels love to pig out on fruits and veggies, certain ones may not be so healthy for your feathered friend.
So, can your cockatiel eat strawberries? Yes, strawberries are perfectly safe (and even beneficial) for cockatiels.
Let’s take a deep dive into strawberries and cockatiels to learn about the perks of feeding these delicious treats to your pet.
The Health Benefits of Strawberries
Pet parrots should definitely be offered fruits on a daily basis. However, fruits should comprise the smallest portion of their diet because they’re often far too high in sugars (especially when compared to vegetables). That being said, as far as fruits are concerned, strawberries do wear a hypothetical crown of sorts – they have an exceptional nutritional profile and are very low in sugars 1.
Like other berries, strawberries are very high in antioxidants, which definitely offer a myriad of health benefits and protective features to your cockatiel. Though not specifically proven in cockatiels, antioxidants do have a fantastic immunological profile and may definitely help your cockatiel by preventing the development of certain chronic ailments.
It seems birds have a natural affinity for these antioxidants and are often drawn to fruits for this reason as well 2! Though cockatiels are more inclined to forage on seeds over fruits, they can nonetheless safely eat and benefit from strawberries.
How to Feed Strawberries to Your Cockatiel
You should also first wash the fruit under warm, running water to remove any dirt and debris. Consider mixing strawberries with other greens, such as parsley, cucumber, cabbage, and broccoli.
Though cockatiels can eat strawberries every day, you should remember that fruits should only form a small portion (around 5–10%) of your pet’s diet. As far as size is concerned, you would have to work with your parrot to figure out how they prefer their strawberries. Some parrots prefer fruit clipped onto a perch for them to eat at their leisure. Others enjoy a piece they can hold in their claw (though this isn’t a trait commonly seen in cockatiels).
As foraging birds, cockatiels would benefit from small morsels of food offered at varying intervals throughout the day. Half of a strawberry could be offered to your pet during one of these feeding sessions.
Any fresh produce that has been sitting for more than 2–3 hours should be removed from your pet’s enclosure, as it may sludge and spoil.
Feeding your cockatiels the wrong mixture of seeds can be dangerous to their health, so we recommend checking with an expert resource like The Ultimate Guide to Cockatiels, available on Amazon.
This excellent book will help you balance your cockatiels’ food sources by understanding the value of different seed types, dietary supplements, fruits and vegetables, and cuttlebone. You’ll also find tips on everything from housing to health care!
What Other Fruits Can Cockatiels Eat?
Cockatiels can be fed a wide range of fruits, including apples, bananas, grapes, mangos, cherries, peaches, kiwis, and melons. Only feed your pet small quantities of fresh fruits. A cockatiel’s diet should mostly consist of pelleted food specifically for this species.
Wrapping Up
Your cockatiel can consume a diverse number of fruits, including strawberries. These offer a plethora of healthy perks to your bird, including boosting their immune system through their antioxidant content.
Always thoroughly wash the strawberries before offering them to your bird, and only feed them fresh fruit in moderation.
Strawberries are great additions to your cockatiel’s diet and yummy treats to offer!
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Featured Image: FilipFilipovic, Pixabay
