I'm soo sorry about all of these question about the diet, but people always tell me different things.
First diet: I was told to just do seeds, with veggies and fruits.
Second diet: I was told to do seeds, with a grain mix because a seed diet is not complete by it self. I also should do veggies and fruits.
Now if a cockatiel needs to be on a grain mix too, then what type of grains will be best? I know of a grain mix I can get off of theratshop. I know it's for rats, but there are a lot of grains in that. =)
You will get differing answers fr many people when you ask this question (well I guess you're finding that out LoL). Feed a cockatiel seed. Most pet bird mixes contain both seed & grain. Grain or seed----in the wild cockatiels eat both. Here's a simple explanation of the difference which will help you get a better pic: http://www.differencebetween.net/science/difference-between-seeds-and-grains/. There is no ultimate perfect diet for pet parrots at this time but I have seen so much improvement over the years in the way we feed our birds & now there are universities (vet schools usually) that are studying more about pet bird nutrition so always be ready to learn.
Besides seed, some people will swear by pelleted food, including vets. I do offer pellets as a supplement to my birds that will eat it. The thing is, there is not such thing as a "complete" diet for pet birds. The people who claim that are the people who manufacture, distribute & sell it. Btw, if seed is as bad as they would lead you to believe try reading the ingredient label on a pellet package----except for the additives (that supposedly make it complete), it's all seeds. They're just pre ground, mixed w water, heat to a very high temp and extruded into some form. The poor bird doesn't even get the natural pleasure of hulling the seed. Btw, hulling seed helps keep parrot beaks in good health.
Just like you enjoy variety w your food so will your cockatiel. Not just for nutrition but for good mental health. Even tho your bird was bred in captivity from a long line of other captive breed birds it is not domesticated so try to satisfy their instinct for foraing. In the wild they spend the day looking for good eats. This site will give you info on how to get your birds to forage in their cage for dinner: http://foragingforparrots.com/. I will place homemade birdie bread in a piece of paper towe roll and my small cockatoo will spend hours getting to it. Very cut to watch, keeps her occupied. Speaking of homemade, this site offers many recipe ideas: http://www.cockatielcottage.net/biscuitsnbones/maincc.html
Take the time to read up on basic symptoms of bird illness so you know what to look out for. Birds are masters at hiding their symptoms so that by the time an owner notices something off w their pet it's been sick for days. W birds there's often not a big window of opportunity to help them get well if they become sick, the sooner you realize it the better. A first aid kit is always good to get together a well.
Personally I would not pass any not up to Zupreem, even though at this factor ANY pellet nutrition goes to be larger than the seed nutrition your fowl is presently getting. So, if you'll get your arms even on KayTee or whatever, via all approach do it! A cockatiel does not consume a complete lot, so a giant bag of pellet will final fairly a whilst, making the rate rather less outrageous. Seeds don't seem to be ample in nutrients for a fowl and they are going to additionally influence in an obese fowl with a few beautiful severe wellbeing problems. It might not be an EASY conversion for the fowl, however they are going to convert. Seeds are like feeding your fowl a nutrition of sweet. They are identical to children and are not going to wish to consume the healthful stuff after a nutrition of sweet, but when they have got no choice, they are going to finally convert. Then upload a few seed in as a complement/deal with. Their nutrition will have to additionally incorporate plenty of clean culmination and greens-so one can additionally make your pellet cost somewhat larger. I order my pellet in bulk and that still brings the rate down tremendously. If that's an choice for you, opt for it. Make certain you retailer it in an air tight box to preclude any critters and it'll be a as soon as a 12 months acquire for you!
Today, vets recommend that we give our birds a largely pelleted diet with a little bit of seed and veggies thrown in. Fruit is OK, but it is high in sugar. Then, depending on the species of bird, you adjust the diet a bit. Cockatiels are from Australia and so today vets recommend that cockatiels eat a little bit of seed (I give mine 1 teaspoon) and give him a little bit of veggies. I give mine carrot tops, he loves them. I also give my cockatiel 1 teaspoon of cockatiel pellets in his treat dish. Different people will tell you different things, but the most important thing is the follow the instructions of your vet who will monitor the health of your bird. Also portion control is very important. Don't overfeed your cockatiel. You don't need a specialized diet, just use a manufactured cockatiel diet -- and watch overfeeding your cockatiel sunflower seeds. They love them, but they are fatty. I had two cockatiels live over 20 years, so that should make you feel better. Check out the info at the website below too!
I say listen to 50% of what people say and the rest common sense. I feed my birds pellets and I also give them table food. Cooked veggies, rice, pasta,muffins. You it goes like this if you show them what you are eating then they will eat it to. Sometimes birds won't try new things until you eat the same thing in front of them. If you eat healthy they are going to eat healthy. As long the food you eat is low sodium, low fat, limit dairy. Mine like chicken cut in very small pieces. Just use common sense.