Cockatiels can eat pumpkin seeds, yes. These seeds are highly nutritious, not only for us but also for our birds. You can offer pumpkin seeds either raw or roasted, as both are safe and healthy for them. Still, all seeds, including this one, should only form a small percentage of their diet.
Pumpkin seeds are quite common snacks for us. Thus, it has probably come to your mind whether you can share some with your pet or not.
In this article, we’ll tackle all benefits and even risks when it comes to feeding pumpkin seeds to your pet.
Take some time to read before giving your cockatiel some!
Contents
- 1 Are pumpkin seeds good for cockatiels?
- 2 Can cockatiels eat roasted pumpkin seeds?
- 3 Can cockatiels eat raw pumpkin seeds?
- 4 Are pumpkin seeds healthy for a cockatiel?
- 5 How many pumpkin seeds can cockatiels eat?
- 6 Risks of feeding your cockatiel pumpkin seeds
- 7 What other seeds can cockatiels eat?
- 8 Summary
- 9 Resources
Are pumpkin seeds good for cockatiels?
Pumpkin seeds are rich in many nutrients that are beneficial to a cockatiel’s health. In just a small amount, your pet can already enjoy a variety of benefits.
To explain further, take a look at these nutrition facts. According to HealthLine, an ounce (28 grams) of pumpkin seeds include:
- 151 calories
- 1.7 grams of fiber
- 5 grams of carbohydrates
- 7 grams of protein
- 13 grams of fat
Aside from these components, pumpkin seeds also offer vitamins and minerals such as:
- Vitamin K
- Phosphorus
- Manganese
- Magnesium
- Iron
- Zinc
- Copper
Further, these seeds contain different kinds of antioxidants. Pumpkin seeds are also rich in potassium, vitamin B2, and folate.
The good thing about pumpkin seeds is that it is safe to eat either raw or roasted.
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Can cockatiels eat roasted pumpkin seeds?
Cockatiels can eat roasted pumpkin seeds. Thus, if you have some roasted seeds, you can offer some, and it shouldn’t cause any issue.
Roasted pumpkin seeds are completely safe. However, be mindful not to give any roasted seeds that contain salt and other flavors.
The process of roasting doesn’t make pumpkin seeds harmful. Still, if you put some salt or other seasoning to the seeds, it can cause harm to your pet.
When feeding pumpkin seeds, make it sure to give the plain-roasted ones with no seasonings.
Can cockatiels eat raw pumpkin seeds?
Cockatiels can eat raw pumpkin seeds, and it can be quite a nutritious snack for these birds.
As I said earlier, pumpkin seeds contain essential nutrients and minerals. Among these are iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese.
With raw seeds, all these nutrients get preserved for your pet to enjoy.
Feeding raw seeds shouldn’t cause any issues. Thus, you can offer it in small amounts without worries.
Further, feeding raw seeds ensures that the snack you give has no salt or seasonings in it.
Are pumpkin seeds healthy for a cockatiel?
Pumpkin seeds are healthy snacks not only for us but also for our cockatiels. As I said earlier, these seeds are rich in many vitamins and minerals that your pet will enjoy.
Your cockatiel can already receive a fair amount of protein, fat, and fiber with a few seeds.
Further, it will also get minerals like iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese.
Pumpkin seeds may be safe and nutritious for your pet. However, it doesn’t mean you can feed pumpkin seeds as much as you want.
Let’s get into how many seeds you can offer.
How many pumpkin seeds can cockatiels eat?
Pumpkin seeds are nutritious and safe for your cockatiel’s consumption. Still, it shouldn’t make up more than 10% of your pet’s daily meals.
Seeds, along with other fruits and snacks, should only serve as treats and not the central part of their meal. For this reason, snacks and treats should only make up 10% or less of their meals.
In general, cockatiels should eat 30-40 grams of food per day. Thus, you should limit it to 3-4 grams per day.
Like all other birds and animals, cockatiels should have a balanced diet of a few things.
The most significant percentage should be pellets, making up a total of 60% of their daily diet. The remaining 30% should be for vegetables like carrots and fruits like grapes or raisins.
The key to a good diet is always balance. For this reason, you should limit feeding pumpkin seeds to once or twice a week.
Further, it would be best to feed pumpkin seeds as the only treat or snack. Consider getting a variety of other snacks like other seeds and even nuts or fruits.
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Risks of feeding your cockatiel pumpkin seeds
Feeding pumpkin seeds to cockatiels doesn’t have that much of a risk to consider.
Still, it would be best to keep in mind that pumpkin seeds are only useful as snacks or treats.
As I said earlier, pumpkin seeds are nutritious. Still, it does not have enough nutrients to sustain a cockatiel’s daily requirements.
Thus, always give only a few grams of pumpkin seeds, and don’t give more than that amount in a single day.
Instead, opt for pellets and vegetables. These foods should form the most significant part of a cockatiel’s diet, and they’ll be healthier with it.
As a general rule of thumb, consider feeding pumpkin seeds in small amounts.
Since it’s highly nutritious, even a small amount can already be enough for your pet.
What other seeds can cockatiels eat?
Seeds are rich and fatty, and they can make a tasty treat and a diet component. Aside from pumpkin seeds, cockatiels can eat other pits.
These two seeds are rich in fat. Thus, if you are going to feed such, feed it in smaller amounts than chia seeds:
- Sunflower seeds
- Safflower seeds
If your pet is large enough, you can feed the following seeds. For a cockatiel, however, you may want to crush it into smaller bits.
- Chia seeds
- Corn
- Thistle
- Pine Tree seeds
These seeds are small, making it more ideal for cockatiels and parrots of smaller species:
- Millet
- Hemp
- Sesame Seeds
- Buckwheat
- Canary Grass
- Flax Seed
Are parakeet food and bell peppers safe for cockatiels? Check it out!
Summary
Cockatiels can eat pumpkin seeds, and it can be a nutritious snack for these birds if fed in moderation.
Pumpkin seeds, along with other ones, are rich in nutritional components. Still, it’s something that can’t sustain a bird’s diet on its own. Birds like cockatiels need a wide range of nutrition.
Thus, if you own a cockatiel, it’s best to balance its meals with seeds forming only a small portion.
Seeds aren’t toxic, and your pet shouldn’t be in danger if you wish to give it an all-seed diet. However, it can compromise your pet’s health, so I won’t recommend doing so.
As long as you keep seeds as treats, your pet will have nutritious and balanced meals.
Resources
HealthLine’s nutrition facts on pumpkin seeds
Image Credits:
- Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash
- https://p1.pxfuel.com/preview/213/781/119/cockatiel-bird-pet.jpg
