How to feed the cockatiel?

A charming parrot with a perky yellow tuft on its head, which can be taught to speak - this is Corella. It is not surprising that such an exotic bird is very popular with Russian breeders. However, if you decide to take a crested parrot to your home, then you need to know how to provide him with proper care, how to choose a cage, and most importantly - how and with what to feed him, what foods must be present in the diet of a feathered pet. We will tell you in detail about the nutrition of the cockatiel in the article.

The homeland and place of residence of Corells is Australia. These crested parrots prefer to settle near rivers and lakes in open areas covered with grass and few bushes.

In nature, cockatiels feed mainly on plant seeds, nuts, tree fruits and eucalyptus juice. They also love grains of wheat and other cereals, therefore, they often "raid" the fields of local farmers.

At home, cockatiels need to provide proper and nutritious nutrition, which will contain the required amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, as well as the entire range of vitamins and minerals.

Cereals should be the basis for feeding crested parrots. In addition to cereals, the diet of cockatiels should also include fruits, vegetables, berries and herbs. Protein products must also be given to a feathered pet, since protein is the main building material of cells. And in winter, at the stages of incubation of chicks and change of plumage, one cannot do without additional complex of vitamins and minerals.

Pour feed once a day. It is advisable to do this in the evening, after you have cleaned the cage. The optimal amount of feed is 30 grams. During the day, the parrot itself distributes all the food into several portions.

For cockatiels, if the parents refuse to feed them themselves, it is better to purchase at the pet store ready-made dry mix... It is divorced in water and given to babies every 1 or 2 hours. Starting at two weeks of age, the interval between meals increases to 4 hours.

Pet stores sell special dry food for cockatiels, which is a mixture of different types of grains, sometimes with the addition of nuts and dried vegetables. You need to choose only high-quality and proven brands of both foreign and domestic manufacturers. It is better not to buy bulk feed, as it can be expired and contain insect larvae and mold.

Corellas need 20 to 40 grams of cereals daily. This is about two to three tablespoons. Multiple crops should be included in the grain feed.

• Millet - this is the main element of the grain mixture, its share should be 50%. Parrots can be given millet of different colors, but red is preferable, since it is the leader in the amount of nutrients.
• Wheat - it should be given to the bird only in germinated or soaked form, due to the high content of vitamin E, it is indispensable during the rearing period and during the mating season.
• Oats - contains vitamin E and a complex of B vitamins.
• Corn - it contains a full set of trace elements, as well as fiber, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Corn is rich in carbohydrates, but poor in protein, so you can't feed parrots only with it.
• Canary seed (or canary seed) - due to the fact that it is brought from the Canary Islands, where it grows, this cereal is quite expensive, but very useful: it has a high protein content and an almost complete set of vitamins and microelements necessary for poultry. It is desirable that this grain be present in the diet of the cockatiel at least in small quantities, especially in winter.

Also useful for a feathered pet barley, peas, flax seeds, pumpkin, hemp, sesame and field weeds. However, their share in the grain mixture should be low. Sunflower seeds - also a healthy cereal, but due to the high content of vegetable fat, it should not be given every day and in limited quantities.

Instead of purchased food, you can feed the parrot with germinated grains - they are much healthier than dry ones, as they contain more biologically active substances: vitamins, trace elements and various enzymes. Wheat and barley are most commonly sprouted, although this can be done with either grain separately or by mixing them together.

To germinate, put the grains on a bandage soaked in water and cover it on top. We are waiting for a few days until the white shoots appear. Germinated sprouts should be kept in the refrigerator. The shelf life should not exceed 48 hours.

You can periodically indulge your beloved pet with cereals, but you need to cook them only in water, without salt and without adding any seasonings. Cockatiels love to eat boiled buckwheat, oatmeal, rice, peas and barley. You can make porridge from different grains, and then add pieces of berries, fruits or vegetables to it.

In the natural environment, cockatiels feed on grasses, plant shoots and tree leaves. Therefore, greens should be present in the home poultry menu, but only fresh. It can be added to mixed vegetables or cereals. Different types of green plants are useful for cockatiels:

• plantain;
• dandelion leaves;
• grape leaves;
• nettle;
• Clover;
• lettuce leaves;
• spinach;
• asparagus;
• carrot tops;
• green onions;
• branches of various trees (birch, willow, maple and others).

Parrots should not be given only spicy herbs, that is, those that have a strong smell and are used in cooking to give dishes a pronounced aroma... These include parsley, celery, dill, mint, basil, and others.

Although cockatiels love to gnaw on nuts, an excess of them is harmful to birds, since such food contains a large percentage of vegetable fat. Abuse of nuts can lead to metabolic disorders and obesity, a tendency to which already exists in domestic parrots. Therefore, nuts should only make up 5% of all the food they receive.

Peanuts, walnuts and hazelnuts should be preferred. But you can also give the parrot acorns, pistachios, almonds and chestnuts in small doses. It is only necessary to first peel the nuts from the shell, and then cook or cut into small pieces. You can add them to the grain mixture.

They contain vitamins and fiber, so they must be present in the diet of a feathered pet. Vegetables for the cockatiels should be given fresh, thoroughly washed and raw, as the nutrients are destroyed during cooking.

You can feed the parrot with almost any fruit. But the following foods will be most useful:

• carrot;
• beet;
• cucumber;
• pumpkin, vegetable marrow, turnip and other pumpkin;
• any cabbage;
• tomatoes;
• beans, green peas and other legumes;
• pepper, especially Bulgarian and sweet.

This is another source of nutrients, they increase the immunity of the bird's body and increase its energy potential. Fruit can be used for almost anything except avocados, persimmons, mangoes and papaya, as they contain essential oils that are harmful to birds. But for parrots, apples, grapes, peaches, apricots, nectarines, pears, bananas, oranges and tangerines, pomegranates, grapefruit will be very useful. Sweet fruits should be given no more than once every four days, and bananas - even less often, since they are very nutritious and high in calories.

Fruit must be fresh... They are given to a feathered pet peeled and cut into pieces. You can mix several types of fruits, preparing a kind of salad. Or you can add it to the porridge or add them to the grain mixture.

They are just a storehouse of vitamins and must be included in the bird's menu. Any berries are suitable: currants, cherries, gooseberries, honeysuckle, lingonberries, cranberries, strawberries and other forest fruits.

In the summer, they should be given fresh to the cockatiel, if possible, then freshly picked. And with the end of the summer season, you need to transfer the bird to frozen berries: the concentration of vitamins in them is also quite high, but before feeding them to the parrot, the berries must be thawed.

Dried options are somewhat worse, since fewer useful substances are stored in them, but it is better to give such than none at all. You will first need to soak them, then add them to cereals or fruit mixtures.

All tissues and organs are made of protein, therefore, it is important that the bird enters the body in sufficient quantities.

Animal protein, which birds obtained from insects in the wild, can be replaced with vegetable protein. A lot of it is found in chicken eggs and cottage cheese. The first product is given only boiled, and the second should be low-fat or fat-free.

The cockatiel should always be clean in the cage, preferably filtered or settled water. You can also offer the parrot mineral water, only not carbonated... Compotes and juices (berry and fruit) will also be useful for a feathered family member, especially in winter and spring, during the period of vitamin deficiency.If the parrot is sick, then add to its daily diet herbal decoctions from plantain, chamomile or calendula. You can drink them periodically and for preventive purposes.

In winter, when there is a shortage of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as during nesting and feeding periods, parrots need to buy vitamin complexes and mineral supplements.

The first must necessarily include vitamins A, E, D and vitamins of group B. Of the mineral supplements, the bird's body needs calcium most of all - it strengthens the bone apparatus, teeth, claws, beak and makes the plumage strong. Chalk (or chalk stone) is rich in calcium, it is especially useful during the incubation period - their shell becomes harder and stronger.

Given to parrots chalk crushed to a powder consistency. Bone flour - is also a source of calcium, and also contains phosphorus, which has a beneficial effect on the nervous system. It is best to give this supplement to the bird during the plumage change period. There is a lot of calcium in the shell of chicken eggs, only it must first be washed and crushed into powder.

Charcoal, in addition to calcium and iron, it contains a large set of trace elements, in addition, it removes toxins and harmful substances from the body. It is necessary to make a powder from it and mix with eggshells. Sand is indispensable for parrots, as it helps the stomach to digest food. Giving to cockatiel sand it is imperative, otherwise problems with the digestive system will begin.

It is also very useful for parrots. clay, as it is a natural prebiotic that maintains the intestinal microflora in a normal state. You can buy clay at the pharmacy, only it should be natural, no additives or dyes. It is prepared as follows: first, it is diluted in water until a gruel is obtained, and then baked in the oven for about 10 minutes until it becomes firm.

When your beloved feathered pet asks for food that you are currently eating, of course, it is difficult to refuse him. But this must be done, because by giving the parrot food from your table, you can only harm him. Especially if the food is salty, fried or fatty, and even stuffed with various spices. Just at this moment, remember the expression about good intentions.

Prohibited foods that should never get into your pet's stomach include the following:

• alcoholic drinks;
• Coffee and tea;
• sweet foods (chocolate, candy, jam);
• sausage, sausages and wieners;
• Fish and seafood;
• potatoes;
• onion and garlic;
• mushrooms.

To provide your feathered friend with a long, healthy and happy life, you need to organize him a balanced diet, which will include all the necessary nutrients and in the right dosage. Then Corella will delight you with its blooming appearance, wonderful singing and good mood!

For information on the best way to feed the cockatiel, see the next video.