Yes, cockatiels can eat pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds contain many nutritional benefits for cockatiels.
Pumpkin seeds are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which help keep your bird’s skin and feathers healthy and hydrated. They also promote the health of the digestive system, heart, and blood vessels.
They can be fed to your cockatiel whole or crushed into smaller pieces. It is recommended that they be consumed only in moderation because pumpkin seeds are high in fat content.
However, it might be difficult to feed just a few at a time due to the size of the entire seed so consider crushing them first before feeding to your cockatiel.
This should result in 2 tablespoons being enough for 1 day for medium-sized birds weighing about 50 grams.
Pumpkin seeds should be fed only occasionally because they are high in fat content.
Pumpkin seeds are also extremely low in calcium which is essential for your bird’s diet. Calcium helps with many functions including bone formation, blood clotting, muscle contraction, and hormonal secretion.
If pumpkin seeds are given too often without other sources of calcium, this can lead to metabolic bone disease (MBD), paralysis, or even death! MBD makes the bones brittle and weak, resulting in fractures or deformities of the bones.
How to prepare pumpkin seeds for cockatiels?
Pumpkin seeds can be fed to cockatiels whole or crushed into smaller pieces. It is recommended that they be consumed only in moderation because pumpkin seeds are high in fat content.
However, it might be difficult to feed just a few at a time due to the size of the entire seed so consider crushing them first before feeding to your cockatiel.
Can I mix pumpkin seeds with other types of seeds?
When serving pumpkin seeds to your bird, consider mixing in other types of birdseed in with the pumpkin seeds.
Pumpkin seeds can be added to any type of seed mix but when given on their own it becomes difficult to give just a few at a time because they are so big.
The size of each individual seed might also result in your cockatiel only eating the larger ones and leaving the smaller ones behind, making it harder for you to monitor how much your parrot is consuming daily.
Can birds eat raw pumpkin seeds?
Pumpkin seeds are not meant to be fed raw because the shell is so tough that it can damage your bird’s crop or digestive system.
If you choose to feed raw pumpkin seeds, make sure to remove the shell first!
It is recommended that you do not consume pumpkin seed oil either since there have been cases of pet birds having digestive problems due to ingesting this type of food.
To prepare pumpkin marinated in oil for cockatiels, use only cold-pressed organic oils and never microwave your bird’s seeds! Microwaving destroys nutrients in food (including vitamins and minerals) which results in a lesser quality meal for your parrot.
Conclusion
In conclusion, pumpkin seeds are a great source of nutrients for cockatiels but should only be fed as a treat once in a while to avoid problems with calcium deficiency.
