Can Cockatiels Eat Crackers? (Are They Safe to Eat?)
Cockatiels are the most popular pet bird as they are easy to domesticate, friendly in nature and got beautiful color patterns. However, one frequently asked question is: Can Cockatiels Eat Crackers? Yes, Cockatiels love to eat crackers, but crackers are neither healthy nor necessary for their well-being. Crackers contain salt, sugar, and carbohydrates that can cause threatening conditions for little cockatiels.
Can Cockatiels Eat Crackers? Is It Healthy?
The answer is no in some cases and yes occasionally. It depends on the kind of crackers you give and their amount. Crackers are tiny in size for humans, not for small cockatiels. The usual weight of a cracker is approximately 14 grams, which is a human’s bite size. And a single piece can upset this pet and risk this little one’s life.
Besides, crackers are typically made with flour, salt, seed, and seasoning baked items. They are tasty and crunchy. Crackers don’t cause them immediate issues usually but are dangerous in the long run.
Likewise, most of them are salty and contain 5.08 mg of sodium per cracker. Single salty crackers can imbalance the number of electrolytes and fluid. This imbalance can cause dehydration, kidney failure, high blood pressure, and death. It also contains carbohydrates and lipids, which lead to gaining weight and contribute to health risks for this pet. They can face obesity, diabetes even cancer due to high amounts of carbs and lipids.
On the other hand, a cockatiel’s body usually needs a good portion of sugar if flying; otherwise, few amounts are enough to maintain a healthy life. A high amount of sugar is also responsible for increasing weight and diabetes.
Then again, crackers are processed food that is harmful even to humans. Specifically, processed food for animals is another issue, but crackers are made for humans, not for cocktails. On top of that, organic food is highly recommended for humans and animals. Processed pellets are good in terms of nutritional value.
However, you can allow them to eat occasionally as a treat, depending on the type of crackers. They also contain some minerals like vitamin B and iron. Fiber from crackers helps to maintain a healthy digestive system.
Similarly, crackers are suitable to boost energy and joy as they are delicious. It makes them active and awake with increased energy. Accordingly, plain crackers made with plain flour and unsalted multigrain are the better options. But in most cases, manufacturers don’t reveal the secret recipe, so it’s better to avoid it.
Moreover, treats are focused on taste but lack nutritional value. So you can give them on rare occasions only. Nevertheless, if you can replace it with a healthy one, that will be safer.
Do Cockatiels Like Crackers?
Crackers are flavourful and crispy. Cockatiels do not just like crackers; they also love them. It’s one of their favorite snack items. Colorful crackers also catch their attention. They are also attracted to the noise made by crackers. Crackers also play a role in making them happy. You can give them in small amounts but make sure water is there to face immediate dehydration.
Can Cockatiels Eat Ritz Crackers?
Ritz crackers are very popular for humans and contain 4 percent salt. Increased salt is hazardous for cockatiels. Salt-containing food can cause severe diseases like high BP, stroke, or kidney problems. Dehydration is another side effect of having high salt.
Can Cockatiels Eat Rice Crackers?
Brown and white rice have great nutritional value. So, a cockatiel can eat rice crackers as white and brown rice is safe. In a small amount of rice, crackers are fine. Rice is human food containing carbohydrates. Cockatiels can have their needed carbohydrates from other sources.
Can Cockatiels Eat Cheese Crackers?
Chees crackers are best to avoid due to high salt. Cockatiels cannot digest cheese, and consumption may bring bloating or diarrhea. In small amount may seem an attractive offer for cockatiels, but there is a high risk of stomach upset.
Can Cockatiels Eat Graham Crackers?
Graham crackers are made of graham flour. The flour is whole wheat, not overly processed, lacking the essential nutrition for a cockatiel. So they are alright as a treat for cockatiels.
What Other Snacks Can I Give My Cockatiel?
In the wild, cockatiels consume highly nutritious food, so your job is to plan a diet with high nutrition. The best snack treat may include fruits, seeds, vegetables, and pellets. However, seeds and fruits should cover the central part of their diet chart. Consulting an avian vet is highly recommended to provide a healthy diet.
The Following Are Some Healthy Treats You Can Give Your Cockatiel.
- Fruits are a flavourful choice for cockatiels and are rich in nutrition. You can give them a wide range of fresh fruits before serving, chop or crush them into little pieces.
- Some cockatiels do not like fruits much, but you still can give them some to make a good habit. Usually, they love oranges, bananas, kiwis, apples, mango, pear, and strawberries.
- Fresh and raw Vegetables are great as a treat. They love to eat carrots, sprouts, Corn, Spinach, Zucchini, Sweet potato, cucumbers, and others. You can give them maintain a routine. They love pumpkin and sweet potatoes a lot.
- Seeds are the first choice of cockatiels, such as peanuts, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, Almonds, grains, and Pistachios. Thus, seeds and nuts are healthy ways to treat them. But to avoid toxicity, don’t give them fruit seeds. Clean the seed bowl regularly.
- Cockatiels need 90 percent of water in their diet. They prefer clean water, so ensure it’s accessible and clean. Cockatiels are prone to germs and bacteria; so clean the water bowl every day.
- Protein can be another great treat and nutrition source. From your daily protein source, you can share with cockatiels like well-cooked fish, chicken, lean meat, and boiled egg.
Check out this video to learn more
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about whether can cockatiels eat crackers.
Can cockatiels eat saltine crackers?
Flour and soda are the main ingredients of saltine crackers, which are rich in salt and unhealthy for cockatiels. An increased amount of Salt brings health issues to this lovely little pet.
Can cockatiels eat goldfish crackers?
Goldfish Crackers are made of white flour and cheese. They are heavily processed and lack standard nourishments for cockatiels.
What do cockatiels love the most?
Toys with moving parts are the most popular with cockatiels. They are very fond of swings and ladders. Cockatiels are playful so try to keep such toys to cheer them up.
Conclusion
Crackers are for humans, not for cockatiels. Besides, they are processed and rich in salt and calories that have side effects in cocktails. You can give them sometimes as a treat, but they may grow into a habit and will be irritated in the absence of crackers.
Overall, my personal opinion is to avoid crackers to keep away from other unwanted effects on cockatiels. Why feed your cockatiels something unhealthy like crackers when there is such a wide variety of healthy food available?
Resources:
- https://academic.oup.com/jn/article-abstract/121/suppl_11/S206/4744148?redirectedFrom=fulltext
- https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/0377/262b7587d7d8373145c24972d1d59b63d86a.pdf
- https://www.petmd.com/bird/general-health/all-about-cockatiels
