Can Cockatiels Eat Oats? What Are The Risks?

Cockatiels can eat a wide range of foods, including nuts, seeds, pellets, fruits, and vegetables. These birds can eat several of the same foods humans eat, including chicken, eggs, and cereal.

Can Cockatiels Eat Oats? Yes, cockatiels can eat oats. Raw oats provide several essential nutrients, but although they are a nutritious treat, oats shouldn’t replace the bird’s main diet. Cooked oats generally stick to beaks when they dry, so they’re not suitable for cockatiels.

Oats are an excellent treat for your feathered friend. Read on to find out the benefits, risks, how to prepare oats, and more.

Can You Feed Oats To Cockatiels?

Yes, you can feed oats to your feathered friend. Oats are a highly nutritious food that cockatiels love, meaning they are an excellent treat.

According to Healthline, a 100g serving of oats contains the following nutrients;

• Energy – 390 kcal
• Carbohydrates – 66 g
• Fiber – 11 g
• Protein – 17 g
• Fat – 7 g
• Calcium – 55 mg
• Magnesium – 177 mg
• Potassium – 430 mg
• Sodium – 2 mg
• Manganese – 5 mg
• Iron – 5 mg
• Zinc – 4 mg
• Phosphorous – 523 mg
• Vitamin B5 – 1.3 mg
• Vitamin B3 – 0.961 mg
• Vitamin B1 – 0.7 mg

Oats provide high-fiber content which is great for your cockatiel because it helps move food along the digestive tract and promotes gut health. Also, since the fat content of oats is low, your bird is not at risk of gaining unnecessary weight or becoming obese.

A 100g serving of oats provides 390 kcal of energy and 17 g of protein. Even if your pet bird eats a little, it gets enough energy to last a day. On the other hand, proteins are vital to cockatiels since they help heal wounds, promote growth, and aid in the development of muscles.

Here’s a table showing some of the nutrients provided by oats and their benefits.

Nutrient	Benefit
Iron	Iron plays a huge role in forming the hemoglobin found in the blood.
Potassium	Potassium plays a vital role in the functioning of heart muscles and also helps maintain fluid balance in the body.
Calcium	Calcium helps form egg shells for egg-laying birds and also strengthens bones.
Manganese	Manganese helps in various body functions, including metabolism, blood clotting, growth, and reproduction.
Phosphorous	Phosphorous is crucial for bone development. It also facilitates energy storage in birds’ bodies.
Magnesium	Magnesium regulates blood pressure, promotes metabolism, and helps your bird handle stress.
Vitamin B3	Niacin helps keep your cockatiel’s digestive and immune systems healthy.
Vitamin B5	Vitamin B5 is used in the formation of blood. It also helps convert food into energy.

Oats contain many of the macro and micronutrients needed by your cockatiel. Hence, they are the perfect treat for your feathered friend.

How Do You Prepare Oats For Cockatiels?

Cockatiels can eat raw, soaked, or even cooked oats. Buy gluten-free varieties if you want to feed your pet bird raw oats. You can add them to the bird’s diet or spread them on the ground. For younger birds, crush the oats into small, manageable pieces.

To prepare soaked oats for your cockatiel, put one spoon of oats in a jar of water or milk, leave them overnight, and feed your bird in the morning. For cooked oats, follow the procedure below;

• Put the oats in plenty of water and allow them to soak for about 5 minutes.
• Sieve to remove any kernels that failed to swell.
• Rinse the oats until you’re satisfied they’re clean.
• Blend the oats and sieve to obtain a fine mixture that the cockatiel will enjoy without any stomach blockages.
• Put the resultant mixture in a jar and store it in a cool place.
• If you want to feed your cockatiel, just serve a spoonful from the jar. You can add a sliced boiled egg to the oats if you wish.

Cooked oats are sticky when they dry, so avoid feeding them to your pet bird.

Health Risks Of Cockatiels Eating Oats

Oats are a great food for cockatiels because it is nutritious, and the birds enjoy eating them. However, you could have a problem if your bird eats too many oats.

Although cockatiels need iron to prevent anemia, too much iron in the diet causes iron storage disease. This disease is undetectable in its early stages, only becoming detectable later when it’s too late for any effective treatment.

Most of the oats fed to cockatiels are store-bought and as such, are fortified with vitamin C. The trouble with this is that while oats are naturally rich in iron, vitamin C promotes iron uptake in the body. Hence, store-bought oats are not good for cockatiels because of the high iron content absorbed.

Can Cockatiels Eat Oatmeal Every Day?

Cockatiels can eat uncooked oatmeal, but not oatmeal oats. Oatmeal oats’ rough texture makes them unsafe for the birds. On the other hand, uncooked oatmeal comprises raw oats that the birds can eat.

Cockatiels can eat oatmeal every day, but you must ensure the servings are small to avoid problems. Before feeding your pet bird, rinse the raw oatmeal in water to remove any dangerous debris and check for mold or contaminants.

Remember that even when you feed your cockatiel oatmeal daily, it should never make up more than 25% of the bird’s diet. Instant oatmeal is not great for your bird because sometimes it has excess salt. Processing also washes away most of the nutrients.

Here’s a cockatiel enjoying some oatmeal.

FAQs

Let’s take a look at the answers to some of the most common questions about cockatiels and oats.

Conclusion

Oats are a highly nutritious food with numerous benefits to a cockatiel. They provide a lot of fiber which is great for gut health, and plenty of amino acids that promote growth and wound healing.

Although oats are a delicious treat that cockatiels enjoy, they should not be a substitute for the main diet. Because overeating oats can lead to digestive tract issues, you should never give your pet more than a small serving at a time.