About 25 percent of your cockatiel's diet should come from vegetables, but not just any veggie will do. Some types of vegetables, like tomatoes, can be hazardous to your cockatiel's health. Because they may or may not have dangerous effects, experts recommend less risky veggies for your bird.
Step 1
Give your cockatiel dried tomatoes, if you give her any tomatoes at all. Fresh tomatoes are acidic enough that they may be poisonous to a bird or otherwise cause internal damage. Dried tomatoes, on the other hand, are significantly less acidic.
Step 2
Favor other, more universally approved vegetables in your bird's vegetable diet. While some bird health professionals and dieticians are split on the inherent dangers of feeding tomatoes, they find other vegetables much less threatening to your bird's well-being. For example, leafy greens, broccoli and carrots are all popular recommendations that don't pose the same potential risks as tomatoes.
Step 3
Warm up any veggies you offer your cockatiel, as birds generally enjoy warm fruits and veggies more than cold, raw ones.
References
Tips
- If you are determined to feed your bird a tomato, give it to him just once and wait a few days to see how he reacts. If he shows signs of sickness, like vomiting, take him to a vet as soon as you can.
Writer Bio
Tom Ryan is a freelance writer, editor and English tutor. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in English writing, and has also worked as an arts and entertainment reporter with "The Pitt News" and a public relations and advertising copywriter with the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.