Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I got mullet spray for my cockatiel.He doesnt bother to he his normal mix food he skips it and goes straight to the spray mullet.Is this any good for his diet?Should I put spray mullet once in awhile or something?

Thanks Juan

Well millet spray doesn't have the fat in it that sunflower and some other seeds have in it so it is actually a healthy treat. But if this is the only thing your cockatiel will eat you need to take it out part of the time. Maybe only give it to him a couple times a week or when he has been behaving well etc. Like I said it is a healthy treat but it would be like if you ate carrots all the time and nothing else. They are also healthy but you need variety and so does your bird.

Stephanie

What is his normal `mix food`? Is it seeds?
Millet is a great treat, but it isn`t a complete diet. Infact, a seed mix isn`t a complete diet either. It`s important to teach the bird to eat a wide variety of things like pellets, veggies, beans, rice, toast (hold the butter!), pasta, etc...

To teach my birds to eat a wide variety of things I restricted the seed to one hour in the morning and on hour in the evening. Pellets are available 24/7 and fresh foods are put in the cage and removed after a few hours, so they don`t spoil in the cage. Turn lots of the foods and veggies you offer into toys to make them more interesting. Hang them from the top of the cage, wrap them around perches, weave them between bars, etc. Try offering the veggies warm or cold. Cooked or raw. Chopped. sliced or whole. You can use a whole carrot as a perch and wrap the carrot top around the carrot. It`s a toy, perch, and food item all at once!

If it`s healthy for you, it`s healthy for your birds. So lots of vibrantly colored veggies, as they contain the most nutrients. Whole wheat pastas and breads. Wild rice or brown rice, not white rice. Etc...

Avoid fats, salts, and sugars. And no avacado, onion, mushrooms, rhubara, caffine (chocolate, soda, coffee), or alcohol as they`re all bad for your bird`s health.

But they will love you for putting in some millet every so often. They love it and it is a relatively healthy seed.

maybe yopur cockatiel just doesn't want a mullet... I couldn't fault him!

Chuckle