Seasonal fruits like peaches are a nice treat for us humans. But can cockatiels eat peaches? Yes, but there are certain precautions that you must take.
A cockatiel needs a variety of fruits, fresh vegetables, and seeds to have a balanced diet. And yes, one of those fruits is peaches.
You can give peaches to your feathered friend as they are filled with vitamins A, E, and K and minerals like iron, zinc, and potassium, which are vital for their body.
But that’s not all there is to the story. There is one part of the fruit that’s not to be given to your bird under any circumstances.
Stay tuned as I tell you all about it.
Peach Nutritional Info: Is It Good For Cockatiels?
Fresh fruits like peaches are highly beneficial to your bird.
Peaches are small fruit with white or yellow colored flesh. Cockatiels enjoy eating it, and in most cases, you will not have any problems giving it to your birds.
A 100 grams of yellow raw peach contain the following nutrients.
- Water-88.9grams
- Energy -39Kcal
- Protein- 0.91 grams
- Total lipid fat – 0.25 grams
- Carbohydrate – 9.54 grams
- Fiber -1.5 grams
- Sugar -8.39 grams
- Calcium -6mg
- Magnesium – 9 mg
- Iron -0.25 mg
- Phosphorous – 20mg
- Potassium – 190 mg
- Zinc -0.17 mg
- Manganese – 0.061 mg
- Copper -0.068mg
- Vitamin C -6.6mg
- Thiamine – 0.024mg
- Vitamin B 6 – 0.025 mg
- Vitamin A -326 IU
- Vitamin E -0.73mg
- Vitamin K – 2.6 g
Vitamins
Vitamin A: Lack of vitamin A can lead to vision problems or kidney disorders in your feathered friend.
Peaches contain vitamin A, which is important for good vision, the reproductive system, and the immune system of your cockatiel.
In fact, peaches, and other Vitamin A-rich fruits, like mangoes, are very important for your cockatiel
Vitamin C: Peaches are a good source of vitamin C which is necessary for the bird’s immune system. Vitamin C also helps in iron absorption, maintains blood sugar levels, and aids in developing bones and muscles in cockatiels.
Vitamin E: Peaches contain Vitamin E, which is required to keep your pet cockatiel’s skin and eyes healthy.
Vitamin K: If your bird lacks vitamin K, it starts losing feathers. The claws might begin to break as well.
You can give Peaches and other fruits rich in Vitamin K, which helps strengthen your bird’s bones.
It will even help in blood clotting and aid in developing healthy skin and feathers.
Minerals
Copper: Peaches contain a small amount of copper, but it is necessary to have healthy bones and connective tissue in your bird.
Potassium: Potassium helps to form bones and muscles. It also helps in clotting blood.
Manganese: Manganese is necessary for developing strong bones. It is also essential for healthy breeding in female cockatiels.
Other Nutrients
Peaches also contain a lot of fiber which is essential for the digestive system in cockatiels.
They are also rich in proteins, which aid in building muscles.
How Should Peaches Be Given To Cockatiels?
You have to cut the peaches, make a few slices and remove the pits (I will explain why later).
You can serve peaches on a flat plate along with other fruits. Make sure to also keep fresh water in a bowl nearby so that cockatiel can drink whenever possible.
Remember, the water dish should always be neat and clean.
Peach Flesh
Peach flesh is safe for your bird, and it has a good amount of vitamins and minerals required for cockatiel’s health.
You must wash store-bought peaches thoroughly as they may contain pesticides and insecticides.
Peach Pits
There are certain fruit seeds and pits which are toxic for cockatiels.
The seeds of peaches contain cyanide which can be poisonous for the bird. So, never offer peach pits to your bird.
Even a small amount of cyanide can be dangerous for birds because they are such small creatures. Pet owners need to be very careful of such fruit pits.
Dried Peaches
You can give dried peaches to your pet bird by soaking it in water. Give dried peaches only if you have made them at home.
Store-bought dried peaches may contain sulfur dioxide, which is dangerous for your feathered friend.
How Much (And How Often) Should You Give Peaches To Your Bird?
You can give your bird about 1/8th of a peach once a week, and on other days give different fresh fruits like kiwis, watermelons, and apples.
A cockatiel needs about 30 calories per day. Fruits and vegetables should only make up about 20-25 percent of the daily diet, and the rest should be seeds.
Fresh fruits should not be more than 10 percent of the regular diet.
Are There Any Dangers To Giving Peaches to Cockatiels?
As stated above, 100 grams of raw peach contain almost 8.39 grams of sugar. Excess sugar can cause diabetes and obesity in cockatiels.
Consuming too much peach can cause bloating and diarrhea in your bird.
Some cockatiels might be allergic to peaches and can develop itchiness on the skin and eyes.
If you observe such symptoms in your bird, stop giving this fruit and replace it with other fresh fruits.
Lastly, I mentioned keeping the peach pits as far away from your bird as possible!
Frequently Asked Questions
Are peaches safe for birds?
Peaches are safe for your bird. In fact, they are a powerhouse of nutrients. But you must remove the pits before feeding them.
Peach pits contain cyanide which is toxic for your bird.
Moreover, always give peaches only as an occasional treat because consuming them in excess can cause diarrhea, bloating, and high blood glucose.
What fruits can cockatiels eat list?
Cockatiels can eat a wide variety of fruits. The list of fruits is listed below.
Pears
Watermelons
Kiwis
Strawberries
Cantaloupes
Cranberries
Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and so on
Can cockatiels eat bananas and apples?
Yes, cockatiels can eat bananas and apples. They are nutritious foods that offer several vitamins and minerals essential to keeping your bird healthy and living longer.
When feeding apples, remove the apple seeds while feeding as they also contain cyanide.
Again always give fruits like bananas or apples in moderate quantities because fruits contain a lot of sugar which can lead to obesity and blood sugar-related problems.
Are strawberries toxic to cockatiels?
No, strawberries are not toxic to cockatiels. In fact, they are very nutritious for your bird.
As always, make sure to feed strawberries in moderate quantities only.
You can serve one to three strawberries per week and add other fresh fruits on the remaining days.
Wash the strawberries thoroughly in water before feeding because they might have pesticides and fungicides in them.
Wrap-Up
The flesh of peaches is a safe food for your bird. But always remove the pits from peaches while feeding.
To keep your bird healthy, keep the peaches limited to only an occasional treat and mix it up with other fresh fruits and vegetables.
Remember, the primary diet of these birds is seeds. So always keep your fresh foods limited to a quarter of the total food.
Keep clean water in a bowl for your bird to drink as well.
Thank you for reading this article.
