Cockatiels can eat cilantro, yes. Cilantro (also known as coriander or Chinese parsley) is a safe herb for your cockatiel. This herb is highly nutritious, and it can be a fantastic snack you can offer your pet. The great thing about these herbs is that most birds love them, including cockatiels.
Most people think of cilantro only as a part of a great salad or any great dish. However, it can also be something our pet birds can enjoy.
If you have some cilantro to spare for your cockatiel, you may want to take a few moments to read more. You should find a couple of useful tips.
Let’s get into it!
Contents
Is cilantro safe for cockatiels?
Cilantro and other herbs are safe for cockatiels, as it is to other birds. It is rich in various nutritious components, which your pet will surely love.
Further, cilantro has a great flavor and taste, which cockatiels would love. Thus, you won’t find it difficult if you’re going to introduce this plant.
To know how nutritious it is, take a look at these nutrition facts. A particular article states that a cup (16 grams) of raw cilantro offers:
- 3.68 calories
- 0.083 grams of fat
- 0.587 g of carbs
- 0.341 g of protein
Aside from these components, cilantro also offers a variety of vitamins, such as:
- Vitamin C,
- Provitamin A
- Vitamin K
It also has small amounts of the following as well as trace amounts of the following:
- Folate
- Potassium
- Manganese
- Choline
- Beta-carotene
- Beta-cryptoxanthin
- Lutein
- Zeaxanthin
Although nutritious, cilantro still shouldn’t form a big part of a cockatiel’s diet.
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How much cilantro can cockatiels eat?
Cilantro, like other herbs, isn’t something you can give your cockatiel in a large amount.
Cockatiels need a balanced diet. Thus, while cilantro is high in nutrients, it can’t sustain a cockatiel’s needs for the day.
For this reason, it would be best to consider cilantro only as a snack, not forming more than 10% of a cockatiel’s food.
The most significant part of a cockatiel’s diet should be pellets, as it is the best food that would satisfy their nutrient needs. Thus, it should take up at least 60% of their daily food intake.
Another big part of their diet should be vegetables. Feeding different vegetables should serve your cockatiel well. Moreover, it should take more or less 30% of their food.
The remaining 10% or less can be part of snacks and treats. Aside from herbs like cilantro, you can also offer nuts, fruits, and seeds.
Risks of feeding your cockatiel cilantro
There’s not much of a risk when it comes to feeding your cockatiel some cilantro.
The only thing you should be mindful of when feeding it is never to provide more than the proper amount.
As I said earlier, cilantro and other herbs may be rich in nutrients and flavor, but it doesn’t mean you can give as much as you want. As always, limit cilantro and other herbs to a few bites and tastes.
Since these herbs have fantastic flavor, it’s enough for your cockatiel to get a couple of bites. Any more than that could be unhealthy for them.
Another thing to be mindful of is feeding cilantro along with other seasonings and food.
While cilantro in itself isn’t harmful, adding some seasoning can make it so for your pet.
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Do cockatiels like cilantro?
Cockatiels like eating cilantro. In fact, they do even love a variety of herbs and spices.
Since cilantro is rich in nutrients and flavor, it can be quite an enjoyable snack for your pet.
Still, it doesn’t mean that you can give cilantro in significant amounts just because your pet loves it.
As always, limit cilantro, along with other herbs, into a minimal amount of servings/
Other safe herbs for cockatiels
Aside from cilantro, you can also offer other herbs for your cockatiel. If you don’t know where to start, you can have these herbs for starters:
- Basil
- Cayenne
- Chamomile
- Chicory
- Celery Leaves
- Dandelion
- Dill
- Ginger Root
- Fennel
- Lemon Balm
- Marjoram
- Mint (not too much)
- Oregano
- Parsley
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Dry cinnamon
As I said earlier, a variety of snacks can be healthy, but only in small amounts. Further, it would be best to give herbs only once in a while, and not all the time.
Are blackberries and pomegranate safe for cockatiels? Check it out!
Summary
Cockatiels can eat cilantro, and it is one of the herbs you can give your pet as snacks or treats. It is highly nutritious and has a great flavor that your bird will surely enjoy.
The only thing you need to remember when feeding such is that herbs may be nutritious, but it shouldn’t form a big part of their diet. Cockatiels need a balanced diet, so make sure to limit cilantro snacks to small amounts only.
As long as you maintain a balanced diet, you can feed cilantro from time to time without worries.
Resources
Medical News Today’s article about the health benefits of cilantro
Image Credits:
- Photo by Phillip Larking on Unsplash
- https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2019/03/27/01/12/cockatiel-4084017_960_720.jpg
