Cockatiel Stealing Chicken - How to Get Your Bird to Eat New Foods and Vegetables

Our cockatiel, Taki, loves to eat meals with us. We use it as an opportunity to feed him a varied diet!
If your bird refuses to eat vegetables try including your bird at meal time. As flock animals they'll want to eat what their flock members (you!) are eating. We use this technique to get Taki to eat healthy foods like broccoli and quinoa (and also to sneak the occasion treat like a couple scraps of chicken).

[@highvibefreqzshow5967]

I once had a free flying cockatiel that could let herself in and out of her cage that would immediately rush the dinner table whenever I was having chicken or spaghetti for dinner. She seemed to really love those two meals, clearly preferring the chicken over the spaghetti but would never pass on either. I had to watch her around the plate as she would just walk into the food. I didn't mind sharing what was on my plate with her but I would lose my appetite once she walked all over it. There a few times she flew from the cage and landed right into the middle of the plate. Usually she first landed on my shoulder or directly on the table. She was a very entertaining cockatiel for sure.

[@mrsniper6127]

did she pass away? 😥

[@highvibefreqzshow5967]

@@mrsniper6127 Of course, as all living organisms do, she eventually passed away, due to egg binding. She was a wonderful bird.

[@mrsniper6127]

@@highvibefreqzshow5967 that's so sad, I hope she lived a long happy life

[@CenturianEagle]

So cute!! That’s so adorable how they’re flock animals and like to eat with their humans 😆🥰😍🥰. And that they like to eat what their humans are having. I’ll need to remember that for when I finally get a tiel. I have done lots and lots of research, but despite this, I haven’t heard about that trick you gave too often, so I hope I don’t forget about it when I finally do get one- it seems like a great way to get them to eat healthy stuff. Taki is far too cute 🥰🥰🥰

[@bangally3551]

Lol my Senegal parrot chews meat rests on bones 🦴

[@FredTheLutinoCocatiel]

I eat at a coffee table in front of the TV and Fred the lutino cockatiel will eat his food while I am eating but when I have popcorn he lands on my shoulder and demands I feed him popcorn

[@Taha-ds8kn]

Cannibalism :(

[@takithetiel6854]

Fun fact: cockatiels and chickens are only about as closely related as humans are to cows 😮 Which means that this is not technically cannibalism (even though I affectionately call Taki a "chicken" 😅)

[@bangally3551]

Is that good for them though? (Just asking)

[@takithetiel6854]

Chicken is okay as an occasional treat 💖 It's good protein and has a few vitamins but should not make up a significant portion of their diet. I personally only let our birds have a couple small bites on a given day and they only get to eat chicken once or twice a month.
Our birds eat mostly TOPS premium organic pellets, fresh vegetables, and healthy grains like quinoa. They get millet and sunflower seeds as training treats and the occasional bite or two of chicken or bird safe pita chips/crackers (no salt, no garlic powder, etc.)