Can Cockatiels Eat Watermelon? [What About the Seeds?]

If you’re the proud owner of a beautiful cockatiel you obviously want to keep it in good health. This all starts with a healthy diet; if your bird eats the right things it will contribute massively to them staying in good shape. However, it’s not always clear what cockatiels can or can’t eat. Fresh fruits are a big part of their diet, but they can’t eat every fruit.

If you’re here, you’re probably curious, can cockatiels eat watermelon? I was wondering the same thing so I did some research on the topic, which I would like to share with you in this article.

What I discovered is that cockatiels can indeed eat watermelon without any problems. These fruits consist mostly of water and carbs but also contain a lot of beneficial vitamins for your bird. This makes them a refreshing, healthy fruit for your cockatiel to consume.

To learn everything you need to know for safe feeding, keep reading and I’ll tell you everything you need to know.

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Is watermelon good for cockatiels?

Before we begin, I’d like to take a look at what exactly a watermelon is made up of. That way we can see if there are any dangerous compounds in these fruits.

Watermelons are fruits with sweet, juicy flesh. As their name suggests they’re mostly made up of water (91%) but that’s not all. 100 grams of watermelon is made up of the following nutrients:

• 30 calories
• 0.6 grams of protein
• 7.6 grams of carbs
• 6.2 grams of sugar
• 0.4 grams of fiber
• 0.2 grams of fat

As you can see, the watermelon is almost entirely water + carbs with small amounts of fat and protein. But that’s not all, it also contains the following vitamins and minerals:

• Vitamin C (Good for their immune system)
• Potassium (Benefits their heart)
• Copper (Good for bone health and nerve system)
• Vitamin B5 (Benefits eyes and digestive tract)
• Vitamin A (Helps develop and maintain healthy feathers)

All in all, watermelon is a healthy fruit for your cockatiel to consume. Since it’s mainly made up of water it’s low in calories and the vitamins and minerals will benefit your bird’s health. Nothing in this fruit poses any threat to your bird.

Can cockatiels eat watermelon seeds?

Some fruits have dangerous seeds. For instance, apples and many stone fruits have seeds that contain cyanide. Cyanide is lethal if ingested by many animals. However, the seeds of watermelons are completely safe to eat. They do not contain any harmful compounds so your cockatiel can eat them without any problems!

Some bird owners prefer to soak the seeds in water for a while to soften them up. This makes them easier for the bird to consume but this is not necessary. They can eat it just fine without doing this.

How to prepare watermelon for your bird

Cockatiels should not eat the rind of the watermelon. Only the flesh and seeds are safe for consumption.

The rind contains pesticides and other chemicals that are used to repel insects by farmers. These chemicals are not good for your bird to consume. Even small amounts of them can be harmful to pets, so it’s best to remove the rind completely.

You should also cut the watermelon into small pieces so they’re easier for your cockatiel to eat.

How much watermelon can cockatiels eat?

A healthy diet is a varied diet; this means that your cockatiel should not have too much of one kind of food. They need a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, seeds, and pellets.

In addition, it’s best for them if they eat many different kinds of fruits and vegetables because some fruits have nutrients that other fruits do not have. For instance, watermelon has a completely different nutritional profile than a banana.

So don’t go out and replace all your other fruits and only feed them watermelon. The best way to ensure that you’re feeding them a healthy diet is by giving them a mix of fruits. Watermelons work well in conjunction with blueberries and peaches for instance.

Can I give my cockatiel watermelon juice?

You can give watermelon juice to your watermelon juice if it’s homemade. If it’s from the supermarket you can only feed it to them if it’s organic without any added sugars.

To make watermelon juice for your bird at home just remove the rind, cut it into pieces, dump it into the blender and turn it on. Once the blender is finished, use a strainer to remove leftover seeds. These can cause your cockatiel to choke if they’re in the drink. Best to give the seeds to them separately!

Risks of feeding your watermelon to cockatiels

There are not many risks associated with feeding watermelon to your pet cockatiel. The only real “risks” are that it can turn their droppings red. If you notice this happening, do not worry, it’s not blood. It’s simply the juice from the watermelon that’s causing this, no cause for alarm!

In addition, there might be quite a big mess. If you’ve ever eaten a watermelon you know how messy eating these fruits can be, the juice leaks out and goes everywhere.

To minimize the mess, make sure to give them small pieces of the fruit rather than a whole slice.

Also, if they’ve never eaten melons before, it’s best to not go overboard and feed them a whole lot of it right away. By starting with small amounts their digestive tract can get used to this new food and they won’t develop diarrhea.

Do cockatiels like eating watermelon?

Most cockatiels absolutely love this fruit. However, it is possible that yours will not like it. It’s impossible to tell you in advance what your bird will and will not like. No two birds are the same and they all have their own likes and dislikes.

Luckily watermelons aren’t very expensive so you can always just buy them for yourself and give a small piece to your cockatiel to see if they enjoy eating it. If they haven’t eaten it after 2 hours, throw it away because after that bacteria will start growing and the melon will start to rot.

Other fruits cockatiels can eat

If your cockatiel isn’t a fan of watermelon, there are plenty of other fruits you can feed them. If you’re struggling, here are some ideas to help you get started:

• Kiwi
• Papaya
• Cucumber
• Grapes
• Apple (remove seeds)
• Banana
• Cherries
• Oranges

In general, there are almost no fruits that cockatiels can not eat, but you do have to be careful with certain fruits, such as apples, and ensure you remove the seeds.

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Conclusion

So, to sum it all up: You can give watermelon to your cockatiel. It’s low in calories and a good source of vitamins and minerals that your bird will benefit from. Make sure it’s not the only fruit they eat though, a varied diet with many different fruits and vegetables is essential to your cockatiels’ well-being.

I hope you found this guide useful and that you learned some new information about feeding your cockatiel a healthy diet! If you’ve got any questions or feel like I’ve missed something, please leave a comment down below.