Can cockatiels eat apples?

Yes, in small amounts

Yes, in small amounts. Cockatiels can eat apple flesh, but always remove the core and seeds, which contain cyanide-releasing compounds, and keep fruit to a small share of the diet.

Portion: Two or three pieces about 1.5 cm (⅝ in) across
How often: 2–3 times a week
Sugar: 10.4 g / 100 g

How to serve it

Rinse the apple thoroughly
Remove the core and all seeds
Cut the flesh into pieces about 1.5 cm (⅝ in) across; the skin can stay on
Take away leftovers after a couple of hours

Why

Risks. VCA notes apple seeds may be toxic to birds; they contain amygdalin, which releases cyanide. Fruit is high in water and natural sugar, so VCA advises feeding it in limited quantities.

Benefits. Apple is a crunchy, widely accepted fruit that gives cockatiels fiber and something to manipulate with the beak.

Questions owners ask 2

What if my cockatiel ate an apple seed?

Remove any other seeds and call your avian vet for advice, particularly if the seed was chewed open. Watch for weakness, breathing difficulty or unusual sleepiness.

Can cockatiels eat dried apple?

Only rarely and in tiny amounts. Drying concentrates the sugar, and many dried apple products are sweetened or preserved, so fresh apple is the better choice.

Apples: nutrition per 100 g

Water	85.6 g
Energy	52 kcal
Sugars	10.4 g
Fat	0.2 g
Protein	0.3 g
Fibre	2.4 g
Calcium	6 mg
Phosphorus	11 mg
Calcium : phosphorus	0.55 : 1
Sodium	1 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)	3 µg
Vitamin C	4.6 mg

“Apples, raw, with skin (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)”, USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, FDC 171688). Public domain.

Sources & method 4

The sources below discuss apples for cockatiels (or for pet birds generally). Confidence: high. Rated on the JOMIZOO Feeding Scale; when good sources disagree we choose the more cautious level.