Cockatiel · Vegetables
Can cockatiels eat bell peppers?
Yes. Bell peppers are a top vegetable for cockatiels: low in sugar, crunchy to shred, and rich in beta-carotene, especially the red, orange and yellow ones.
- Portion
- About a tablespoon (15 ml) of strips or pieces as part of the day's vegetables
- How often
- Daily or most days, rotated with other vegetables
- Sugar
- 4.2 g / 100 g
How to serve it
- Rinse the pepper
- Remove the stalk
- Cut into strips or chunks; leave some seeds for foraging if you like
- Take away leftovers after a couple of hours
Why
Risks. Very low risk. Keep cockatiels away from the leaves and stems of the pepper plant, which belongs to the nightshade family.
Benefits. Brightly colored peppers are listed by VCA as good sources of vitamin A precursors, and the University of Florida veterinary hospital recommends various peppers for pet birds.
Questions owners ask 1
Can cockatiels eat stuffed or roasted peppers?
Only plain pepper. Stuffed or roasted dishes usually contain salt, oil, onion or garlic.
Bell peppers: nutrition per 100 g
| Water | 92.2 g |
|---|---|
| Energy | 26 kcal |
| Sugars | 4.2 g |
| Fat | 0.3 g |
| Protein | 1 g |
| Fibre | 2.1 g |
| Calcium | 7 mg |
| Phosphorus | 26 mg |
| Calcium : phosphorus | 0.27 : 1 |
| Sodium | 4 mg |
| Vitamin A (RAE) | 157 µg |
| Vitamin C | 128 mg |
“Peppers, sweet, red, raw”, USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, FDC 170108). Public domain.
Sources & method 4
The sources below discuss bell peppers 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.
- Fruits and Vegetables in Birds' Diets — VCA Animal Hospitals
- How to care for your pet bird — University of Florida Small Animal Hospital, College of Veterinary Medicine
- Unsafe Foods for Birds — LafeberVet
- Cockatiel Care Sheet (Maria Zayas, DVM) — PetMD
