Cockatiel · Vegetables
Can cockatiels eat chili peppers?
Yes, in small amounts. Cockatiels cannot taste the heat of chili, and vets list hot peppers as suitable, but offer small pieces as part of a varied mix.
- Portion
- One or two small pieces about 1 cm (⅜ in) across
- How often
- Once or twice a week
- Sugar
- 5.3 g / 100 g
How to serve it
- Wash the chili
- Cut off the stalk and chop; seeds may be left in
- Clean your hands and cutting board afterwards
- Take away leftovers after a couple of hours
Why
Risks. Birds lack the capsaicin sensitivity that mammals have, so the heat is not a problem for them. Because data on large quantities is limited, small portions are a sensible precaution.
Benefits. Fresh chilies supply carotenoids that support vitamin A intake.
Questions owners ask 1
Will chili upset my cockatiel's stomach?
Birds are indifferent to capsaicin, and no harm from normal portions of fresh chili is documented. Stop offering it and call your vet if you notice any digestive change.
Chili peppers: nutrition per 100 g
| Water | 88 g |
|---|---|
| Energy | 40 kcal |
| Sugars | 5.3 g |
| Fat | 0.4 g |
| Protein | 1.9 g |
| Fibre | 1.5 g |
| Calcium | 14 mg |
| Phosphorus | 43 mg |
| Calcium : phosphorus | 0.33 : 1 |
| Sodium | 9 mg |
| Vitamin A (RAE) | 48 µg |
| Vitamin C | 144 mg |
“Peppers, hot chili, red, raw”, USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, FDC 170106). Public domain.
Sources & method 3
The sources below discuss chili peppers for cockatiels (or for pet birds generally). Confidence: medium. 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
- Nutritional Disorders of Pet Birds (Bird Owners edition) — Merck Veterinary Manual
- Molecular basis for species-specific sensitivity to 'hot' chili peppers — Cell, 2002 (record at Scholars@Duke)
