Cockatiel · Grains, seeds & nuts
Can cockatiels eat pumpkin seeds?
Yes, in small amounts. Plain raw pumpkin seeds are a safe occasional treat for cockatiels, but they are fatty, so one or two at a time is enough.
- Portion
- One or two seeds
- How often
- Once or twice a week
- Sugar
- 1.4 g / 100 g
- Fat
- 49.1 g / 100 g
How to serve it
- Use raw, unsalted seeds or plain pepitas
- Rinse and dry seeds taken from a fresh pumpkin
- Skip roasted, salted or spiced seeds
- Offer as a reward or hide in a foraging toy
Why
Risks. High fat content adds calories quickly, and cockatiels are prone to obesity, fatty liver and lipomas. Salted snack seeds add sodium, and damp seeds can grow mould.
Benefits. Pumpkin seeds provide protein, zinc and magnesium, and cracking them gives cockatiels something to work on.
Questions owners ask 1
Can cockatiels eat pumpkin flesh too?
Yes. Plain raw or cooked pumpkin flesh is a nutritious vegetable for cockatiels and can be fed more freely than the seeds.
Pumpkin seeds: nutrition per 100 g
| Water | 5.2 g |
|---|---|
| Energy | 559 kcal |
| Sugars | 1.4 g |
| Fat | 49.1 g |
| Protein | 30.2 g |
| Fibre | 6 g |
| Calcium | 46 mg |
| Phosphorus | 1,233 mg |
| Calcium : phosphorus | 0.04 : 1 |
| Sodium | 7 mg |
| Vitamin A (RAE) | 1 µg |
| Vitamin C | 1.9 mg |
“Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels, dried”, USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, FDC 170556). Public domain.
Sources & method 4
No source we found covers pumpkin seeds for cockatiels specifically, so this verdict is reasoned from general feeding guidance and nutrition data. Confidence: medium. Rated on the JOMIZOO Feeding Scale; when good sources disagree we choose the more cautious level.
- What to Feed Your Pet Bird — RSPCA
- Management of Pet Birds (professional version) — Merck Veterinary Manual (Sharman M. Hoppes, DVM, DABVP Avian)
- Fruits and Vegetables in Birds' Diets — VCA Animal Hospitals
- Tumors in Birds: Lipomas — VCA Animal Hospitals (Gregory Rich, DVM; Rick Axelson, DVM)
