Cockatiel · Protein & dairy
Can cockatiels eat yogurt?
Better not. Birds digest dairy poorly, and most yogurts are sweetened. A small taste of plain yogurt will not hurt a cockatiel, but it offers little they need.
- Portion
- Not recommended. At most a small dab (about 1/4 teaspoon) of plain, unsweetened yogurt
- How often
- Rarely, if at all
- Sugar
- 4.7 g / 100 g
If your cockatiel already ate some
A small taste of plain yogurt needs no action; watch for loose droppings after a larger amount. If the yogurt was sugar-free, look for xylitol on the label and contact an avian vet if it is present.
How to serve it
- Avoid flavoured, fruit, sweetened or sugar-free yogurts
- If you share any, use plain unsweetened yogurt
- Offer a dab on a spoon
- Remove leftovers quickly
Why
Risks. Lactose is poorly digested by birds, and larger amounts of dairy can cause diarrhoea. Sweetened yogurts add sugar, and sugar-free versions may contain xylitol.
Benefits. Plain yogurt contains protein and calcium; claimed probiotic benefits for birds are unproven.
Questions owners ask 1
Can cockatiels have yogurt drops or yogurt-coated treats?
Better not. Yogurt coatings are mostly sugar and fat with added dairy, and offer nothing useful.
Yogurt: nutrition per 100 g
| Water | 87.9 g |
|---|---|
| Energy | 61 kcal |
| Sugars | 4.7 g |
| Fat | 3.3 g |
| Protein | 3.5 g |
| Fibre | 0 g |
| Calcium | 121 mg |
| Phosphorus | 95 mg |
| Calcium : phosphorus | 1.27 : 1 |
| Sodium | 46 mg |
| Vitamin A (RAE) | 27 µg |
| Vitamin C | 0.5 mg |
“Yogurt, plain, whole milk”, USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, FDC 171284). Public domain.
Sources & method 4
The sources below discuss yogurt 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.
- Foods Toxic to Pet Birds — Lafeber Company (Christal Pollock, DVM, Dipl. ABVP-Avian, with Laura Doering)
- Feeding Pet Cockatiels — VCA Animal Hospitals
- Nutritional Diseases of Pet Birds — Merck Veterinary Manual
- Food Hazards — Merck Veterinary Manual (Pet Owner Version)
