Can Budgies Eat Cockatiel Food? (What Budgies & Cockatiels Like to Eat?)


If you are the owner of both cockatiels and budgies, you should save on both the cost and time of buying different diets for these birds. All these birds consume almost similar feeds, leading us to this question, Can budgies eat cockatiel food?

Yes, budgies can gladly eat cockatiel food. Mainly, cockatiels and budgies eat seed-based diets; thus, they have similar requirements. In addition, these two types of birds belong to the parrot family; therefore, they have the same adaptations for utilizing almost similar diets.

Since cockatiels’ food consists of larger seeds, it is recommended to crush the larger seeds to create tiny bits that budgies can easily eat and digest. This is because budgies (parakeets) are smaller than cockatiels and thus have small beaks that cannot break larger seeds.

Furthermore, blending the cockatiel’s food with other feeds such as fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, and other seeds is important. This helps to develop a dynamo of nutrients that budgies need for their well-being. 

Is Cockatiel Food Safe for Budgies?

Yes, cockatiel food is safe for budgies. Cockatiel food is rich in nutrients and mineral salts. However, you only need to crush the seeds into tiny bits for easier consumption. 

Also, offer cockatiels food in moderation to avoid overfeeding and waste, especially since budgies have small stomachs, thus saving on cost.

How to Feed Cockatiel Food to Budgies

Cockatiels are usually seed eaters; thus, seeds form part of their standard diet. 

Here is how to feed cockatiel food to budgies:

1. Buy the cockatiel food at the nearest bird feed shop.

2. Break the food into tiny bits using a rolling pin or other material that can crush them into small pieces.

3. Mix the cockatiel food with other feeds like mealworms and fresh fruits.

4. Put the blended cockatiel food in the budgie’s feeder.

5. Serve your budgies cockatiel food in moderation.

Always closely monitor budgies as they eat cockatiel food to know whether they enjoy it. Being keen will also help you record enough intake for your budgies.

What Quantity of Cockatiel Food Should I Feed My Budgies?

It is best to feed a half cup of cockatiel food to a budgie. 

This cockatiel food should be crushed to almost powder form so budgies can enjoy eating most of it. Parakeets have small beaks; thus, large foods can be difficult to ingest and digest. 

Cockatiel food should always be given in small quantities, as budgies have tiny stomachs.

How Often Should I Feed Budgies Cockatiel Food?

Since budgies can eat cockatiel food without any difficulty, consider feeding them five times a week. 

If budgies’ food is out of stock, consider feeding them cockatiel food instead. 

The best time to feed budgies cockatiel food is during the day, especially when you have run out of budgies’ food. 

Cockatiel food has almost the same nutritional value as budgie food and thus can be used as a substitute. 

Baby budgies love crushed cockatiel food that is not mixed with other feeds. Therefore, ensure you present fruits and vegetables separately for baby budgies.

What Is the Difference Between Cockatiel Food and Budgie Food?

The main difference between cockatiels and budgies’ food is their size. Mostly, cockatiel food is larger than budgie food. This is because cockatiels are bigger than budgies in size and weight. They also have big and tough beaks that can literally crack out any food, regardless of its size.

Moreover, cockatiel food is rich in calories. These calories help sustain the cockatiels in a healthy condition. 

On the other hand, budgie food has fewer calories. Budgies cannot have too many calories, as they can cause obesity and other heart conditions. 

Therefore, when feeding budgies cockatiel food, ensure to reduce the proportion. This helps reduce overweight burden.

Can Budgies Eat Cockatiel Seed Mix?

Yes, budgies can eat cockatiel seed mix. Nonetheless, always crush the seeds into finer particles because budgies have small beaks. 

Also, feed budgies cockatiel seed mix in a limited proportion since these birds cannot tolerate high-fat content. Overfeeding can lead to diarrhea and vomiting.

What Food to Give Budgies and Cockatiels

Both cockatiels and budgies eat 74% of pellets and 26% of seeds. 

Therefore, consider giving them the following food:

1. Millets.

2. Canary Seeds.

3. Pumpkin seeds.

4. Sunflower seeds.

5. Safflower.

6. Small maize seeds.

7. Peanuts.

Remember to mix these foods with fruits, vegetables, and other herbs. This will help provide a balanced diet for budgies and cockatiels.

What Fruit Can Budgies and Cockatiels Eat?

The following is a list of ten fruits that both budgies and cockatiels eat:

1. Grapes.

2. Watermelon.

3. Pears.

4. Peaches.

5. Plum.

6. Bananas.

7. Apricot.

8. Pineapples.

9. Chicory.

10. Strawberries.

Can Budgies and Cockatiels Eat Apples?

Budgies and cockatiels eat apples. Apples are washed with warm water and then sliced into small pieces.

You can blend apples with other feeds and give them to budgies and cockatiels. 

Apples are great sources of vitamins and fiber, which these birds need for their well-being.

Can Budgies and Cockatiels Eat Raspberries?

Budgies and cockatiels can eat raspberries. They are safe for consumption due to their rich vitamin content. 

Raspberries are also sweet and a good supplement for the normal standard diet of these birds. 

Thus, ensure cockatiels and budgies eat raspberries in the right proportion to avoid diarrhea and vomiting.

Related Articles

How to Make Bird Chop for Cockatiels

Can Parakeets Eat Grapes?

What Do Budgies Like to Eat

How to Feed Parakeets Fruits and Vegetables

How to Introduce a Cockatiel to a Budgie 

Can Birds Eat Dog Food? 

Recent Posts