I was snacking on some almonds the other day as I’ve been trying to eat a little bit healthier—nuts rather than chips to snack!
In any case, as I was enjoying them, my cockatiel swooped over and grabbed one before I could stop him.
It was gone before I could do anything, and he seemed pretty pleased with himself.
He seemed okay and I guessed almonds wouldn’t pose any problems for cockatiels—nonetheless, I decided to look into it.
So, can cockatiels eat almonds?
Yes, almonds are great for cockatiels. Nuts are a really great treat to feed cockatiels and they will love them, too. You always need to be careful of moderation, as almonds are quite nutrient rich—try and mix almonds in with their other feed, rather than just giving them almonds.
In any case, almonds are totally safe for your cockatiel and make a great snack for them.
It’s important to know how best to get them to your cockatiel as well as the specific health benefits, so let’s look into it in detail.
Are almonds good for cockatiels?
Yes, in lots of ways!
For one thing, they are packed with fiber—which is an essential part of your cockatiel’s diet.
It helps the overall functioning of digestion and keeps your cockatiel’s gut nice and clear.
It can also aid in the control of blood sugar. High amounts of magnesium in almonds also help regulate blood sugar levels.
They are also packed with antioxidants.
Oxidative stress can cause damage in the cells of your cockatiel, even contributing to inflammation and disease.
Almonds help protect against these kinds of effects.
Almonds are also high in Vitamin E, which is another antioxidant which protects cells.
Almonds are among the best sources of Vitamin E in the world.
Cockatiels love nuts, and they are one of their staple foods.
Therefore, they’re a very effective way to get plenty of good nutrients to your cockatiel.
However, moderation is still really important—give them a mixture of almonds along with other things.
Too many almonds, even as simple as they are, could be a problem. Keep a strict balance in your cockatiel’s diet.
Can cockatiels eat raw almonds?
Yes, they can, and this is generally the best way to get almonds to them.
They will much prefer them raw, as this is how they would find any food in the wild.
Almonds can also lose some of their nutrients in the cooking process, too.
The only thing to be aware of is the source of the almonds.
Almonds that are grown, treated and formulated for humans are going to be far less safe for a cockatiel than those formulated for parrots.
Almonds for people may be doused in pesticides and chemicals, and are therefore unsafe for your cockatiel.
But, yes, raw almonds are best for your cockatiel.
They will much prefer them this way.
That said, is there any place for cooked almonds in your cockatiel’s diet?
Can cockatiels eat cooked almonds?
The simple answer is yes, they can, but there’s no real advantage to feeding them cooked almonds as opposed to raw almonds.
As I said, they are likely to lose some nutrients in the cooking process, so you’re just going to make them slightly less nutritious.
It will also depend on what the almonds have been cooked in.
Many cooking oils, spices and other ingredients will be, to say the least, unpalatable to your cockatiel.
So, if you have leftover almonds from a dish you made for yourself, it’s probably best not to let your cockatiel have them.
Dry roasted will not be much different from raw almonds—so we would say it’s best to just give them raw.
How to prepare almonds for cockatiels
So, they don’t need to be cooked.
What else do I need to do to prepare almonds for my cockatiel?
Well, as I mentioned, you should thoroughly wash them.
Especially if they are almonds that have been grown for humans.
If they are in shells, you should get them out of the shells.
You can leave the brown skin on, if your cockatiel will eat them this way.
Other than that, you’re pretty much good to go.
They don’t need to be cooked or chopped up.
Your cockatiel will be able to get them down no problem whole.
Almonds are a delicious, healthy snack for your cockatiel, then.
As long as you don’t go crazy and overfeed them, almonds are packed with all sorts of health benefits.
Raw and deshelled is best, as your cockatiel will prefer them as natural as possible.
Leaving the brown skin on is up to you—and your cockatiel’s tastes!
Finally, remember to only feed them almonds that were formulated for cockatiels.
Anything else could be covered in pesticides and chemicals which could harm your cockatiel.