Can Cockatiels Eat Basil?

I was making a pasta sauce the other night for dinner, and I’d just snipped some fresh basil from my herb garden.

My cockatiel came over while I was cooking, and was very interested in the basil.

I let him try a small piece and he went crazy for it.

I decided to give him a little more then hold off for a while, since I wasn’t sure if basil was totally safe for cockatiels.

I decided to look into it and find out.

So, can cockatiels eat basil?

Yes, basil is totally safe for cockatiels and they will love it. Basil is one of the safest herbs you can offer to your cockatiel, and they will love the taste. It should not be a central part of their diet, exclusively, as you should switch out other vegetables, but as a treat it is a great addition.

Basil truly is a wonderful plant, then. it makes our tomato sauces delicious and it acts as a great treat for our feathered friends!

As with any addition to a pet’s diet, you should always know as much as you can before you start.

So, read on to find out more.

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Is basil good for cockatiels?

Yes, in a lot of ways.

Adding vegetables to your cockatiel’s regular diet is the best way to provide all the nutrients they need for a health body.

Basil is no exception, and makes a great treat as well.

Cockatiels very often love the strong flavor.

Basil contains great amounts of vitamin A and K, both of which are essential to overall health and strength.

It can be difficult to get all the vitamins your cockatiel needs from their regular feed, so adding vegetables like basil is a great way to do this.

They are also rich in many beneficial minerals, such as calcium, iron and manganese.

Calcium is essential to a healthy skeleton, while iron is essential to healthy blood.

Basil contains great quantities of all these nutrients, and so is very good for your cockatiel.

The very fact that it is so nutrient rich means you need to carefully monitor how much you give them.

It is easy to overfeed them on basil, so only give them small amounts.

Never replace their regular diet with basil leaves, however much your cockatiels seem to love it.

So, is there are any danger in cockatiels eating basil?

Is basil toxic to cockatiels?

No, is the simple answer. Basil is not toxic to cockatiels, even if they ate large amounts.

They still shouldn’t, of course, but there is nothing unsafe in basil for cockatiels.

In fact, it’s one of the safer herbs you can feed to cockatiels.

Moderation is still really important, though. It isn’t toxic, but it can come with other negative effects if overeaten.

So, just be very careful of how much you let them have, and they will be totally fine.

How to prepare basil for a cockatiel

First of all, you should wash it off.

Give it a good rinse and let it dry out.

This will wash off any pesticides or chemicals that may have contaminated it during the processing.

If you are worried about this, try to buy from a local producer.

Even better, think about growing your own basil.

Other than that, there isn’t much to be prepared in basil.

Cockatiels can do a pretty good job of tearing up the leaves and stems with their beaks, so even if you bought a live basil plant, you could probably just let them have at it.

That said, if you want, you can tear up the leaves somewhat before giving it to your cockatiels.

This will make things a bit easier for them, but they shouldn’t have a problem anyway.

Just be sure to wash it.

Can cockatiels eat basil leaves?

Yes, unsurprisingly, the main event of a basil plant, the leaves, is totally safe.

They are the best part of the plant and, naturally, what your cockatiel will go for if you offer them basil.

As I said, they can generally even tear up the leaves unassisted, too.

As long as you’ve washed them, basil leaves are totally safe for your cockatiel and pose no threat at all.

So, what about the stems?

Can cockatiels eat basil stems?

The stems of a basil plant do not contain anything that is not found in the leaves.

The only real difference will be the level of crunch, and this comes down to a personal taste thing.

My cockatiel actually seems to prefer the stems, and will always go straight for them.

Others will prefer the leaves.

Either way, every part of the plant is totally safe and poses no danger.

Give your cockatiels some basil to try today, we think they’ll love it.

Conclusion

So, whatever part of the plant, it will be totally safe for your cockatiel while also providing many health benefits.

As anything, it should only be fed in moderation, in tandem with other fresh fruits and vegetables.

If you keep this in mind, basil is a great treat for your cockatiel that it will love.

Next time you’re cooking up some herby sauce, give your cockatiel some basil to try!