Can Cockatiels Eat Crackers?

Can Cockatiels Eat Crackers? (Answered!)

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I have always loved the simple pleasure of a nice cracker.

I always have them around, and I’m always snacking on them, though.

Something a friend pointed out to me, though, while they were round the other day, was that I never share them with my cockatiel, despite the famous “Polly want a cracker?” line.

I chuckled at the realisation, but it did get me thinking.

I’m always looking for new snacks to share with my cockatiel, so I decided to check if it was safe.

So, can cockatiels eat crackers?

Yes, they can, is the simple answer. Whatever the type of cracker, though, they should only eat small amounts. It is formulated for humans, and likely to be quite salty. It heavily depends on what type of cracker, but ultimately none should be eaten in a large amount.

Cracker is something of an umbrella term, but what we are talking about here is basic, plain crackers without added salt, sugar or too much of anything artificial.

Even then, in very strict moderation, crackers can be fed to your cockatiel.

Let’s look further into this.

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Are crackers good for cockatiels?

In some ways, yes!

It obviously depends on what kind of cracker we are talking about, but as I said, we will stick to discussions of plain crackers.

For one thing, cockatiels love crackers—they love the taste, the texture, and the crunch.

This is the most important thing, of course.

Crackers are a great source of fiber, too.

Fiber keeps the whole digestive system running smoothly, and helps everything to move along in your cockatiel’s gut.

Fiber is a key cornerstone of your cockatiel’s diet.

They also typically contain high quantities of vitamin B. Vitamin B in foods helps your body to extract more energy out of everything you eat.

Crackers, then, will make your cockatiel more awake and livelier and have more energy.

Crackers are also a great source of iron, which is really important for the health of your cockatiel’s red blood cells.

This helps your cockatiel move oxygen freely throughout its body, storing oxygen and energy for later use.

So, crackers are not short on any nutritional benefits.

They are really health in the right amounts, and your cockatiel will love them.

However, this part about the right amounts is really important, so let’s look at the caveats.

Are crackers bad for cockatiels?

Crackers are not inherently bad for cockatiels, but they can be very easily.

As I said, you need to avoid anything that is too highly calorific.

Anything highly salted, for example, is a definite no-go, as these quantities of salt can be highly problematic for your cockatiel.

Even the best kind of cracker, however, should only ever be fed in moderation.

While they are healthy in small amounts, the very fact that they are so nutrient rich means your cockatiel only needs a small amount before it gets the full range of benefits.

Feed them crackers once or twice a week, in very small amounts, as part of a balanced diet.

Make sure that they get plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables as treats elsewhere in their diets.

This will provide the greatest range of nutrients and keep them from getting bored.

What kind of crackers can cockatiels eat?

Crackers obviously come in a lot of forms, so the best advice is to just get the most plain crackers that you can find.

Plain, non-salted mutli-grain crackers are usually the best, and have the best range of benefits without being too high in calories.

But any grain or oat cracker will be totally safe and healthy.

Whatever the cracker, though, just to reiterate, they should never eat a lot of it.

Can cockatiels eat cheese crackers?

Cockatiels should not eat cheese crackers.

Cockatiels do not have the capacity to break down cheese in their gut, and even small amounts from a cracker could cause bloating, indigestion and every diarrhea.

Cheese crackers, in very small amounts, may seem appealing to your cockatiel and may not be a problem, but you always run the risk of causing digestive troubles.

As I said, your best choice is something plain and natural, unsalted, without cheese or any other kind of added ingredient.

They will thank you for it later.

Conclusion 

As long as it’s something simple and plain, then, crackers are actually a great snack for your cockatiel.

They are tasty and healthy, and come with all sorts of nutritional benefits.

That said, you’ve got to be very careful that you don’t feed them crackers that are overly salty or otherwise unhealthy, and even then, it’s still really important to keep moderation in mind.

Even a little bit too much could be highly problematic for your cockatiel.

Keep this in mind, and crackers make a great snack for them.

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