Do Cockatoos Eat Fruit? 7 Facts You Should Know

Cockatoos are intelligent birds belonging to the Cacatuidae family. Let us learn more about their diet.

Cockatoos eat fruit. They also consume vegetables, as well as meat as a diet. Depending on the species, cockatoos generally consume a variety of seeds, fruits, nuts, berries, roots, and plant material like leaf buds. Some even consume bug larvae. They enjoy snacking on nuts.

A cockatoo consumes between one-fourth and fifty percent of its body weight in food; the smaller the bird, the more about body weight. Depending on how active it is, an 800-gram sulfur-crested cockatoo is capable of consuming 200 to 300 grams of the food.

What Fruits Can Cockatoos Eat

Cockatoos are primarily seed-eaters, their diet should include both pellets and seeds. They can safely eat a variety of other fruits and vegetables. Let us know more.

Cockatoos can consume a variety of fruits like bananas, oranges, tangerines, apples, pears, strawberries, apricots, pineapples, lemons, dates, raspberries, grapefruits, cherries, blues, kiwi fruit, gooseberries, melon, peaches, plums, and figs. Mango, papaya, and tomatoes are among the greatest options for them.

Macromolecules like carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and spices, should be parts of their diet. Their diet should contain an appropriate amount of vitamins and minerals.

What Fruits Cockatoos Cannot Eat

Avocado is the main fruit that a cockatoo cannot eat. Besides, seeds containing aflatoxins should never be on diet. Fruits including apples, pears, cherries, and peaches contain cyanide, which is toxic to them. Oranges must be given in very small quantities so that their pH balance in the body does not disrupt.

Other than fruits, they should not eat human junk food. As they are junk for them as well. Foods high in fat, such as potato chips, and foods with butter belong to this category. Aflatoxin is found in peanuts in great quantities, which should be completely prohibited from their diet.

Can Cockatoos Eat Bananas

Cockatoos love to eat bananas. They love sweet fruits like bananas, strawberries, and apples. These fruits, with removed core, can make up 10% of their diet. Bananas are a great source of potassium and fiber, which stop cockatoo from pecking at feathers and acting aggressively.

Banana peels can be fed to cockatoos, however, it is not advisable to do so. The majority of bananas are sprayed with toxic chemicals and other pesticides.

Can Cockatoos Eat Apples

Cockatoos can eat apples. This exhibits a very generous nutritional value for cockatoos, as well as other birds. They should be consumed to get proper vitamins and minerals, but the seeds should not be eaten. These seeds contain cyanide, which is a toxic element to birds.

Apple skin is also not safe for them to consume along with their seeds. It is because the skin comes in contact with pesticides, which can leave residue even after washing.

Image Credits: Cockatoo eating fruit by Rod Waddington is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Do Cockatoos Eat Vegetables

Cockatoos love to eat vegetables. These include pumpkin, sweet potatoes, leafy greens like spinach, celery, carrot, peas, capsicum, and other suitable fresh vegetables. They need to eat a mixed portion of nuts, fruits, and vegetables to attain most of the percentage of their diet.

Can Cockatoos Eat Raw Vegetables

Image Credit: Eating Cockatoo by Rod Waddington is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Cockatoos eat raw vegetables as 25% of their diet contains raw vegetables and fruits. This 25% they can attain by getting fresh carrots, kale, and spinach, along with watermelon, and apples like fresh fruits. The vegetables and fruits should be washed properly and cut into bite-sized chunks for the cockatoos to eat.

Conclusion

Cockatoos love to eat fruits and vegetables and those complete a portion of their diet. They eat all kinds of foods like nuts, sweet fruits, and fresh leafy vegetables. Some fruits are prohibited due to some toxins, and many seeds should be removed for toxins as well. Raw vegetables should be washed before eating.

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