Can Cockatiels Eat Bell Peppers? [ Benefits Plus Feeding Guide]

Giving vegetables to your cockatiel can help provide a balanced diet. Some vegetables can even help treat malnutrition caused by a lack of vitamins and minerals.

Below are the results of research I did to find out the benefits of feeding bell peppers to your tiel.

Can cockatiels eat bell peppers? Cockatiels can eat all varieties of bell peppers including their seeds ranging from green, yellow, orange, and red bell peppers. However, cockatiels should not eat the rest of the bell pepper plant [leaves and stems] as they are toxic. Red bell peppers are the best to feed to cockatiels since they have more nutrition compared to the others. Bell peppers will provide cockatiels with vitamin A and C, potassium, folic acid, and fiber. Red bell peppers have 11 times more beta carotene and 1.5 times more vitamin C than green bell peppers.

Remember to always feed your cockatiel a variety of vegetables as opposed to just one variety. Add fruits and greens but stick to the 20-25% recommended of the daily diet.

A large percentage of cockatiel’s diet should be cockatiel’s commercially made pellets such as these ones from amazon.

Nutrition of Bell Peppers

The table below shows the nutritional value of bell peppers about 149 grams. Source

NUTRITION	VALUE
Vitamin C	190mg
Fiber	3.1 g
Potassium	314 mg
Calcium	10.4 mg
Vitamin A	4666 IU
Folate	68.5 mcg
Magnesium	17.9 mg

Benefits of feeding Bell peppers to cockatiels

Minerals

Like all other animals birds too needs minerals in their diet. Some minerals are more important than others and are required in more portions than others.

Some of the minerals that are in high demand in the cockatiels include calcium, phosphorus and iodinine.

Iodine deficiency is one of the health challenges faced by cockatiels that are not fed a balanced diet.

The table above shows that bell peppers have calcium and phosphorus, these minerals are important in the growth and development of a cockatiel skeletal structure and breeding.

A Laying or injured cockatiel will need more calcium than a rather healthy and non-laying cockatiel.

Combining bell peppers with other veggies that have high calcium and phosphorous content will help you avoid deficiencies of these minerals.

However, given that cockatiels are highly prone to iodine deficiency and excess calcium can affect the absorption of iodine you should be careful not to overfeed calcium.

Ball peppers are also a good source of magnesium for your cockatiel. Magnesium facilitates the transfer of phosphorous.

Vitamins

Perhaps the most abundant among the nutrients of bell peppers. Bell peppers are packed with vitamins A and C plus beta carotene that can be converted into vitamin A in the body of cockatiels or other birds.

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin and one of the most important vitamins in the body of all birds.

Vitamin A is used in the maintenance of the light-sensitive pigment in the retina of the eye. It is important in the keratinization process.

Deficiencies of vitamin A will lead to thickening of the mucous membrane, drying of the respiratory and oral secretions, compromised immune system, digestive and respiratory infections.

These problems are common among cockatiels that are fed an all-seed or nut diet since they have a low concentration of vitamin A and beta carotene.

In fact offering carrots to your cockatiel can provide it with its vitamin A daily requirements.

If you are looking to help your cockatiel’s colors become vibrant, feed fruits and vegetables that are high in beta carotene such as carrots, strawberries, grapes, and of course Red bell peppers.

Vitamin C is also ubundant in ball peppers, however, cockatiels like most other birds do not need vitamin C directly since it can be produced from their livers.

The only time a cockatiel would need direct vitamin C is when they are suffering from liver disease that may hinder the processing of vitamin C.

Which variety of bell pepper is better for cockatiels?

The best variety of bell pepper to feed to cockatiel is the red bell peppers. Red bell peppers are attached to the parent plant longer than all the green, orange and yellow bell peppers. As a result, red bell peppers have a higher nutrition content compared to the rest.

In fact, red bell peppers have 11 times more beta carotene and 1.5 times more vitamin C than green peppers.

How to feed Bell peppers to Cockatiels

The best bell peppers to feed to your cockatiels are ones that have been grown organically free from chemicals that can be harmful to cockatiels.

Follow these steps when feeding bell peppers to cockatiels:

Wash bell peppers throughly

Washing bell peppers will help you get rid of pesticides and other chemicals that can harm your cockatiel. As mentioned above, red bell peppers are more nutritious than green, yellow, and orange peppers.

Cut the bell peppers into small pieces

Cut the red bell pepper into small pieces that are easily palatable by the cockatiel. Depending on the size of your cockatiel you may have to cut smaller or bigger pieces.

Mix with other vegetables

To provide your cockatiel with a balanced diet, mix bell peppers with other vegetables such as kale, spinach and so while maintaining the 20-25% rule.

At the end of the day remember to remove any un eaten fruits or vegetables to avoid contamination.

How much Bell peppers should I feed my cockatiel?

The best answer to this question is just a small piece, remember you are not just feeding bell peppers alone.

You will be combining it with other veggies, however, in the event that your cockatiel develops a preference for bell peppers as compared to the other veggies, you should reduce the amount of bell peppers that you offer your cockatiel to prevent overreliance on one veggie.

Is the bell pepper leaves and stem harmful to cockatiel?

Bell pepper belongs to the nightshade plant family together with eggplants and tomatoes, feeding cockatiels or any other bird bell pepper stems and leaves may end up killing the cockatiel.

Apart from the fruit, the other parts of the nightshade family contain toxins that are lethal to birds.

Bottom line

Bell peppers are a great vegetable to include in the diet of your cockatiel. Moreso, if your cockatiel’s feathers are looking dull. Beta carotene, most abundant in red bell peppers will help your cockatiel colors become vibrant.

Bell peppers, strawberries, and carrots are all loaded with vitamin A and beta carotene that are mostly deficient among birds that are fed an all-seed diet. Therefore, if you have been feeding your cockatiel an all-seed diet make sure to acquire a good commercially made cockatiel pellet and add fruits and veggies into your cockatiel daily diet.