Is it OK to feed my new cockatiel the same food as my budgies?

[AubieBird]

I have one new young cockatiel and seven budgies. When shopping for seed, pellets, etc. for my birds, would it be OK to buy the parakeet food for both the budgies and the cockatiel? Is there a difference in nutritional needs for these 2 kinds of birds? Is the food difference mainly just the size of the pellets?

Thanks!

[kimmikefids]

is it a seed pellet mix?? most people either feed cockatiel or a mix of budgie and cockatiel as they benefit from the smaller seeds of the budgie mix and the larger of the tiel...tho you shouldnt give too many fatty seeds like sunflower....in regards to pellets i would imagine between tiels and budgies it would just be the size tho mixed with seeds it would be different....

[sweetrsue]

Look on the back of the lable. It should tell you how much protien and how much fat, that kind of thing. I think you might be able to do it in a pinch but I would want the proper food for my 'tiel. Small pellets are actually easier for a young 'tiel to start with but they should graduate to slightly larger ones.

[Sophia]

I have a bowl of cockatiel seed (with sunflower, millet and just different types of seeds in) and a bowl of budgie seed. And Earl eats both and so does Little Bill. So I think that you can feed them either or you can mix half and half! :D

[PtsRPpl2]

I know the only way I can even GET my cockatiel to eat pellets is the smaller parakeet size ones...but it could be b/c she is a younger tiel. :)

[xxxSpikexxx]

I would probably get some tiel seed, since it has more variety than budgie seeds. For pellets I think it would be fine to give your tiel the smaller size. I have cockatiel size pellets that my budgie will crack and eat using the top of his treat dish that is shaped like and orange. And of course your budgies and tiel can all enjoy some veggies :)

[tielfan]

Cockatiels and budgies come from the same environment and have similar dietary needs. But cockatiels have bigger beaks so they can handle some slightly larger foods than budgies. If you're buying seed, you could always get budgie seed and add a little safflower and sunflower to it for the cockatiel.