# Fast eating cockatiel? Pellet brand?



## minischn (Jun 5, 2011)

This is going to sound strange, but do any of you have cockatiels that eat fast? Like, my miniature schnauzer will eat really fast, but then he starts hacking his food up, and eats it again (dogs! ). Recently, I think Petey has been doing this. Sometimes when he's eating his pellets (which I've noticed he does really fast. Like I mean, he'll just grab and swallow, but I'm still pretty new to this and I don't know if that's how they're supposed to.) he'll sort of "cough" back up his food. He'll act like he's about to regurgitate then swing his head side to side and food will come flying out. I know, I've been hit by it >.> so that's what he's coughing up. 
At first I thought something might be wrong, but upon more thought he only does this when he eats his pellets. When I give him millet he doesn't do this, and when he nibbles at carrots he doesn't do this either (carrots have been the only thing I have gotten him to nibble at). I think it's the food (Lifetime cockatiel pellets by living world). At least, that's the food the girl who had him before me said he ate. Should I switch brands? Or should I just try to get him to eat slower. Has anyone else experienced this? It's been going on for about a month. He's still a really happy bird and his demeanor hasn't changed. If anything, he's finally getting comfortable here. Perhaps even too comfortable (the one day he tried to drink my water, so I gave him his own "birdie" cup, too dangerous to drink from mine). He actually plays with his toys, preens, sings, tries to convince us to take him to a mirror, flies a bit. He's so normal I don't think he's sick, just a fast eater like my dog.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Pellets can go rancid after awhile. Quite possibly the batch you have is spoiled. You might get a new fresh bag, and check the expiration date on the bag. Also tiels need seed in their diet too.


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## northernfog (Dec 14, 2010)

I think your birdy is doing the same thing that I was confused about mine. She does the regurgitating looking action, but doesn't swing her head and also there's no food coming out either. So I don't know! :/ 

I'm going to try to get her a check up but there are barely any Avian Vets around my area... so sad.


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## minischn (Jun 5, 2011)

@striels perhaps. but the bag isn't that old. I'm going to go out tonight and see if I can find something else. I've been putting millet in his toys so he starts exploring them more, that way he gets some seed in his diet too. thank you


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

He should have more than just pellet and millet in his diet. You need to go buy cockatiel seed mix and give him a tablespoon each day.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

If he's eating too fast and gulping his food, he might choke from time to time. Does it seem like this might be what's happening?


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## minischn (Jun 5, 2011)

I don't know I got a new bag today and gave him fresh pellets and he did it again. I've added seed in his bowl so hopefully that'll slow him down. 

It's strange. He'll pick through his food, dropping random ones for whatever reason, and just swallow the other ones. He can get pretty fast. Then he'll just sit and move his mouth slowly, almost like he's tasting them, even though he already swallowed. Then it looks like he's regurgitating. Once the food's in his mouth he'll fling his head back and forth.


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