My bird pulls out her feathers?...?

Question

I simply do not know what to do about this. My mom will NOT take my cockatiel bird to the vet, and I don't know why my bird is biting out her feathers. It's under her wings and above the tail/lower back area where she pulls them out. I think she pulls them out because there is just pink skin there now. This has been gradually getting worse since last year. What to do??...

We havent recently moved
The cage has been in the same spot it always has been (by the window of my room)
Her diet hasn't changed
She has just ended "laying eggs" season

Answer 1

This could be due to boredom or stress. Get her some toys and entertainment to distract her. Make sure her living quaters are entirely suitable for a cockatiel.
Cant you take her to the vet? She may have a skin irritation, due to mites or something else. Mites are as common in birds as fleas are in cats and dogs. Spray her with a light mist spray, this is also VERY good for feathers. Helps new ones come through.
I have a cockatiel too, and a budgie.
My budgie used to do exactly the same thing as your bird, but he is fine now.
I hope ive helped a little, good luck with her recovery.

Answer 2

Some birds will pick their feathers due to lack of nutrition or boredom,, Buying the store feed doesn't have everything a bird needs.. Try a hard boiled egg and crack it up into small bits with the shell....also try to take out some of the sun flower seeds in the food, to much can give them liver problems.. sunflower seeds are for treats.. also try some cottage cheese.. and some fresh fruit like bits of apple and grapes or bananas... the one main thing you should also do is play with your bird and let it roam a bit.. finding things the bird likes to to will draw it's attention away from plucking... if you can handle your bird really good.. get some tea tree oil and mix a small amount with some olive oil and take a q tip and rub on the plucked areas that is safe for them. Other then that you should really try to get the bird to a vet. Hope this helps.. I have a plucker to and it is hard to break them of that habit.. but keeping him occupied has helped alot! Have fun!

Answer 3

Hi Amelia.
I've owned dealt with birds in the past who pluck, so I know how frustrating plucking can be.

Plucking is a VERY common problem seen in birds. Often, the reason for doing so is because something is wrong either with their emotion habitat, or with their physical habitat. It could be that your bird is simply feeling a bit blue, and needs to have more quality time out of it's cage with you. In fact, neglect is one of the leading causes of plucking. This habit needs to be stopped, as it can become chronic.

In extreme cases, birds also may pluck in order to cool down if their habitat is too hot. However, I'm sure that you would have noticed other unusual signs if she were overheating (panting, holding its wings away from its body, etc).

Then, too, it could be that your bird isn't even plucking at all, and that it has some form of parasite. This can be very serious to the bird's health, and I suggest that you get him to a vet ASAP. Someone mentioned before that your bird could have mites, and if this is the case, then you should check for the following symptoms:

* Restlessness
* Excessive preening
* Ruffling of feathers
* Irritation

(I've never seen a case of mites, so I had to look it up on google). I am sure there are also many other reasons why your bird is losing his feathers, and unless you see him specifically pulling his feathers out, it may not be a wise choice to assume that he is simply plucking, as there could be something more serious going on.

Please, please, please tell your mother that your bird NEEDS to see a vet, and soon!

Good luck with your birdie. :]

Answer 4

I was a bird breeder for years and opinions will vary when it comes to feather picking. I only want to warn you of some of the hazards that could lead up to feather picking and also the demise of your bird. One really BIGGIE, that most people never ever think of. It's the use of Teflon coated pans, are toxic to birds, the burning of Teflon will actually kill your bird, which we found out the hard way with our FRED, a Blue and Gold Macaw. My husband had hand raised FRED from an egg, we had him for about 5 years. One cold winter morning my husband decided to make some Oat Meal, in the middle of boiling the water he changed his mind and we all left to the flea market. He forgot to turn the burner off. When we came home the pan was glowing red, and the vapors were strong in the air, I got sick and Fred crawled up into my husbands arms and died. He was crushed and to this day will not forgive himself. Just a warning. If it is possible, your bird should be placed somewhere secure outside for fresh air during the day.
Some people say it's boredom, see below
http://www.busybird.com/cockatielinfo.html
I always put my birds on my shoulder when I shower, they LOVE it, and it keeps parasites off of them. Never put your bird in a draft, hot or cold draft will cause phenomena

Answer 5

OK birds pull out their feathers due to stress or loneliness. How much time are you spending with the bird? If you are socializing with the bird enough, it may just be the stress of the move. Try to pay more attention to her/him. It may also be time to see the vet as well to make sure that there is nothing else medically going on. good luck.

Answer 6

Ok there could be a cople different reasons.
1. your bird is stressed
2. your bird is lonley
3. you bird has the mites
4. bord
5. or she could just be old... but ( that is probabley not it)

For #1 Mentally stressed bird pulls out its own feathers
try to sooth the bird

For #2
IF your bird is lonly it may pluck out the feathers to occupatte time

#3 The mites can make the bird pick at his feathers to the point that he is plucking them out

#4 your bird could be bord and pick out feathers to occupate time and fufill its bordum

#5 if your bird is old well i am not sure there is anything to back that up...


Mostly i think that she is bord and lonley. get her new more "activity" toys some thing to get her mind off her feathers and onto the toys

or she could be stressed which makes her pick out here feathers for comfert. Try going and searching on the web for this idea...
Well i hope this helps!!!

Answer 7

Your bird is probably scared or depressed. My parakeet did the same until I got it a friend. Try putting a mirror in the cage if you haven't already. If your cockatiel is piking at the skin and it is turning red, then you should convince your mom to take her to the vet or the skin could get infected. If she continues to pick out her feathers and your mom still won't take her to the vet, take her yourself.

Answer 8

My friend's Monk parakeet started pulling feathers. The avian specialist she took the bird to said in her case the bird was not getting enough night time sleep. That it needed a full 12 hours of silence and dark. So now the bird is put in a dark room at bedtime. Instead of in the dinning room.

Answer 9

there are maximum of opportunities for feather plucking. He could desire to be disillusioned which you left, he could have had a bad adventure mutually as you have been long previous (little to no touch with human beings, an animal in the domicile or some thing), he could desire to be ill, it may desire to be neurological, he might have itchy or dry epidermis, and so on and so on. the wonderful undertaking to do is a million) supply him a solid form of interest, reasuring him which you're decrease back and there to stay. 2) whether he seems ok, you should carry him to the vet for a verify - this might a minimum of rule out (with a bit of luck) any risk for disease. Vets many times have concepts for plucking birds. in the tip, this is hoping he became only disillusioned out of your departure, and interior of time, he stops and his feathers boost in. do only no longer ignore approximately it and enable it bypass - if it is going too long, this is VERY confusing to get him to end. solid success to you and your toddler! :-)

Answer 10

I believe it's mites. They live in carpet & stuff like that, and they come out at night and "eat" your poor bird. I think it is very hard to get rid of. I had a friend with a parrot that had the same problem. They tore up all their carpet and put in hardwood floors. I don't know if that helped because I haven't seen them in a long time.
Maybe your bird is also anxious from being in a cage?