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1/16/2014
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I'm Camille and I'm a moderator for this topic.
We have been working with the Experts to try to help you with your question. Sometimes it may take a bit of time to find the right fit.
I was checking to see if you had already found your answer or if you still needing assistance from one of our Experts?
Please let me know if you wish to continue waiting or if you would like for us to close your question.
Also remember that JustAnswer has a multitude of categories to help you with all your needs from Pet to Legal.
Thank you,
Camille~Moderator
Dr. Pat, Bird Veterinarian
Category: Bird Veterinary
Satisfied Customers: 4,244
Experience: 25+ years working primarily or exclusively with birds
VerifiedGreetings, I am Dr. Pat. I have worked with birds for many years. I will do my best to help you. I am sorry no other expert has taken your question. We all come online at different times, I have just logged in and saw that you have not been answered. I hope I can still be of assistance. Just as in the real world, there are fewer bird-experienced vets online than non-bird vets. I wish it was a different story.
In cockatiels, diet is the number one cause of feather problems. Infection (bacterial, parasitic, fungal, viral) and toxicity run close second and third. I realize there are not many vets to help, but you may need to hook up with a regular vet, at least take in some poop samples and feather samples (if not the bird) and have them consult or do telemedicine with a specialist. It is very important to rule things out and get started on a good treatment plan, as he is too tiny to chances and guess (and guess wrong).
Chewing paper etc is often associated with reproductive behavior, and an overload of hormones can be caused from increased photoperiod (they should get no less than 12-14 hours dark quiet uninterrupted sleep at night), high-fat diet (seeds) and seasonal changes ( a warm house is just perfect for reproduction).
Do not feed human baby foods of any kind. The vitamins and mineral supplements in them are toxic levels for birds and may in fact make the feather condition worse. He should not get meat or egg at all. There is much misinformation about this but botXXXXX XXXXXne cockatiels cannot assimilate animal protein properly and it can kill them or exacerbate other conditions. If you have a pet store nearby, a good quality baby-bird hand feeding formula is a much better choice (Exact can be found almost everywhere). High-quality pellets can be ordered online (see the feeding guidelines below).
Cockatiels are commonly infected by spiral bacteria, protozoan parasites of the GI, Macrorrhabdus, many staph and strep, Borna Virus, and occasionally with Beak and Feather Virus. Simple mouth swabs, poop samples and a few feather samples can be sent to avian-specialty labs by a regular vet to start ruling out the possibilities.
Feather issues can be caused by a multitude of things, including bacterial skin infection, viruses, fungal infections, allergies, metal poisoning, hormonal flux, psychological or combination of these factors. The difficulty is diagnosing the problems and assigning an intelligent treatment plan. Your vet will want to run a number of tests so that appropriate medications can be prescribed.
Inflammatory skin/follicle disease is common. The causes can include local infection, metabolic problems, or even intestinal parasites. It can also be a prime area for even more serious problems like skin cancer. An avian-experienced vet should take a look at the poor bird, and run some tests. If he were my patient, I would start with complete fecal analysis and direct smear, bacterial culture and sensitivity of the feces, skin, feather pulp, and choana. Depending on the case I might do a fungal culture. Routine blood work is necessary to rule out other issues. Generally I start them out on injectable antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen.
Without a diagnosis, I cannot recommend any particular course of treatment, except good nursing care at home.
If you feel comfortable with it, examine the bird thoroughly, using gentle restraint via washcloth or hand towel: do not restrict the chest or hold around the body. Check the eyes, nostrils, mouth and beak if possible, having a good look in there for mucus, redness, masses or anything else unusual. Palpate the tummy for pain, fluid, lumps or anything else (eggs, if female or unknown). Check all the joints for swelling, pain, and mobility. The feathers should be parted to view the skin, muscles and skeleton below; this can be done using a q-tip with isopropyl alcohol or KY gel. Look for bruising, lacerations, injured feathers.
Pet/feed store medications and home remedies are harmful, ineffective, immuno-suppressive, and make them much worse and may interfere with the veterinarian's diagnosis and treatment. Do not use them. Homeopathy and natureopathic techniques do not work in avians and can actually be very dangerous.
Here are a few suggestions that I give everyone: important!
The following guidelines help with basic issues such as nutrition, obesity, good immune status. Surprising how the following can make a bird healthy, and how infrequently birds are ill if they are on the following regimen. No amount of medicine is going to work if the birds' basic needs are not met.
Basic Care
Birds should be on a high-quality, preferably prescription, pelleted diet: I prefer High-potency Harrison's
http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/products/harrisons.html
TOP
http://totallyorganics.com/t-pellets
In addition, they should be offered dark leafy greens, cooked sweet potatoes, yams, squash, pumpkin; entire (tops and bottoms) fresh carrots and so forth. No seeds (and that means a mix, or millet, or sprays, etc. etc.) and only healthy, low-fat high fiber people food. A dietary change should be closely monitored and supervised by your avian vet.
Daily Maintenance
Birds should get 12-14 hours dark, quiet, uninterrupted sleep at night. Any less and they can suffer from sleep deprivation and associated illnesses. They should be covered or their cage placed in a dark room that is not used after they go to bed.
The cage material should be cleaned everyday, and twice a day if the bird is really messy. Paper towels, newspaper, bath towels are ok. Never use corn cob, sawdust, wood chips, or walnut shell.
Food and water dishes should be cleaned and changed daily. Keep one set cleaned while the other is in use.
Fresh, perishable food should be placed in separate food bowls. Remove fresh food from the cage after a couple of hours to avoid spoilage.
Change cage papers daily, and clean the grate and tray weekly.
Clean food debris or droppings from toys and perches as needed (which can be as often as once a day).
Grit is not necessary for birds, and will cause digestive problems and death. The best sources of minerals (and vitamins) are leafy greens. Never give grit, gravel sandpaper or cement perches. A bird will eat those to excess when it is not feeling well or if there is a nutritional deficiency. They do not need it at all (an old myth from the poultry days, even poultry do not need it). It can cause an impaction and lead to serious or fatal consequences.
In cockatiels, diet is the number one cause of feather problems. Infection (bacterial, parasitic, fungal, viral) and toxicity run close second and third. I realize there are not many vets to help, but you may need to hook up with a regular vet, at least take in some poop samples and feather samples (if not the bird) and have them consult or do telemedicine with a specialist. It is very important to rule things out and get started on a good treatment plan, as he is too tiny to chances and guess (and guess wrong).
Chewing paper etc is often associated with reproductive behavior, and an overload of hormones can be caused from increased photoperiod (they should get no less than 12-14 hours dark quiet uninterrupted sleep at night), high-fat diet (seeds) and seasonal changes ( a warm house is just perfect for reproduction).
Do not feed human baby foods of any kind. The vitamins and mineral supplements in them are toxic levels for birds and may in fact make the feather condition worse. He should not get meat or egg at all. There is much misinformation about this but botXXXXX XXXXXne cockatiels cannot assimilate animal protein properly and it can kill them or exacerbate other conditions. If you have a pet store nearby, a good quality baby-bird hand feeding formula is a much better choice (Exact can be found almost everywhere). High-quality pellets can be ordered online (see the feeding guidelines below).
Cockatiels are commonly infected by spiral bacteria, protozoan parasites of the GI, Macrorrhabdus, many staph and strep, Borna Virus, and occasionally with Beak and Feather Virus. Simple mouth swabs, poop samples and a few feather samples can be sent to avian-specialty labs by a regular vet to start ruling out the possibilities.
Feather issues can be caused by a multitude of things, including bacterial skin infection, viruses, fungal infections, allergies, metal poisoning, hormonal flux, psychological or combination of these factors. The difficulty is diagnosing the problems and assigning an intelligent treatment plan. Your vet will want to run a number of tests so that appropriate medications can be prescribed.
Inflammatory skin/follicle disease is common. The causes can include local infection, metabolic problems, or even intestinal parasites. It can also be a prime area for even more serious problems like skin cancer. An avian-experienced vet should take a look at the poor bird, and run some tests. If he were my patient, I would start with complete fecal analysis and direct smear, bacterial culture and sensitivity of the feces, skin, feather pulp, and choana. Depending on the case I might do a fungal culture. Routine blood work is necessary to rule out other issues. Generally I start them out on injectable antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen.
Without a diagnosis, I cannot recommend any particular course of treatment, except good nursing care at home.
If you feel comfortable with it, examine the bird thoroughly, using gentle restraint via washcloth or hand towel: do not restrict the chest or hold around the body. Check the eyes, nostrils, mouth and beak if possible, having a good look in there for mucus, redness, masses or anything else unusual. Palpate the tummy for pain, fluid, lumps or anything else (eggs, if female or unknown). Check all the joints for swelling, pain, and mobility. The feathers should be parted to view the skin, muscles and skeleton below; this can be done using a q-tip with isopropyl alcohol or KY gel. Look for bruising, lacerations, injured feathers.
Pet/feed store medications and home remedies are harmful, ineffective, immuno-suppressive, and make them much worse and may interfere with the veterinarian's diagnosis and treatment. Do not use them. Homeopathy and natureopathic techniques do not work in avians and can actually be very dangerous.
Here are a few suggestions that I give everyone: important!
The following guidelines help with basic issues such as nutrition, obesity, good immune status. Surprising how the following can make a bird healthy, and how infrequently birds are ill if they are on the following regimen. No amount of medicine is going to work if the birds' basic needs are not met.
Basic Care
Birds should be on a high-quality, preferably prescription, pelleted diet: I prefer High-potency Harrison's
http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.http://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/products/harrisons.html
TOP
http://totallyorganics.com/t-pellets
In addition, they should be offered dark leafy greens, cooked sweet potatoes, yams, squash, pumpkin; entire (tops and bottoms) fresh carrots and so forth. No seeds (and that means a mix, or millet, or sprays, etc. etc.) and only healthy, low-fat high fiber people food. A dietary change should be closely monitored and supervised by your avian vet.
Daily Maintenance
Birds should get 12-14 hours dark, quiet, uninterrupted sleep at night. Any less and they can suffer from sleep deprivation and associated illnesses. They should be covered or their cage placed in a dark room that is not used after they go to bed.
The cage material should be cleaned everyday, and twice a day if the bird is really messy. Paper towels, newspaper, bath towels are ok. Never use corn cob, sawdust, wood chips, or walnut shell.
Food and water dishes should be cleaned and changed daily. Keep one set cleaned while the other is in use.
Fresh, perishable food should be placed in separate food bowls. Remove fresh food from the cage after a couple of hours to avoid spoilage.
Change cage papers daily, and clean the grate and tray weekly.
Clean food debris or droppings from toys and perches as needed (which can be as often as once a day).
Grit is not necessary for birds, and will cause digestive problems and death. The best sources of minerals (and vitamins) are leafy greens. Never give grit, gravel sandpaper or cement perches. A bird will eat those to excess when it is not feeling well or if there is a nutritional deficiency. They do not need it at all (an old myth from the poultry days, even poultry do not need it). It can cause an impaction and lead to serious or fatal consequences.
are you located?if you try the Harrison's, it needs to be fresh as there are no preservatives and it will go stale.
He needs to be off seeds if they are not digesting. He may have Borna Virus/PDD; high fiber and good nutrients will help.
You might try cornbread mix with a cooked yam mixed in; you can add chopped greens and pellets as well. Most birds will really go for this, and it is good if there are appetite and digestive problems.
Pollen is not good.
Where are you located? You might call around to the local vets and see where they refer. Or call the hospital at the closest vet school, they may take the samples or know a local referral.
Here is some basic care info:
Dietary Notes: You really mean no seeds?
Seeds as a sole diet are deficient in essential amino acids, calcium and vitamins. Reduced levels of vitamin A, a common problem with all-seed diets, alter the immune system and make a bird susceptible to severe bacterial, viral or fungal infections. Remember: seeds are the storage units for baby plants. Plants make their own nutrients. Seeds are very high in fat and low in almost every other nutrient. Think of seeds as rocket fuel: in the wild, extra fat has positive survival value.
To alleviate the problem, you can feed your companion bird vegetables and pellets. Vegetables high in vitamin A include carrots, sweet potatoes, yams, dark leafy greens, and winter squash.
A quick note about dietary protein: most pet birds are herbivores or granivores. Their digestive system is very efficient at extracting amino acids and proteins from plant material. Their liver and kidneys use a different method of processing proteinaceous material than the mammalian system. Animal proteins are especially harmful (egg, meat, fish products).Overloading with protein, especially animal protein, will lead to severe kidney dysfunction, gout, calcium/phosphorus imbalance, reproductive disorders, feather-picking, and death. Pet birds should be offered a minimum amount of legumes (never give tofu), sprouts, or other high-protein plant material.
Conversion
Dietary conversion is a very stressful time. It is up caretakers to observe EVERY bird and make sure there is poop and food consumption. No poop = no food intake. It may take 2 days or 2 months. It can be very frustrating and stressful for all concerned; however, I have never failed to see a psittacine convert to pellets. Canaries and finches generally dive right in.
Conversion Diet for Pet Birds
YAM BREAD (cornbread mix+cooked yam)
1' cube per bird daily
RICE MIX (cooked short-grain brown rice plus fresh veg)
1/4 cup per bird daily
PELLETS (we recommend Harrison's and T.O.P.)
VEGETABLES
Entire leaves of greens poked through the cage wires or on branches
Corn wheels
Cooked yams or squash
Whole carrots, tops included
Half of apple and whole (opened but not peeled) banana poked on sticks (in the aviaries)
Grapes, citrus, pomegranate, persimmon, etc. One small slice per bird. Put on twigs etc.
Weekly Maintenance
Clean the cage weekly. Wash the cage and perches with soap and rinse with water to remove organic matter.
Daily Observations to Keep Your Bird Healthy
Keeping your feathered friend healthy requires that you watch out for any problems and any changes from normal, including any changes in normal behavior. Be alert for any discharges, including those from nostrils, eyes, beak. Monitor the appearance of he droppings for changes in color or consistency. The vent should be clean with no matting of the feathers. The bottom of the feet should not have any wear points or sores. Watch for changes in the amount of food and water consumed. Observe the rate, rhythm and depth of several respirations and check to make sure there is no open-mouth breathing. If you observe any changes, consult your avian veterinarian immediately. Be alert for environmental stressors, as they can easily affect a bird’s health. If your bird becomes ill or has bouts of infection, consider whether any of the following apply.
overcrowding: A cage full of birds may seem pleasing, but if the birds are fighting, picking each others’ feathers or falling ill, there could be too many. Reduce the number of birds if these conditions are present.
being hunted: A bird could be stressed if subjected to constant observation (staring). Companion birds are preyed upon by raptors and other animals and are sensitive to extended periods of a watchful gaze. They may also panic when a hawk flies by, especially if their cage sits directly in front of a window. Large objects like balloons or an overhead lamp above their cage can have the same stressful, frightening affect.
poor nutrition: Birds need clean water to drink and a balanced diet with fresh vegetables, especially those rich in vitamin A or beta carotene. When a bird is molting, it may also need additional calcium-rich foods.
dirty environment: Birds are susceptible to molds and bacteria. Maintain a clean cage and cage items in a clean room.
over-stimulation: Birds need some "down time" to nap and preen. They shouldn’t live in the busiest hallway or room all of the time. A sleeping cage in a quiet room may be helpful.
Bathing
You may spray your bird in its cage or at the sink. A plant mister-type sprayer filled with tepid water works well. Spray a mist onto your bird to simulate rain. Special perches and gadgets can be used or you can put them up on the shower bar after bathing. However, caution should be used to make sure that the bird only comes in contact with water and not with soaps, shampoos or sharp objects. A shallow bowl of water may also be offered for bathing. Make sure it is heavy enough to not tip over when the bird perches on it.
Cages
Having a nice place to live is important for your companion bird. A well-designed and well-maintained cage sets the stage for a healthy environment and makes cleanup easier. You may want to consider one cage for daytime use and one sleeping cage at night in a quiet, darkened room. When choosing a cage, they should be longer than they are tall because birds fly from side to side, not up and down. Canaries and finches particularly like to fly back and forth from perch to perch.
Make sure the bar spacing is the appropriate width so your bird cannot squeeze its head between the bars to cause serious injury or even death. With larger birds, it is important for the bars to be strong enough so that they cannot bend them with their beaks.
Avoid cages made with dipped galvanized metal as birds may peck at and ingest residual beads of metal, causing zinc or lead poisoning. Decorative cages made of wicker or basket materials cannot be sanitized properly and psittacine birds can chew out of them easily and escape.
Line the cage bottom with sheets of papers (newspaper, butcher paper or computer paper) and remove individual layers daily (or more frequently, if needed). Look at the bird’s droppings when cleaning the cage to make sure they are normal!
If grates are used (allowing droppings and food to fall out of a bird’s reach), clean the tray at least weekly, but remember to change paper layers daily. Do not use shredded paper as a cage liner. Avoid nugget materials like corncob bedding, walnut shells, etc. Birds can ingest these, resulting in impaction. Some of these materials are highly toxic, and have heavy loads of bacterial and fungal spores.Finally, they hinder inspection of droppings, which is important in monitoring daily health.
Placement and Perch Types
Rope perches or cleaned, natural branches are best for perches.
Select a size appropriate for your bird. Their nails should reach about half around the perch and never all the way around. Inappropriate perches can harm foot health and lead to severe foot infections.
When positioning perches, be sure that droppings will not fall into food and water dishes. Make sure they are placed in a comfortable location for your bird to perch high but allow them to be able to get to their food and water dishes.
He needs to be off seeds if they are not digesting. He may have Borna Virus/PDD; high fiber and good nutrients will help.
You might try cornbread mix with a cooked yam mixed in; you can add chopped greens and pellets as well. Most birds will really go for this, and it is good if there are appetite and digestive problems.
Pollen is not good.
Where are you located? You might call around to the local vets and see where they refer. Or call the hospital at the closest vet school, they may take the samples or know a local referral.
Here is some basic care info:
Dietary Notes: You really mean no seeds?
Seeds as a sole diet are deficient in essential amino acids, calcium and vitamins. Reduced levels of vitamin A, a common problem with all-seed diets, alter the immune system and make a bird susceptible to severe bacterial, viral or fungal infections. Remember: seeds are the storage units for baby plants. Plants make their own nutrients. Seeds are very high in fat and low in almost every other nutrient. Think of seeds as rocket fuel: in the wild, extra fat has positive survival value.
To alleviate the problem, you can feed your companion bird vegetables and pellets. Vegetables high in vitamin A include carrots, sweet potatoes, yams, dark leafy greens, and winter squash.
A quick note about dietary protein: most pet birds are herbivores or granivores. Their digestive system is very efficient at extracting amino acids and proteins from plant material. Their liver and kidneys use a different method of processing proteinaceous material than the mammalian system. Animal proteins are especially harmful (egg, meat, fish products).Overloading with protein, especially animal protein, will lead to severe kidney dysfunction, gout, calcium/phosphorus imbalance, reproductive disorders, feather-picking, and death. Pet birds should be offered a minimum amount of legumes (never give tofu), sprouts, or other high-protein plant material.
Conversion
Dietary conversion is a very stressful time. It is up caretakers to observe EVERY bird and make sure there is poop and food consumption. No poop = no food intake. It may take 2 days or 2 months. It can be very frustrating and stressful for all concerned; however, I have never failed to see a psittacine convert to pellets. Canaries and finches generally dive right in.
Conversion Diet for Pet Birds
YAM BREAD (cornbread mix+cooked yam)
1' cube per bird daily
RICE MIX (cooked short-grain brown rice plus fresh veg)
1/4 cup per bird daily
PELLETS (we recommend Harrison's and T.O.P.)
VEGETABLES
Entire leaves of greens poked through the cage wires or on branches
Corn wheels
Cooked yams or squash
Whole carrots, tops included
Half of apple and whole (opened but not peeled) banana poked on sticks (in the aviaries)
Grapes, citrus, pomegranate, persimmon, etc. One small slice per bird. Put on twigs etc.
Weekly Maintenance
Clean the cage weekly. Wash the cage and perches with soap and rinse with water to remove organic matter.
Daily Observations to Keep Your Bird Healthy
Keeping your feathered friend healthy requires that you watch out for any problems and any changes from normal, including any changes in normal behavior. Be alert for any discharges, including those from nostrils, eyes, beak. Monitor the appearance of he droppings for changes in color or consistency. The vent should be clean with no matting of the feathers. The bottom of the feet should not have any wear points or sores. Watch for changes in the amount of food and water consumed. Observe the rate, rhythm and depth of several respirations and check to make sure there is no open-mouth breathing. If you observe any changes, consult your avian veterinarian immediately. Be alert for environmental stressors, as they can easily affect a bird’s health. If your bird becomes ill or has bouts of infection, consider whether any of the following apply.
overcrowding: A cage full of birds may seem pleasing, but if the birds are fighting, picking each others’ feathers or falling ill, there could be too many. Reduce the number of birds if these conditions are present.
being hunted: A bird could be stressed if subjected to constant observation (staring). Companion birds are preyed upon by raptors and other animals and are sensitive to extended periods of a watchful gaze. They may also panic when a hawk flies by, especially if their cage sits directly in front of a window. Large objects like balloons or an overhead lamp above their cage can have the same stressful, frightening affect.
poor nutrition: Birds need clean water to drink and a balanced diet with fresh vegetables, especially those rich in vitamin A or beta carotene. When a bird is molting, it may also need additional calcium-rich foods.
dirty environment: Birds are susceptible to molds and bacteria. Maintain a clean cage and cage items in a clean room.
over-stimulation: Birds need some "down time" to nap and preen. They shouldn’t live in the busiest hallway or room all of the time. A sleeping cage in a quiet room may be helpful.
Bathing
You may spray your bird in its cage or at the sink. A plant mister-type sprayer filled with tepid water works well. Spray a mist onto your bird to simulate rain. Special perches and gadgets can be used or you can put them up on the shower bar after bathing. However, caution should be used to make sure that the bird only comes in contact with water and not with soaps, shampoos or sharp objects. A shallow bowl of water may also be offered for bathing. Make sure it is heavy enough to not tip over when the bird perches on it.
Cages
Having a nice place to live is important for your companion bird. A well-designed and well-maintained cage sets the stage for a healthy environment and makes cleanup easier. You may want to consider one cage for daytime use and one sleeping cage at night in a quiet, darkened room. When choosing a cage, they should be longer than they are tall because birds fly from side to side, not up and down. Canaries and finches particularly like to fly back and forth from perch to perch.
Make sure the bar spacing is the appropriate width so your bird cannot squeeze its head between the bars to cause serious injury or even death. With larger birds, it is important for the bars to be strong enough so that they cannot bend them with their beaks.
Avoid cages made with dipped galvanized metal as birds may peck at and ingest residual beads of metal, causing zinc or lead poisoning. Decorative cages made of wicker or basket materials cannot be sanitized properly and psittacine birds can chew out of them easily and escape.
Line the cage bottom with sheets of papers (newspaper, butcher paper or computer paper) and remove individual layers daily (or more frequently, if needed). Look at the bird’s droppings when cleaning the cage to make sure they are normal!
If grates are used (allowing droppings and food to fall out of a bird’s reach), clean the tray at least weekly, but remember to change paper layers daily. Do not use shredded paper as a cage liner. Avoid nugget materials like corncob bedding, walnut shells, etc. Birds can ingest these, resulting in impaction. Some of these materials are highly toxic, and have heavy loads of bacterial and fungal spores.Finally, they hinder inspection of droppings, which is important in monitoring daily health.
Placement and Perch Types
Rope perches or cleaned, natural branches are best for perches.
Select a size appropriate for your bird. Their nails should reach about half around the perch and never all the way around. Inappropriate perches can harm foot health and lead to severe foot infections.
When positioning perches, be sure that droppings will not fall into food and water dishes. Make sure they are placed in a comfortable location for your bird to perch high but allow them to be able to get to their food and water dishes.
Dr. Pat, Bird Veterinarian
Category: Bird Veterinary
Satisfied Customers: 4,244
Experience: 25+ years working primarily or exclusively with birds
VerifiedDr. Pat and 87 other Bird Veterinary Specialists are ready to help you
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My 11 year old parakeet's tail and wing tip feathers are curling up and he is loosing feathers on his head. What do you think this is?… read more
Dr. Bob
Veterinarian
Doctoral Degree
2,854 satisfied customers
My African Grey developed a bald spot on top of his head a
My African Grey developed a bald spot on top of his head a couple of months ago. The skin is normal color and there are very light feathers coming out. This has been the case for a while. I have forag… read more
Dr. Dan
Veterinarian and practice owner
Doctoral Degree
8,877 satisfied customers
I have two female Spice Finches. Five days ago, I noticed that
I have two female Spice Finches. Five days ago, I noticed that one is losing feathers from the top of her head and around her beak. Tonight, I noticed that the same feather loss is going on with the s… read more
Dr. G.
DVM
719 satisfied customers
Yesterday morning I went to uncover my cockatiel and I noticed
Yesterday morning I went to uncover my cockatiel and I noticed that "she" was holding the top part of her wing out from her body. I let her out of the cage and she tried to fly to the chair where she … read more
Dr. Jodi Lynn Smith
Owner of Veterinary Hospital/Vet
Doctoral Degree
690 satisfied customers
I just picked up a cockatiel from this guy. I did not notice
I just picked up a cockatiel from this guy. I did not notice that the feathers on his back and underneath are missing. What do you think is the cause?… read more
Dr. G.
DVM
719 satisfied customers
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Meet the Experts:
Dr. Bob
Veterinarian
2,854 satisfied customers
35 years in general practice, including avian.
Dr. Bruce
Veterinarian
266 satisfied customers
15 years of experience as a small animal veterinarian
Dr. MD Stafford
Veterinarian
233 satisfied customers
20 years in private practice, contract veterinarian Dickerson Park Zoo and attending veterinarian Missouri State University
Fiona Steel
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224 satisfied customers
BVMS MRCVS
allpetsdr
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142 satisfied customers
I have been practicing for 10 years. I work with exotic pets, dogs, cats, small ruminants, camelids and pigs.
Dr Gwen
Bird Veterinarian
122 satisfied customers
Over 22 years of experience with pet birds, wildlife, and zoological avian collections.
Dr_Kitty
Bird Veterinarian
122 satisfied customers
Mostly experience with chickens and ducks.
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Disclaimer: Information in questions, answers, and other posts on this site ("Posts") comes from individual users, not JustAnswer; JustAnswer is not responsible for Posts. Posts are for general information, are not intended to substitute for informed professional advice (medical, legal, veterinary, financial, etc.), or to establish a professional-client relationship. The site and services are provided "as is" with no warranty or representations by JustAnswer regarding the qualifications of Experts. To see what credentials have been verified by a third-party service, please click on the "Verified" symbol in some Experts' profiles. JustAnswer is not intended or designed for EMERGENCY questions which should be directed immediately by telephone or in-person to qualified professionals.
