WHY IS MY COCKATIEL PULLING OUT ITS FEATHERS?

Cockatiels, like other parrots, may start to self pluck for many reasons. It may be due to environmental factors, illness, bad diet or behavioural problems. It is rare for mites or other external parasites to cause self-plucking.

It can be difficult to determine the cause. If your bird does start to pluck, the first thing you should do it take it to a specialist avian vet for a thorough examination. This will include blood tests to check for chronic health problems, diet, liver and kidney function etc.

To encourage healthy feathers spray your bird regularly with plain lukewarm water at least four times a week, whether the bird appears to like this or not. You can also provide a bath, provided that the bird actually uses it and gets wet.

Cockatiels also pull out their feathers out of boredom -- usually at the base of the neck and down the wings. Some lutino birds are specially prone to this. Check that the bird has a good diet with plenty of greenstuff (else it will have a vitamin A deficiency).

Read my parrot FAQs on feather plucking which have more information. Cockatiels are of the parrot family.