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Cockatiel owners, help?
Hi all!
I have a question in regards to a cockatiel and PBFD!
My housemates recently brought their friends cockatiel over to stay with us for a month as they are away in India. And placed it in the same room as my Cockatiel and lorikeet while I was asleep.
On finding and inspecting him this morning, I noticed thin wispy feathers down by his legs/feather downs on both sides. Worried, I immediately moved him to the kitchen area (so there’s a glass door dividing them now/only place he could go where I don’t take my birds).
I have a vauge recollection that this may be a sign of PBFD (beak and feather disease) on teils, and as I am new to owning cockatiels (my teil has been with us a couple of months now. ) I was wondering if any of you had any more info on if what I am seeing is normal or not! I will be getting my birds tested yet again when he's gone to be on the safe side, but its definitely stress I didn't need!
I contacted the local avian vets near me, but they have closed for christmas, and I wont be able to get the bird tested before the people return from their holiday. So I thought I'd try and get some info online if I can in the meantime.
Ive tried a few forums with not much of a reply, so if anyone on here owns tiels, can you tell me if yours has had down sticking out like this before??
I have a question in regards to a cockatiel and PBFD!
My housemates recently brought their friends cockatiel over to stay with us for a month as they are away in India. And placed it in the same room as my Cockatiel and lorikeet while I was asleep.
On finding and inspecting him this morning, I noticed thin wispy feathers down by his legs/feather downs on both sides. Worried, I immediately moved him to the kitchen area (so there’s a glass door dividing them now/only place he could go where I don’t take my birds).
I have a vauge recollection that this may be a sign of PBFD (beak and feather disease) on teils, and as I am new to owning cockatiels (my teil has been with us a couple of months now. ) I was wondering if any of you had any more info on if what I am seeing is normal or not! I will be getting my birds tested yet again when he's gone to be on the safe side, but its definitely stress I didn't need!
I contacted the local avian vets near me, but they have closed for christmas, and I wont be able to get the bird tested before the people return from their holiday. So I thought I'd try and get some info online if I can in the meantime.
Ive tried a few forums with not much of a reply, so if anyone on here owns tiels, can you tell me if yours has had down sticking out like this before??
Category Photography / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 610 x 900px
File Size 306.4 kB
Might also want to post this on http://www.reddit.com/r/parrots/ . It's a pretty active community!
Sorry I have no useful comments D:
Sorry I have no useful comments D:
Best way to describe it is a bird version of AIDS, but unlike aids it can be spread in the air by feather dander as well as contact and faecal matter D; Its HORRID. I had a scare with it a few years back where a baby lorikeet we rescued turned positive and infected my Rainbow lorikeet...Luckily after a few tests his immune system shock it luckily.
How does the beak look? The nails? Does the bird seem "dusty" (since you have a cockatiel of your own, it should be easy to compare. "Dusty" cokatiels have very soft, almost powdery-feeling feathers) -- is there any dust on the toes (cockatiel powder dust is white-ish). Does the bird have down feathers under the contours of the underside of the wing (the "armpit") of the bird?? (you can check by gently shifting some contours to the side).
If the contours aren't deformed (curling, barbs not "zipped" together, looking thin), the beak isn't deformed, the nails aren't deformed, and the bird is "dusty" and has powder down under the contours, I wouldn't worry about it. Cockatiels shed and displace their down feathers regularly! Checking all of this stuff might seem invasive, but it could put your mind at ease.
In the meantime, I would keep the bird separated and see a vet just in case. It doesn't sound like this 'tiel has PBFD, but it doesn't hurt to make super sure!
If the contours aren't deformed (curling, barbs not "zipped" together, looking thin), the beak isn't deformed, the nails aren't deformed, and the bird is "dusty" and has powder down under the contours, I wouldn't worry about it. Cockatiels shed and displace their down feathers regularly! Checking all of this stuff might seem invasive, but it could put your mind at ease.
In the meantime, I would keep the bird separated and see a vet just in case. It doesn't sound like this 'tiel has PBFD, but it doesn't hurt to make super sure!
Haha yea, ive dealt with PBFD before (cutting and pasting what I said to someone earlier) - " had a scare with it a few years back where a baby lorikeet we rescued turned positive and infected my Rainbow lorikeet...Luckily after a few tests his immune system shock it luckily. "
I looked over the bird thoroughly earlier and he seems to have a healthy supply of powder (stuff goes everywhere in the air when he fluffs that's for sure.) His feathers seem to be in good order, with no real deformities near the shafts. He is noticeably darker than my other teil, but he also has white on the cracks of his feet that reads as dust to me. The main abnormality is these feather downs. They are on both sides of his body, and are not loose/moulted remains.
I am hoping that I am being over cautious
Heres a photo of the bird himself (a bit ruffled as I handled him). He is going through a moult on his head, though wing and tail feathers either haven't yet or just have- http://i.imgur.com/vJ6nRlf.jpg
I looked over the bird thoroughly earlier and he seems to have a healthy supply of powder (stuff goes everywhere in the air when he fluffs that's for sure.) His feathers seem to be in good order, with no real deformities near the shafts. He is noticeably darker than my other teil, but he also has white on the cracks of his feet that reads as dust to me. The main abnormality is these feather downs. They are on both sides of his body, and are not loose/moulted remains.
I am hoping that I am being over cautious
Heres a photo of the bird himself (a bit ruffled as I handled him). He is going through a moult on his head, though wing and tail feathers either haven't yet or just have- http://i.imgur.com/vJ6nRlf.jpg
He looks perfectly healthy to me!! He's got a nice beak, nice toenails, nice feathers, and visible powder down and 'tiel dust!!
A couple deformed feathers can be from anything, really. Something might have stressed the bird while they were growing, they might have gotten nicked or bent as pins, or, they may have just grown out deformed! It just happens sometimes.
Birds also have different lengths of down feathers all over their bodies, and some just grow out different.
I wouldn't be too worried about it. Like I said, he looks fine to me, but an extra vet visit never hurts!
A couple deformed feathers can be from anything, really. Something might have stressed the bird while they were growing, they might have gotten nicked or bent as pins, or, they may have just grown out deformed! It just happens sometimes.
Birds also have different lengths of down feathers all over their bodies, and some just grow out different.
I wouldn't be too worried about it. Like I said, he looks fine to me, but an extra vet visit never hurts!
Ah! You're the one who posted on the LJ parrot community! :) As far as the cockatiel, I'm not sure. I think he looks pretty healthy, but PBFD can hide itself pretty well in some cases. The pictures you've shown make him look pretty healthy though! I totally understand feeling super concerned about your babies, I freak out at the smallest thing. (I've got six birds :)) Good on you though for noticing the abnormality, you've got a good eye.
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