I have 2 female cockatiels. One 6 year old named Rio that bonded to me first , and a 4 year old female named Kiwi that continues to try bonding with Rio. Rio won’t have it. They fight sometimes while eating and also for certain perches but then other times they’re just fine. I have struggled for years now to get them to eat more variety but they prefer seed most often. They do get scrambled eggs, some greens, zupreem, and a mixture of mush they enjoy. Once a week a millet and an occasional piece of toast to satisfy their chewing habit. Both treated the same , yet Rio seems in perfect condition. But Kiwi has been pulling her feathers now for about 1.5 -2 years . Took Kiwi to the vet almost a year ago- had blood work done and they said she had a yeast infection in her crop probably due to the high seed diet. But the rest of her bloodwork came up normal. They Issued her antibiotics and something else and nothing changed. Plenty of toys getting moved weekly, about 14-16 hours of dark trying to reduce hormonal behavior, and whatever else I can think of. Kiwi has always been timid and runs away from me at times and this behavior too, just won’t stop. Most of her feathers are missing under her wings now, also near her private area and completely around her neck. She picks in a nervous demeanor and will chirp from the pain she causes herself. When I ask her to stop she keeps pushing like something is bothering her. I just can’t figure this out . I can’t afford to continue going back to the vet with no solutions. Do you think her behavior is because Rio won’t bond or preen her? It’s the only logical reason I can come up with. And if so, I don’t know that this behavior will ever change…Is there any opinion you can offer in this situation? I’m so devastated watching this happen to her. I adore my birds and I want them to have the best quality of life. Please help.
Answer:
Hi,
Feather Destructive Behavior is a complicated disorder that can have many causes, and often it is both physical and behavioral. Of course, getting the birds on balanced nutrition is the first step. I’ve heard countless owners say they have tried everything, but I have yet to meet a bird that can’t be converted to a good diet. The owner always gives in, which is understandable because you are concerned you are starving or hurting your bird. But diet conversion requires some tough love, and you must understand that giving is no different than if you had a human child that you allow to eat only candy and junk food because that’s what the child wants. I’m going to give you the link to a webinar that can help you get your birds on a balanced diet. You can feed them a nutritious food without giving up seeds – you only have to stop offering a loose seed mix. The problem with a seed mix is that the seeds are not fresh enough to retain their nutrients, and when you add vitamins, they are lost when the bird removes the hull. Pelleted diets are made from ground seeds and other ingredients, yet those same manufacturers will tell you seeds are bad. Seeds are not bad, but how you feed them makes the difference. We make foraging diets, Nutri-Berries, that are nutritionally balanced the same as a pellet, but they are not ground up. The seeds are fresh, human grade with the hulls removed and then they are coated with a nutritious binder so each bite contains complete nutrition. There are other nutritious ingredients in each berrie, too. Birds can eat Nutri-Berries as their main diet, instead of or along with pellets and your birds will be getting complete nutrition. You can also offer leafy greens, chopped veggies and a small amount of fruit as 20% of their daily diet. NO loose seeds, or this will be empty calories you are giving them. No more eggs – only breeding birds should have eggs, and only when breeding and raising chicks. This can be a huge hormone trigger for your birds. I don’t know what is in the mush you mentioned, but at most that should probably just be an occasional treat in small amounts.
Now back to the feather issue, balancing the nutrition is a good step, but you also need to look at the environment. Rio has you, but Kiwi is basically the third wheel. She is frustrated at her inability to bond with Rio, and Rio is perfectly content with you. You have the equivalent of having an odd number of birds in the same cage. The stress she feels, and her desire to bond with Rio may be contributing to her feather destruction. Are they in the same cage? You may want to try separate cages. Kiwi doesn’t seem to be benefitting from Rio’s companionship, or lack of it. She is likely much more stressed than you realize, and Rio can be bullying her without actually doing anything. Birds can intimidate each other just through body language. Another thing they do is the slow stalk or chase. They move when the other bird moves – it’s not an obvious chase, but when one bird is intimidating the other, they may continue to move towards the other bird each time it moves. There are a lot of dynamics that most people do not realize are intimidating or bullying. Give Kiwi her own space and see if that helps.
Work on the diet, try giving Kiwi her own space and see if you notice any improvement. Once they are off of seeds and on a good diet for at least 6 months, then you might try another Vet visit. If you aren’t content with the Vet’s opinion, see if you can find a Board Certified avian vet. Not all vets who treat birds have enough real experience with birds. But if they are Board Certified in Avians, they will have the experience your bird needs.
