Ask Lafeber

Question:

July 13, 2021

Cockatiel


I have an older bird and he seems to be shedding alot of feather,long and new fluffy ones. Is this normal behaviour, I haven’t noticed it before.


Answer:

Hi Sam,

Most pet birds go through a heavy molt once a year. But the amount of feathers lost at one time can vary. As long as there are no bald spots, the feather loss is probably from molting. If you are in one of the regions that has been unusually hot this year, your bird may be responding to that. Cockatiels are also prone to night frights, where something spooks the bird and it thrashes around in the cage in the dark. When that happens, they can lose a lot of wing and tail feathers at one time. If you think this is happening, try having a night light on for the bird.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda

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