Ask Lafeber

Cockatiel Molting year round

I have a cockatiel I raised by hand that is getting fairly old. She seems to molt year round and has for many years. That can’t be too good for her. Why is she doing this and is there a way to help her not have to molt.

Hi Nova,

Cockatiels will lose feathers year round,  but generally only have a heavy molt once or twice a year. If she is only losing a feather here and there, this is normal. If she is ragged looking and losing a lot of feathers all the time, this could be a health issue. Inadequate nutrition can cause poor feather condition as can internal health issues. If she is on a seed only diet, this is likely the cause. If she is on a nutritionally balanced diet, then I would recommend taking her to an avian vet for a check up.

When you say she is old, she might be at an age where she would benefit from a senior diet. We have a Senior Bird diet with extra nutrients that might help her.

Senior Bird Nutri-Berries for Parakeet & Cockatiel

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda