Hi, I have tried to post this on talk Cockatiel but it wont let me post it, but I really need advice.
I am looking after my aunts cockatiel as she is away for the weekend. I warn you in advance it is a long post.
I am very concerned about him (the cockatiel) as he has been plucking his feathers very badly (this has been going on for nearly a year, so not a new thing). I don't have a lot to do with my aunt or uncle unless they want something then I hear from them so I didn't know much about whats has been going on. So he has been brought to me and his front is bald, the back of his neck and down the back is too. He is desperate for attention that is the first thing I noticed, human and other bird, he used to live with another cockatiel who was disabled (my aunt and uncle too her on as the owners didnt want her, when they got her she had two broken wings which had been left and healed in a disfigured manner) but she died about a year ago. That seemed to be when the issues start, or at least that was when it was mentioned to us.
They have supposedly taken him to a vet (proper avian) though I am very unsure as to whether they have or whether they tell the vet the whole truth as they only feed him trill (the budgie kind, im in the uk and it is in all the supermarkets), there is nothing else provided other than water. This is the main reason I dont trust what they are saying regarding the vets as I would presume they would of told them to put him on a proper cockatiel diet, supplemented with veggies and possibley powder or liquid supplements or to wean him onto pellets. As I am used to giving my budgies and parrot the best diet I can of seeds, pellets, beans and pulses, sprouts, fruits and veggies with small amounts of proteins (eggs food, boiled egg etc), and once a week a probiotic fortified with minerals and vitamins the food they give their cockateil is extremely lacking in my opinion. But I have never had a cockatiel before and dont know their diet requirements, just presuming. You guys will know far better.
Now according to them the vet has done blood work on him and have said everything is perfect and there is nothing they can do, but to me that can not be right. He is left compeletly on his own for hours when they go to work, when they are about he would be lucky to get out 30 mins a day in total for a week, some days not getting out others being out an hours or so. Something that bothers me is if he makes a lot of noise they cover him up to make him go quiet, now I have been there and seen it , the sounds he is making are flocking sounds/begging for some attention.
So my thinking (again I don't know cockatiels) was that there must be a combination of loneliness and diet issues contributing to his feather plucking. But tonight I was watching him and he pulled out a feather and ate the full thing, he had done this on 3 seperate occasions, that set alarm bells with me because that screams there must be a deficiency of something. Since he has been here I got some Harrison high potency mash which i dusted his food with (didn't want to change his diet on such a short stay) and I added some pro-biotic to his water which has loads of vitamins in it too. I also added a cuttlefish bone, though I will need to take it away for him going back or it will cause offense.
Now I am really looking for some guidance and advice on this. My aunt and uncle are not intentionally being cruel or anything but I am pretty sure it is just sheer ignorance. The next problem I have is they are not people that accept any advice or criticisms, they are always in the right so I am on a loosing streak to start with, but I cannot stand to look at him and not try to do something for him especially if it is something that can be fixed. My parents think I am wasting my time over the situation as my aunt and uncle wont listen or agree with me, and so will do only what they want. If you have any advice on what the possible cause could be or anything I can try and do to improve his situation etc I will be very grateful.
I am looking after my aunts cockatiel as she is away for the weekend. I warn you in advance it is a long post.
I am very concerned about him (the cockatiel) as he has been plucking his feathers very badly (this has been going on for nearly a year, so not a new thing). I don't have a lot to do with my aunt or uncle unless they want something then I hear from them so I didn't know much about whats has been going on. So he has been brought to me and his front is bald, the back of his neck and down the back is too. He is desperate for attention that is the first thing I noticed, human and other bird, he used to live with another cockatiel who was disabled (my aunt and uncle too her on as the owners didnt want her, when they got her she had two broken wings which had been left and healed in a disfigured manner) but she died about a year ago. That seemed to be when the issues start, or at least that was when it was mentioned to us.
They have supposedly taken him to a vet (proper avian) though I am very unsure as to whether they have or whether they tell the vet the whole truth as they only feed him trill (the budgie kind, im in the uk and it is in all the supermarkets), there is nothing else provided other than water. This is the main reason I dont trust what they are saying regarding the vets as I would presume they would of told them to put him on a proper cockatiel diet, supplemented with veggies and possibley powder or liquid supplements or to wean him onto pellets. As I am used to giving my budgies and parrot the best diet I can of seeds, pellets, beans and pulses, sprouts, fruits and veggies with small amounts of proteins (eggs food, boiled egg etc), and once a week a probiotic fortified with minerals and vitamins the food they give their cockateil is extremely lacking in my opinion. But I have never had a cockatiel before and dont know their diet requirements, just presuming. You guys will know far better.
Now according to them the vet has done blood work on him and have said everything is perfect and there is nothing they can do, but to me that can not be right. He is left compeletly on his own for hours when they go to work, when they are about he would be lucky to get out 30 mins a day in total for a week, some days not getting out others being out an hours or so. Something that bothers me is if he makes a lot of noise they cover him up to make him go quiet, now I have been there and seen it , the sounds he is making are flocking sounds/begging for some attention.
So my thinking (again I don't know cockatiels) was that there must be a combination of loneliness and diet issues contributing to his feather plucking. But tonight I was watching him and he pulled out a feather and ate the full thing, he had done this on 3 seperate occasions, that set alarm bells with me because that screams there must be a deficiency of something. Since he has been here I got some Harrison high potency mash which i dusted his food with (didn't want to change his diet on such a short stay) and I added some pro-biotic to his water which has loads of vitamins in it too. I also added a cuttlefish bone, though I will need to take it away for him going back or it will cause offense.
Now I am really looking for some guidance and advice on this. My aunt and uncle are not intentionally being cruel or anything but I am pretty sure it is just sheer ignorance. The next problem I have is they are not people that accept any advice or criticisms, they are always in the right so I am on a loosing streak to start with, but I cannot stand to look at him and not try to do something for him especially if it is something that can be fixed. My parents think I am wasting my time over the situation as my aunt and uncle wont listen or agree with me, and so will do only what they want. If you have any advice on what the possible cause could be or anything I can try and do to improve his situation etc I will be very grateful.