http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/ Questions regarding cockatiel care and feeding as well as health and dangers en Sat, 18 May 2013 17:18:23 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/images/misc/rss.png http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/ http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79704-Need-advice-with-a-prt-shop-cockatiel?goto=newpost Fri, 17 May 2013 10:48:59 GMT Hi All I have a small problem; my brother kindly bought me as a late birthday present, a cockatiel, from a local shop. He/she has 1 clipped wing... Hi All

I have a small problem; my brother kindly bought me as a late birthday present, a cockatiel, from a local shop. He/she has 1 clipped wing and hasn't been handled/hand reared.

I love animals and I'm more than happy to put a lot of dedication into this bird (currently called pie, not sure on the sex). It's not his/her fault of it's situation. I have found out that he/she doesn't like skin-to-bird contact but seems much more relaxed, if I'm wearing normal gloves. He/she constantly huffed at me, whenever I came close to the cage (was given to me 4 days ago) and was very quiet.

Yesterday he/she started squawking/whistling at 6.45am and whenever I walked into the room. I take this as a sign that he/she is more relaxed? Although he/she does quiver, if I get too close.

I let him/her, out in the room today and he/she came closer to me than before, hopped up on my leg for a few seconds and toddled off. Hopefully I am making ground with him/her.

How do I go about making a non-tame bird into tame bird? Would he/she benefit from having friend/mate?

I am a little thrown off, as I was waiting until I could get to a breeder and select a pair or 2 birdies, so I'm defiantly in the deep end.

]]> Cockatiel Care, Feeding, Dangers, Health Bengal http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79704-Need-advice-with-a-prt-shop-cockatiel http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79662-Vitamins-and-Potential-Toxic-Effects?goto=newpost Wed, 08 May 2013 04:20:47 GMT *Vitamins and Potential Toxic Effects *We all want our birds to be healthy and happy, but if we do not understand diets and the nutrient needs,... Vitamins and Potential Toxic Effects

We all want our birds to be healthy and happy, but if we do not understand diets and the nutrient needs, what we think is good may be causing harm to our birds.

In my early years I thought that supplementing my diet with vitamins was a good thing. I used vitamin fortified seed, greens and veggies, and vitamins. I thought I was doing the right thing for my birds yet they were having unexplained health issues. I was spending a fortune on treatments that were not working. After many antibiotic and antifungal treatments the birds seemed worse and the problems were still there. This went on for a year.

I had a bird named Croaker because she lost her voice from so many antibiotic treatments. A couple others lost their eyesight from repeated vet prescribed antibiotic treatments of Baytril. One day I went back to the vet in tears because my birds were getting worse, not better. I explained what I was doing and from this discussion we realized that MOST of my health issues were a result of excessive use of vitamins.

If you look thru the listing below I have listed recommended daily requirements. If you do give vitamins you might want to look at the listingof health related side effects from excess vitamins. Many of these symptoms can mimic disease related problems, thus the birds condition can be misdiagnosed and require unnecessary treatments.

Also, if someone asks you what your diet is, please do not feel they are beingcritical or picking on you. Many of us that have been breeding and caring for our birds have learned that diet plays an important role in the health of our birds. Others can look at what you are offering and add constructive advice as to if the diet is balanced or make suggestions for changes or additions.

Please, I ask one thing, what you learn here Pay It Forward to others so that they can learn and share and encourage them to do the same. In the end our birds are the winners and benefit from our efforts.

Below is a listing of Potential Toxic Effects of
Vitamins when given in Excess

The following information is compiled from AVIAN MEDICINE: Principles and Applications by Ritchie, Harrison and Harrison

Vitamin A: Recommended daily allowances
Min: 2500.00 IU/kg Recommended: 5000.00 IU/KG*
Vitamin A: 20-100 times required amount
Weight loos
Decreased food intake
Swelling and/or crusting eyelids
Inflammation of the mouth
Inflammation of the nares
Decreased bone strength
Dermatitis
Hepatopathy (excess storage in the liver)
Hemorrhaging

Vitamin D3: Recommended daily allowances
Min: 500.00 IU/kg Recommended: 1000.00 IU/kg*
Vitamin D3: 4-10 times the required amount
Increased calcium absorption
Increased bone resorption
Hypercalcemia
Decreased PTH
Mineralization of soft tissue
Nephrocalcemia (excess calcium to the kidneys)
Polyuria

Vitamin E: Recommended daily allowances
Min: 15.00 IU/kg Recommended: 20.00*
Vitamin E: 100 times required
Decreased growth
Anemia
Increased prothrombin time (increased time for blood to coagulate)
Decreased bone mineralization
Decreased liver storage of vitamin A

Vitamin K: Recommended daily allowances
Min: 0.80 ppm Recommended: 1.00 ppm
Vitamin K: 1000 times required amount
High mortality
Anemia
Hyperbilirubinemia

Niacin: Recommended daily allowances
Min: 40.00 ppm Recommended: 75.00 ppm
Niacin: 10 times required amount
Flushing – vasodilation
Pruritus
Gastroenteritis

Pyridoxine: Recommended daily allowances
Min: 4.00 ppm Recommended: 10.00 ppm
Pyridoxine: 50 times the required amount
Decreased egg production
Infertility

Choline Chloride: Recommended daily allowances
Min: 750.00 ppm Recommended: 1000.00 ppm
Choline Chloride: 2 times required amount
Increased mortality
Decreased use of Vitamin B6

Calcium: Recommended daily allowances
Min: 0.30 % Recommended: 0.50%*
Calcium: 2.5% in excess of diet
Nephrosis
Visceral gout
Renal gout
Hypercalcemia
Hypophosphotemia
Decreased food intake

Magnesium: Recommended daily allowances
Min: 5000.00 ppm Recommended: 600.00 ppm
Magnesium: 20 times the required amount
Decreased growth
Decreased egg production
Decreased egg quality

Manganese: Recommended daily allowances
Min: 60.00 ppm Recommended: 75.00 ppm
Manganese: 20-50 times required amount
Iron deficiency

Selenium: Recommended daily allowances
Min: 0.10 ppm Recommended: 0.10 ppm
Selenium: 50 times the required amount
Decreased weight gain
Weight loss
100 times required amount
Decreased egg weight
Decreased hatchability
Dermatitis
Severe Excess
Blind staggers
Pulmonary congestion/edema
Liver cirrhosis

Copper: Recommended daily allowances
Min: 6.00 ppm Recommended: 8.00 ppm
Copper: 50 times required
Decreased growth
Hepatopathy
Accumulates in liver
Death

Zinc: Recommended daily allowances
Min: 40ppm Recommended: 50 ppm
Zinc: 10-20 times the required amount
Gastroenteritis
Decreased food intake
Anemia
Decreased bone mineralization
Depression

NOTE:* Increased levels are suggested for growth/breeding diets due primarily to the high requirements for adequate chick growth as opposed to increased demands for low level breeding.*

NOTE: Not included in this list are phosphorus, potassium, sodium, chloride, iron and iodine. I will try to add as I research.

NOTE: Toxicity unlikely because the following is water soluble nutrients and not stored in the body.
Thiamine (rapidly excreted by kidneys)
Riboflavin (rapidly excreted by kidneys0
Pantothenic acid
Folic Acid
Cyanocobalamin
Vitamin C



A birds nutritional needs change with it is Deliberated (sick)


Vitamin C: A healthy bird is able to synthesize (manufacture) its own vitamin C. When there is hepatic (liver) damage there is a need for increased Vit. C to compensate for the lowered synthesizing of this nutrient in the body.

Vitamin D: Disease that affects the liver and kidneys, the enzymes required to produce the metabolically active form of vitamin D3 are impaired, thus the bird would benefit from FSL (Full Spectrum) therapy.

Vitamin K: Vitamin K is synthesized from the intestinal flora in the intestinal tract. Antibiotic treatments can interfere with this so it may be necessary to provide vitamin K.

Vitamin B Complex: In the case of a bird that is anorectic may be beneficial to provide additional B vitamins, especially thiamine. Other water soluble vitamins such as riboflavin, pyndoxine and folic acid are important for protein and energy metabolism, therefore these vitamins have increased importance in a disease state.

Zinc: If the bird is nutrient deficient zinc will improve healing and is an important component in protein synthesis. Therefore zinc is necessary for the maintenance of the immune system and phagocytic activity. Some interesting facts on Zinc from Dr. Harrisons site: Zinc is a cofactor for the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase. Zinc plays a role in cell division, cell stability, protein metabolism, and carbohydrate digestion. It aids in wound healing and lymphocyte productions. Deficiency can reduce the number or T cells and decrease natural killer cell activity. Copper enhance the development of red and white blood cells. Deficiency reduces the maturation of lymphocytes. Magnesium is crucial for lymphocyte growth. Deficiency reduces the levels of immunoglobulin and antibody forming cells and promotes production of free radicals and lipid peroxidation.

Some Common Terms:
Hypovitaminosis means deficiency of one or more essential vitamins.
Hypervitaminosis means a condition produced by ingestion of excessive amounts of vitamins.

There are 2 categories of vitamins:
Fat-soluble vitamins, which are: A, D, E, and K. Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the body, and build up in the liver and fatty tissues. Feeding excessive amounts of vitamins (such as a pellets diet or fortified diet with supplemental vitamins) can cause the fat soluble vitamins to build up an allergic reaction or a toxicity. In either case this can cause an intense itch under the skin which results in plucking to relieve the itch. Also some foods that have corn can cause allergic reactions that contribute to plucking. If plucking is around the flank of the bird this could indicate an irritation to the kidneys.

Water-soluble vitamin/nutrients are: The B family (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12) Biotin, Choline, Folic acid, Insotol, PABA, C, P (bioflavonoids). Water-soluble nutrients are NOT stored in the body. They are excreted daily, thus they need to be constantly replenished during times of stress, molting, etc, and the best way to supplement is with Brewers Yeast.

The labeling can give a clue to distinguish between natural and synthetic forms. If the ingredient is prefixed with a d-, this would be natural. If it is prefixed with either a dl- OR an l- this is a synthetic (chemical) component.EX: d-alpha-tocopherol = natural E dl-alfa-tocopherol = synthetic E

The natural form is identical to what the body makes and what is found in food, thus the body absorbs it better, and it stays in the system longer.

GREAT LINK that shows the vitamin, minerals and nutrient content of veggies: http://www.health-alternatives.com/vegetables-nutrition-chart.html



As for myself, from past bad experiences of using vitamins I have learned it is preferable to supply natural sources. In researching I was pleased to discover that Dr. Harrison of: http://www.exoticdvm.com/heal-x Has a line of very good products I would recommend. Sunshine Factor or Omega-3 Sunshine Factor would be good for daily maintenance and also supply many needed nutrients for breeding hens.

---

A link with information explaining the Avian Immune System:http://www.holisticbirds.com/pages/immunesystem0504.htm

Herbs for the Immune System Listed in the above link
Astragalus promotes healing and strengthens the immune system and is often used as a preventative at the onset of infection. It has been found to enhance the immune system by stimulating the responsiveness of T-cells. Research at the University of Texas took damaged immune cells from cancer patients and added Astragalus extract to the cells and compared them to normal immune cells. The Astragalus was able to completely restore the cancer patient’s cells to normal and in some instances the cells were stimulated to a more heightened response than that of a normal cells. Another study suggested long-term use (35 days) heightened the activity of spleen cells.

Echinacea helps to activate macrophages that are directly involved with the destruction of infectious agents. It also increases the production of interferon (a protein released by virus-infected cells that protect uninfected tissue cells from viral takeover), an important part of the body’s defense against viral infections. It has also been shown to activate natural killer T cells and is an anti-inflammatory. It also inhibits the bacterial enzyme hyaluronidase, to help prevent bacterial access to healthy cells.

Garlic is rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Helps to enhance phagocyte activity and proliferation of T cells and the sulfur compounds enhance natural killer cells. It has antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal activity. It has been shown to inhibit the growth of the yeast organism Candidiasis albicans

Reishi Mushroom has adaptogenic qualities that normalize bodily functions and improve stamina. It is an antioxidant that raises T-cell levels and inhibits bacteria and viruses.
]]> Cockatiel Care, Feeding, Dangers, Health srtiels http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79662-Vitamins-and-Potential-Toxic-Effects http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79661-New-cockatiel-to-the-family-and-have-a-few-questions?goto=newpost Tue, 07 May 2013 21:52:11 GMT [IMG][/IMG]

Just wanted to say hello, and ask a few questions its been little over a decade since i've had a bird. We got him/her yesterday they said it was about 10 weeks old. very playful eats from your hand, acts very calm when sitting on your finger (sits there and cleans it self)

One of the questions i have is what would you classify it has iver heard so many different types as far as coloration goes.

Another question is should i take out the metal grate in the bottom of the cage and place something down in there? The pet store had what ive typically seen for hamsters and looks like lil tufts of shreded paper. and the bird was throwing seeds on the floor and eating them. (at the store food bowel was on the ground)

thanks for your time and i cant wait to get home to check on him. ]]> Cockatiel Care, Feeding, Dangers, Health Jarrod454 http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79661-New-cockatiel-to-the-family-and-have-a-few-questions http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79645-New-Tiel-Question-)?goto=newpost Fri, 03 May 2013 18:54:29 GMT Hi there!!
I've had my cockatiel, Apollo, for 2 weeks. He's a year and a half.. His last owner obviously didn't spend too much time with him. He didn't have a cage. He left him flying around the house (with his other 10+ birds) :( He's a super sweet bird and he's warming up to us pretty well considering he's not that used to people all that much. He's out of his cage most of the time, unless my ferrets are out. He "steps up" on to the end of a wooden spoon and is getting a little closer to sitting on my hand. He's fine with sitting on my knee, or sitting with me while he's on his wooden spoon, but he's not at all a fan of hands lol... he's okay being near them as long as you don't try to touch him. I've tried feeding him out of the palm of my hand but he's not interested... I even tried to coax him with some millet :) Is there anything else I can try? I know I need to be patient, and he really is doing well considering we've only had him for 2 weeks. He's even mimicking me saying, "Pretty wings, Apollo" when he spreads his wings. So cute!
Any advice would be great! Thank you!! ]]> Cockatiel Care, Feeding, Dangers, Health Shelly Gale http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79645-New-Tiel-Question-) http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79636-Litter-Training?goto=newpost Tue, 30 Apr 2013 23:44:07 GMT Greetings, We are considering the addition of a young female Cockatiel to our family and after all my research I have only one question remaining... Greetings,
We are considering the addition of a young female Cockatiel to our family and after all my research I have only one question remaining before we take the plunge.

One of the reasons for us choosing a Cockatiel is it's friendly interactive nature. We don't want a pet that sits in a cage all day. We want it out with us as much as possible.
The question is, can we handle the 'Poop Factor'?

How much should we expect?
Is it a wet funky mess?
Is it easy to clean from clothes/furniture?

I see many people with birds on their shoulders, and can't help but wonder how much poop is sliding down the backs, just out of sight from the camera's eye. Or are you all Photoshopping out the poop lol
From what I've gathered, birds (especially clipped ones) can't reliably be litter trained. True?

Should we expect to be toilets for our new friend?

Any help/advice would be welcome and appreciated.

Cheers ]]> Cockatiel Care, Feeding, Dangers, Health parallaxus http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79636-Litter-Training http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79620-Cockatiel-with-Possible-Flight-Feather-issue.?goto=newpost Fri, 26 Apr 2013 20:50:13 GMT Hi does anybody want to give an opinion on this? I replied to a question from Chantel on Yahoo and asked her to post pic here so we maybe able to... Hi does anybody want to give an opinion on this?

I replied to a question from Chantel on Yahoo and asked her to post pic here so we maybe able to help her.
To me it does look like the blood feathers are not right?
I would of expected fluffy ends on them. And it looks like the blood has receded, as they are lighter than if they were full of blood.

Here is the photo.


I have had a play with the pic and got it looking a bit better for you.


And here is what she said on Yahoo
"What has happened to my Cockatiel's wing feathers!?
My 4yr old female lutino cockatiel has had one or two blood feathers come out of her wing about a week ago. I noticed today these feather stubs (each one looks like an incomplete feather) and I was concerned and confused. Has any one seen this before?" ]]> Cockatiel Care, Feeding, Dangers, Health clawnz http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79620-Cockatiel-with-Possible-Flight-Feather-issue. http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79619-Chester-back-to-vet?goto=newpost Fri, 26 Apr 2013 04:17:14 GMT Chester started showing the same symptoms that had the last time he was having egg trouble. His tail down, back all hunched, and he didn't want to come out of his cage. And he always shoots out of the cage like he's escaping prison.
I found a real nice avian vet-quite a distance away-and off we went. Of course it was freezing cold too!
The vet got him out of the cage to weigh him (119 grms) and Chester went to the top of his cage. The little brat started working and dropped the egg! After we all told him what a good bird he was we decided to do a hormone shot. It's the same thing they use on women-depo provera (sp?) It was a lot less than the other hormone the the other vet wanted to give him. The vet sent us home with an antibiotic. He also gave me lots of good advice on food, light etc. Did anyone know that sunflower seeds trick their bodies into egg laying behaviour??? Never heard of that, but no more for either of mine! He also suggested trying to get them to eat pellets. I found pelletBerries (like NutriBerries) today at the store and they seem to like them. Oh! There was a second soft egg in the cage when we got home. Hopefully that is the last one for this time.
Please let the hormone will work and NO MORE EGGS! ]]> Cockatiel Care, Feeding, Dangers, Health Mommajo http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79619-Chester-back-to-vet http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79608-Abnormal-Molting?goto=newpost Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:13:36 GMT My cockatiel, Fluffi, has had her first heavy molt. It lasted about a month; then it stopped and her pin feathers grew in. It has been about two... My cockatiel, Fluffi, has had her first heavy molt. It lasted about a month; then it stopped and her pin feathers grew in. It has been about two months now since the molting, but I am finding feathers like the first time. Is this normal? ]]> Cockatiel Care, Feeding, Dangers, Health FluffiBird http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79608-Abnormal-Molting http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79601-Baby-Cockatiel-Feeding-Mouthy?goto=newpost Mon, 22 Apr 2013 02:05:10 GMT Savi is about 6 weeks old now I think, and though things were touch and go (as another thread of mine shows), I think she's finally on the 'mend'. I tried my best to handfeed her, but she'd have none of it, even though she was too young to be fully weaned.

So, I discovered she'd eat pellets, where as she'd eat nothing else. But now, she's learned how good millet sprays are. In fact, it seems to be all she wants to eat, but at least she's eating..which is a vast improvement over before. I've read conflicting messages about millet and so I thought I'd ask. I have other food in there for her, but it looks like she's only going to touch the millet. Is this okay for her, for now? At least until she gets a little older and is hopefully more willing to try the fruits or veggies and pellets I give to her.. I've heard it can be fattening, but is nutritious, and right now that's honestly what she needs. She's still very underweight, but is finally gaining. In fact..I weighed her this morning and she was 62g (she was 59g last night, so its finally going up instead of down, yay!) and now she's 70g this evening.. She's been pigging down on millet all day o.O

She seems to be more lively tonight then she's been since I got her (about a week ago). Up until last night she was sleeping all..day..lonng.. I could hardly keep her awake and was truly worried about her.

Which presents another problem.. or at least asks another question. She's starting to display mild cage aggressiveness, and a little feet guarding. I realize that cockatiels can be cage aggressive and sometimes it comes down to just letting them get out on their own, but I'd like to do something to curtail this if possible. What's the best way to get her out of her cage? Or pick her up period? She seems more and more relunctant to 'step up' so I'm worried I'm doing it wrong. I've tried just a finger, though holding my palm flat seems to work better.

Any tips? I don't wanna upset her, but I feel like i need to interact with her even if she's initially relunctant to stepup. (she's just fine after I have her on my hand or arm or wherever.) ]]> Cockatiel Care, Feeding, Dangers, Health Savi http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79601-Baby-Cockatiel-Feeding-Mouthy http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79598-E-cig-in-same-room-as-my-bird?goto=newpost Sun, 21 Apr 2013 20:55:39 GMT Hi all.

Does anyone know if it's harmful for my cockatiel if I am smoking an e-cig (electric cigarette) in the same room as he's in?
E-cig doesn't contain smoke, but instead vaporized water, which contains nicotine. I know nicotine is harmful, but most of the steam should disappear very quickly?
As of right now I do not smoke this in the same room where my bird is because I'm unsure. ]]> Cockatiel Care, Feeding, Dangers, Health felesake http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79598-E-cig-in-same-room-as-my-bird http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79580-Update-on-Alans-molt-plus-some-small-questions?goto=newpost Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:56:56 GMT Hello again, When i spoke to you last Alan had just stated his molt it now in full swing and BOY! is he grumpy some days, i herd that regular... Hello again,

When i spoke to you last Alan had just stated his molt it now in full swing and BOY! is he grumpy some days, i herd that regular baths help the discomfort is that right? and is there anything else i could do to make him more comfortable or do i just let him get on with it?

And now for my small questions: Alan is very good and hardly bites anymore but sometimes when he bows his head for a scritch i will go to give him one and he will bite me sometimes quite intently am i doing something wrong or is he just taking his frustration out on me?

When i leave the room Alan calls me insensately until i come back in the room i have tried calling back, ignoring him but he still does it, my neighbors haven't complained yet but im afraid they might if it carrys on, what do i do?

Any advise is greatly appreciated


Love & Scritches ]]> Cockatiel Care, Feeding, Dangers, Health http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79580-Update-on-Alans-molt-plus-some-small-questions http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79575-Help!-New-owner-with-possible-problem!?goto=newpost Wed, 17 Apr 2013 02:32:36 GMT I'm brand new to birds, so bear with me please. I purchased a baby cockatiel yesturday, and have several pretty big concerns. One, I didn't realize how young she was until after I purchased her. She's only 5 weeks! Born march 8th. The breeder assures me she was out of the next and weaned, and had been eating seed for a few days (though from what I've read and understand now, this doesn't necessarily mean weaned?).

So, now I'm worried she's way too young to be with me. on top of that, I got her yesturday and she hasn't eaten at all. I don't think she's drank any water either. I've tried moving the dishes to a spot easily within her reach from her favorite perch, but there's been no change. I took her out tonight after work, and though I know she's scared, she'd still a sweetheart. She hasn't bitten me and when I put her up against me while I was sitting on the couch, she slowly walked and just lay snuggled against my neck. It seemed she just wanted comfort. The reason I've had her out at all is that I want her to bond with me, but for all I know I"m going about things wrong.

While she was out, I took the food dish out and tipped it right under her beak. SHe did actually pick up a couple of pieces. She couldn't get into the sunflower seed, but I think she may have ate a couple of the smaller seed pieces. Read, a couple. Nothing much at all.

Knowing how young she is, I worried that she might still need to be handfed with baby bird formula, so I bought some, mixed it, and tried several ways to give it to her. (syringe, spoon, plate, my fingertip, anything lol) and she showed even less interest in it.

With how young she is, how long should I wait for her to eat before I really get worried? She poo'd twice today, so she must have been eating before she came to me, and I know it may just be nerves but with her being so young, I've been worried that its more thn that..

HELP! ]]> Cockatiel Care, Feeding, Dangers, Health Savi http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79575-Help!-New-owner-with-possible-problem! http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79559-Don-t-know-what-I-did?goto=newpost Sun, 14 Apr 2013 01:16:48 GMT Haven't been here in a while. My Nicky has been through a pretty long molt. I guess he got a blood feather moved the wrong way and it was hurting him. He was on top of the cage screaming (not what I call his normal screaming) It was a sound of pain and he was holding his wing up. I went to him and put my hand out for him to step up so maybe he'd let me look. As soon as he did step up he starting biting my hand still screaming. I didn't put him down, he got off on his own and started biting around under his wing. I guess he got it situated no more holding wing out no more screaming. The problem now is he has had nothing to do with my hand. If I get near him with my hand he runs away?? I don't know if he is associating his pain with my hand or what. This was 2 days ago. When I let them out I have to get Nicky back in the cage with a perch. As he can now fly again:) he takes off when I try to get him to step up. I am very sad because I have worked so hard to gain his trust since I found him and now it seems like he doesn't even know me. I'm ready for any advise to repair the bond we had. Please help. Sad mommy here:( ]]> Cockatiel Care, Feeding, Dangers, Health ttlsmith8100 http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79559-Don-t-know-what-I-did http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79551-Worried-About-My-14-Year-Old-Cockatiel?goto=newpost Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:09:25 GMT Hi, this is my first post on here, I have a 14/15 Year old cockatiel not quite sure how old he is , we have had him since he was born i think, my... Hi, this is my first post on here,

I have a 14/15 Year old cockatiel not quite sure how old he is , we have had him since he was born i think, my dad got him from my Grandad , before i was born not sure how he was brought up but he was closest to my dad he knew how to step up , i was told he used to sit on his shoulder and nibble his ear and he was very friendly and tame , for the past 4/5 years he has been closest to me and would step up fly around sit on my shoulder, but he didnt a lot because i didnt like it when he like tasted to see if it was safe i always thought he was biting even though i knew he wasnt i still didnt like it , he is often out his cage and sits around on top , he has lots of stick and things to climb on in his cage, he has a mirror with a bell and a seed container with a little perch, he always has enough food and water we used to get him millet a lot but we havent had the time for about the past 2 months, i usually stand around talk to him beside his cage for about 10-20 minutes 3-4 days a week ( only this as i live between 2 houses ) most days he has company as he is in the kitchen and when my dad is there for an hour or two he always has company and his cage is open, but he might be getting lonely as i dont like him out of the cage when i talk to him and my dad is not in the house for 2-3 days a week sometimes, whenever he hears me coming in the house or going downstairs he squarks a lot and when i leave he climbs o the corner of his cage and starts squawking and continues after i leave, i know he is doing this because he wants attention and does'nt want me to leave but sometimes I just dont have the time.

Anyways ith that said he always squarks a lot and his feathers are falling out around his neck and wings, i think he is stressed as we arent there enough.

What should i do? as i am going to start talking to him more and get him millet again and hopfully start letting him out around me. I want to try to talk to him more buy him more stuff but sometimes i just dont have the time, and he is alone atleast 1 day a week, i would'nt want to a he would'nt be as bonded to me but should i buy another bird? as i said i would'nt want to because he would't be as close to me but i'd rather him be happy.

Thanks, ]]> Cockatiel Care, Feeding, Dangers, Health asdw http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/79551-Worried-About-My-14-Year-Old-Cockatiel