Help! My Cockatiel Has some sort of scratch on his back!

[NightHawk251]

well i noticed one day while he was grooming himself that my Cockatiel would make odd sounds like he was in pain whenever he tried to fix the feathers in the middle of his back. Well we gave him a bath and noticed that in the middle of his back in between his wings the area seemed red and irritated and there were some small scratches as well! Well he keeps biting or scratching himself in the area every time he is grooming himself and every time we check his the area still seems irritated and we don't know what to do! Does someone know what i should do? Should I bandage the are so he stops biting himself? Should I use any creams or ointments? Are there any special bandages for birds?

[Dally]

i would take him to the vets to check for mites or lice.... that could be a cause, could be allergies to food, could be dry air, but he is definately over grooming!

[NightHawk251]

Well my family doesn't have enough money to take him to the vet the prices are very high. But what are the signs of mites and lice?

[Dally]

i understand lol its not always possible. but as for signs, take a look at the tail feathers first. do they have little black dots in between the feather barbs? do they have missing pieces that seem odd like a window? sorry if u dont understand i find it hard to explain. if you suspect mites, you can buy some mite and lice spray from the petstore... just follow directions very close cuz a lot of those can be dangerous. i have a can of mite and lice spray and it works decently. i suspected mine had mites and sprayed to be sure. only i only sprayed the cage and perches--not the bird cuz i dont trust that stuff that much. but its worth a try.

he also, on a more positive note, could simply be molting. molting theyre very itchy and uncomfortable. may i suggest getting an aloe vera plant and mixing some of the gel into his bathing water? it will reduce the itch and soothe his skin. i would reccomend that mites or not. if hes itchy, it will help.

[Marrie]

Mites will usually "eat" feathers and you will see missing pieces, like cloth when moths get in it.

My guess would be a feather is irritating him and he has picked it to try to get it to stop hurting/itching. Check to make sure he didn't break any feathers and there are no ends left sticking out near the area. If there is a broken feather that did not come out all the way, it usually needs to be pulled. Also, birds can be allergic or a molt could cause itchy / painful pin feathers which can sometimes lead to over preening.

Try some aloe vera (PURE not the lotion !) in water for a bath and at least call a vet for advice on what ointments you can use (I have seen on the boards some use neosporin, but not sure what the procedure is for that). CALLING is FREE and most vets will give some advice over the phone.

Also, a vet checkup is usually only about $30-50 if they do not run any tests...

[NightHawk251]

Thanks I'll check him again right now!

[di_dee1]

Another way I have read to check for mites is to line the cage with white butchers or computer printing paper. The mites then can show up as black sometimes (red too I think I read?)

I also use aloe vera gel with no alcohol in it or the juice from the plant itself.

[Courtney]

I also read that aloe help the itching if it's mited. Give him a bath with aloe.