Urgent Should I take them to the vet or is the nothing to worry about

[derin]

I brought a baby cockatiel home about a month and a half ago. She is really healthy, but I noticed before I brought her home she had a bald spot on her head, which I know is normal with cockatiels. After a few weeks home I noticed it was getting bigger. I thought it was getting worse because my adult cockatiel was plucking her feathers because she was food aggressive and I witnessed her plucking the baby so I separated the while eating and her bald spot hasn't gotten worse. She has several pin feathers growing in and some ready to come off but she won't let me get them off. I was gone for about 24 hours and I come back to my adult cockatiel is missing feathers on her head like in patches. She may just be molting because she is also loosing some tail feathers and flight feathers but I don't know. My baby is down some weight and is showing some interest in food but not eating but I noticed she was thirsty because she doesn't drink on her own unless i hold the water bowl in front of her so I'n thinking thats why she isn't eating and she loses weight fast. I am probably going to weight an hour or so to see if the baby starts eating and call the vet if she doesn't. I am a little nervous because I have never had a sick bird before. Here are some pictures of my adults head. Those are the best I can get.

 

[derin]

The baby just started eating, so I am going to watch her weight closely for the next few hours to see if it goes back up or if it drops.

 

[rocky'smom]

When in doubt JMHO here take them to the vet is my motto

 

[finchly]

The male looks like he banged his head on something.
How old is the baby?

 

[derin]

The male looks like he banged his head on something.
How old is the baby?

the baby is three months old. Here is a picture of the baby. My adult cockatiel's head is worse this morning, I am just wondering if it's because she is molting, this is her second molt here and she has never lost this many feathers at once and I know the baby isn't plucking her.

 

[sunnysmom]

@Ripshod ?

 

[finchly]

the baby is three months old. Here is a picture of the baby. My adult cockatiel's head is worse this morning, I am just wondering if it's because she is molting, this is her second molt here and she has never lost this many feathers at once and I know the baby isn't plucking her.

I agree that it doesnt look plucked. I’m baffled. Are they itchy at all? (Mites)
On the baby, maybe those pinfeathers are painful so she’s scratching at them?

 

[Ripshod]

Do they share a cage? Did you quarantine the young bird before introducing them?
Young tiels are quite clumsy - the young one could be losing feathers from falling and the adult from night frights those falls are causing.
The new bird should see a vet if only for a new bird wellness check, but they should also be in seperate cages until the young one is able to perch well and the birds have a good relationship.

 

[derin]

I agree that it doesnt look plucked. I’m baffled. Are they itchy at all? (Mites)
On the baby, maybe those pinfeathers are painful so she’s scratching at them?

I am going to look into possibly mites. I haven't noticed any itching, but there has been like black dots in the folicle and I asked someone and they thought it was just a blood feather growing in. I have concluded the adult is just molting heavily, and I am scheduling a vet appointment and if they see something abnormal I will take the adult in.

 

[derin]

Do they share a cage? Did you quarantine the young bird before introducing them?
Young tiels are quite clumsy - the young one could be losing feathers from falling and the adult from night frights those falls are causing.
The new bird should see a vet if only for a new bird wellness check, but they should also be in seperate cages until the young one is able to perch well and the birds have a good relationship.

They got along well at first, actually wanting to be together all the time. It was taking a long time to get them in separate cages. I caved and let them share a cage and it went perfectly. Then I realized the baby was being plucked because my adult was being food aggressive, it's my fault for not noticing sooner. I am scheduling the baby a vet appointment and if they find anything abnormal I will take the adult in.

 

[finchly]

They got along well at first, actually wanting to be together all the time. It was taking a long time to get them in separate cages. I caved and let them share a cage and it went perfectly. Then I realized the baby was being plucked because my adult was being food aggressive, it's my fault for not noticing sooner. I am scheduling the baby a vet appointment and if they find anything abnormal I will take the adult in.

It’s okay. They’re like a nonstop learning continuum. You did the best you could.