Ichy Cockatiel

[shaun]

Hi there,
I am new to this forum,
I have a cockatiel i received when a family member passed away,
his name is Pat,he is 30+ years old,he has a problem with ichy feathers or skin,it seems to bother him alot and sometimes screaches when he scracthes,i give him a bath from time to time with a small spray bottle,i have taken him twice to a vet but they seem to lack knowledge of birds.he is not hand trained and only eats small parrot seed.
he is otherwise a healthy and happy bird.
if anyone knows what might be the cause or a way to treat this the advice would be much appreciated

 

[Aestatis]

If he doesn't seem to like spraying you could try offering him a shallow dish or pan with water. That way he has access more often (if he isn't hand tame it sounds like spraying him might be difficult).

Another option is to try to get him to eat some fruit or vegetables since those contain water. I don't know if more water intake helps birds feel less itchy like it does for some people though.

Since he's 30 he may or may not want to try new things right away. If he's nervous of new things then just introduce them slowly.

 

[Rebel]

Perhaps hes just molting.

 

[shaun]

If he doesn't seem to like spraying you could try offering him a shallow dish or pan with water. That way he has access more often (if he isn't hand tame it sounds like spraying him might be difficult).

Another option is to try to get him to eat some fruit or vegetables since those contain water. I don't know if more water intake helps birds feel less itchy like it does for some people though.

Since he's 30 he may or may not want to try new things right away. If he's nervous of new things then just introduce them slowly.

thank you for your reply,
I have tried the shallow dish,this bird really does not like new things in his cage,hes ok if i spray him a little but hates it when i soak him,afterwards he will sit in the corner and sulk for hours.
what concerns me is i dont think the water helps his scratching,
he has no contact with other birds so i dont think it would be mites(i tried mite spray)and it seemed to make it worse.he drinks water everyday.
im just unsure what the cause is.

 

[shaun]

Perhaps hes just molting.

thank you for your reply,
possible but i think its more serious than that

 

[Respect]

Is this a new thing you’ve recently noticed, or something he’s always done as far as you know? Is it one specific spot, or all over his body? Is he preening with his beak, scratching with his feet, or both?

I hope that’s not too many questions… just trying to get a better idea of what exactly might be going on.

If you are willing to share your general location, someone may also be able to help you locate a more suitable vet with avian experience.

Wishing the best for you and Pat

 

[shaun]

Is this a new thing you’ve recently noticed, or something he’s always done as far as you know? Is it one specific spot, or all over his body? Is he preening with his beak, scratching with his feet, or both?

I hope that’s not too many questions… just trying to get a better idea of what exactly might be going on.

If you are willing to share your general location, someone may also be able to help you locate a more suitable vet with avian experience.

Wishing the best for you and Pat

its not a new thing,no i think its been years,but its less severe in the colder months.
there was another Avian vet a further drive,but driving far bothers this bird.
yes he is preening with beak and scratching with his feet.
if he has no close contact with other birds,is mites possible?
i was hoping there was something i could spray with water to help his problem.
location...Sydney Australia

 

[sunnysmom]

What is the humidity level like in your house? It should be between 40-50%. If your house is too dry it can cause itching. You can get a cool mist humidifier to help if so. I am doubtful it would be mites but you can put some white paper or paper towels on the bottom of his cage and night and if there are red or black specks on it in the morning it might be mites. I always think a vet should treat mites rather than an over the counter spray. They can sometimes be harmful.

 

[Respect]

its not a new thing,no i think its been years,but its less severe in the colder months.
there was another Avian vet a further drive,but driving far bothers this bird.
yes he is preening with beak and scratching with his feet.
if he has no close contact with other birds,is mites possible?
i was hoping there was something i could spray with water to help his problem.
location...Sydney Australia

I have read accounts of people’s birds (as well as other animals) getting mites through indirect contact, like from toys or the like that were in contact with infected animals; but I have no idea how common that is.

Maybe it could be mites, or some other kind of skin condition that is causing him irritation. I would want to see a vet to rule that out and provide professional treatment if possible.

How are the humidity levels where you are? Ideal indoor relative humidity is 40-60%. Just like in people, low humidity can cause skin irritation and dryness.

Do you know if the seed he eats is fortified with any kind of vitamins or minerals? Sometimes malnutrition can cause skin and feather quality issues as well.

 

[shaun]

I have read accounts of people’s birds (as well as other animals) getting mites through indirect contact, like from toys or the like that were in contact with infected animals; but I have no idea how common that is.

Maybe it could be mites, or some other kind of skin condition that is causing him irritation. I would want to see a vet to rule that out and provide professional treatment if possible.

How are the humidity levels where you are? Ideal indoor relative humidity is 40-60%. Just like in people, low humidity can cause skin irritation and dryness.

Do you know if the seed he eats is fortified with any kind of vitamins or minerals? Sometimes malnutrition can cause skin and feather quality issues as well.

thanks for your reply,the humidity here varies alot from 20% to 75% in summer,

i dont think the seed has vitamins and minerals, thats actually a good idea,one time when i went to the vet they gave him an injection of vitamins.

i will check at supplier today and try to get a supplement i can put in his water,if it has any color to it he will not drink it either.

this bird has been with the family for 30 years he is part of the family.

 

[shaun]

What is the humidity level like in your house? It should be between 40-50%. If your house is too dry it can cause itching. You can get a cool mist humidifier to help if so. I am doubtful it would be mites but you can put some white paper or paper towels on the bottom of his cage and night and if there are red or black specks on it in the morning it might be mites. I always think a vet should treat mites rather than an over the counter spray. They can sometimes be harmful.

thank you for your reply,
the humidity here varies alot from 20% to 70% at times,
true i found the mite spray seem to make his situation worse so i stopped it,
i will try some vitamin supplement to see if it helps

 

[Respect]

thanks for your reply,the humidity here varies alot from 20% to 75% in summer,

i dont think the seed has vitamins and minerals, thats actually a good idea,one time when i went to the vet they gave him an injection of vitamins.

i will check at supplier today and try to get a supplement i can put in his water,if it has any color to it he will not drink it either.

this bird has been with the family for 30 years he is part of the family.

That’s great! Even if it doesn’t end up helping his itching, supplementing his diet with necessary vitamins should help him be healthier overall so long as you follow the dosage/useage instructions.

When it comes to humidity, there are cheap hygrometers you can buy online that measure the humidity in your home. Warm steam vaporizers are also usually cheap and boil water to release moisture into the air, so you can fill them up and turn them on when the humidity falls below 40%. You can usually use plain tap water with them, the heat from boiling prevents mold and bacteria from growing, and usually the only major safety concern is not touching any hot parts while it’s on. I usually see Vicks’ humidifier recommended, but I’m not sure on its availability outside of the US.

Adding more variety into his diet (whether that’s adding veggies, pellets, or a mix that has more than just seeds) might also be good for him… though, at his age, it might be a bit difficult and stressful.

But if you ever are interested in expanding his diet, I’m sure there’s plenty of advice and tips people here can give you

 

[Respect]

Also, I did some digging, and here are some veterinarians I found online that might be closer to you:

• The Unusual Pet Vets Sydney - Waterloo (Website) (Google Maps)
• SASH North Ryde - North Ryde (Website) (Google Maps)
• SASH Western Sydney - Prospect (Website) (Google Maps)
• The Wild Vet - Glebe (Website) (Google Maps)
• Carlingford Animal Hospital - Carlingford (Website) (Google Maps)

These are all veterinary practices listed by the AAVAC and/or Parrot Society of Australia, so hopefully they should all know more about birds and have avian specialists

 

[shaun]

Also, I did some digging, and here are some veterinarians I found online that might be closer to you:

• The Unusual Pet Vets Sydney - Waterloo (Website) (Google Maps)
• SASH North Ryde - North Ryde (Website) (Google Maps)
• SASH Western Sydney - Prospect (Website) (Google Maps)
• The Wild Vet - Glebe (Website) (Google Maps)
• Carlingford Animal Hospital - Carlingford (Website) (Google Maps)

These are all veterinary practices listed by the AAVAC and/or Parrot Society of Australia, so hopefully they should all know more about birds and have avian specialists

Thank you so much for all your assistance,its much appreciated

 

[shaun]

That’s great! Even if it doesn’t end up helping his itching, supplementing his diet with necessary vitamins should help him be healthier overall so long as you follow the dosage/useage instructions.

When it comes to humidity, there are cheap hygrometers you can buy online that measure the humidity in your home. Warm steam vaporizers are also usually cheap and boil water to release moisture into the air, so you can fill them up and turn them on when the humidity falls below 40%. You can usually use plain tap water with them, the heat from boiling prevents mold and bacteria from growing, and usually the only major safety concern is not touching any hot parts while it’s on. I usually see Vicks’ humidifier recommended, but I’m not sure on its availability outside of the US.

Adding more variety into his diet (whether that’s adding veggies, pellets, or a mix that has more than just seeds) might also be good for him… though, at his age, it might be a bit difficult and stressful.

But if you ever are interested in expanding his diet, I’m sure there’s plenty of advice and tips people here can give you
[/QUOTE
I am definatley intersted in methods to introduce different food for this bird,true it would be tricky because he is very selective