Itchy spot?

[GingerDee]

I've had "Bonnie" for a few months now, but am still learning about cockatiels.

I can't use hands with her... But she is out all day with me, and we are bonding. She trusts me more everyday, and trusts my face... Because that's where warm air comes from! My point is we are happy together. She likes me and shouldn't be bored.

But I've noticed 2 balding spots and then seen her scratching there with her foot. So I'm guessing.. She's itchy... Is this common? We have not figured out a good bathing routine, so to me, she doesn't bath enough... Could that be the cause? She came with a bath spray... But that doesn't seem right. My conure took baths often, but a cockatiel is quite different.

 

[CeciliaZ]

I have 6 tiels - at times they like a bath but mostly mine like to be sprayed. Just use plain water. Where I live - the heat is now on in my home and can be very drying. Try spraying her - just plain water.

 

[GingerDee]

Yes she likes to be sprayed.. But won't go to a good spot to clean up, so I guess that's my bad. ‍ She gets sooo into it, I was sure she'd love a pie plate of water.

I'll try spraying her more and see it that makes a difference for her. I've been dry and thought that might be the same for her but wasn't sure.. Thank you. Now my mission is to find a good bathing spot for her. She's so dusty all the time.

 

[Tara81]

Have you tried inspecting the area more closely? Feather mites can make a birdie more itchy as well. I spray my birdies as well, i make sure the spray falls on them like rain would, not directly at them.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

Cockatiels normally have thin spots around their ears, and the other spot looks like maybe she is molting a bit, but of course it’s hard to tell from a photo. Cockatiels preen a lot, so that is perfectly normal. A humidifier is important to have, in the winter especially when the air is dry. Even having them in the bathroom with you when you shower is a good idea, because humidity is so important for their sinuses. My tiels love bathing the most in the morning on sunny days, so maybe try then.

 

[GingerDee]

Have you tried inspecting the area more closely? Feather mites can make a birdie more itchy as well. I spray my birdies as well, i make sure the spray falls on them like rain would, not directly at them.

I don't see her scratching, just happened to see it once... So I think she does it at bedtime.

She's out all day with me. If it were mites I should notice.. No?

 

[GingerDee]

Cockatiels normally have thin spots around their ears, and the other spot looks like maybe she is molting a bit, but of course it’s hard to tell from a photo. Cockatiels preen a lot, so that is perfectly normal. A humidifier is important to have, in the winter especially when the air is dry. Even having them in the bathroom with you when you shower is a good idea, because humidity is so important for their sinuses. My tiels love bathing the most in the morning on sunny days, so maybe try then.

This side is WAY thinner and thinned more than the other side.

Humidity might be the issue. I haven't been spraying her because it's messy. I've been trying to get her to bath in a pie plate. ‍ But she LOVES the rain.. So messy baths it is.

I have tons of plants. My place SHOULD be more humid from her last..

 

[Tiel Feathers]

Cockatiels don’t really need to bathe that often actually, so if it’s just once in a while that’s fine, mostly it’s for their sinuses, and it can help with itchiness caused by a molt. Conures probably bathe more often because of where they are from. Mites are uncommon in cockatiels that live indoors in the US, and the best way to determine if there are mites, is to place white paper on the cage bottom and leave it there overnight. If you see tiny dark spots on the white paper, then it's time to call your vet. I would just keep an eye on the cheek spot and the other area and see how they look after a while.