Preening or plucking?? Found a flight feather...

[outmaww]

My new baby 'tiel has been home for about two weeks now, and he's been preening a LOT. I got very nervous, as I know cockatiels are prone to plucking, but the breeder I got him from assured me that it's just preening and that it means that he's just comfortable in my house and on me. I've been finding large feathers at the bottom of his cage every few mornings, and today I found a flight feather. The end is covered in blood, and the edges near the end have obviously been torn at. There are also these strange, shimmery flakes of what looks like broken parts of the feather shaft clinging to it. He's been picking off these little shards for a week now, and I don't know if they're normal or not. Obviously I haven't been able to find any information about the fact, considering that I'm calling them "shimmery flakes" in this post.

What should I do? Is this just a one-time fluke or something I should really be worried about? He doesn't seem to be in any pain, so I don't think he opened any wound. He actually has adapted to the house really well, he's bonded to me and my sister, and he's constantly wanting to play on us and with his toys. He's out of his cage a lot. Is it too much stress for him?

Sorry, I'm rambling at this point, but I'm just worried. Picture down below for reference. He's about a twelve-week old baby, by the way.

 

[Shezbug]

If there is blood on the shaft (I can't see it well with the dark pants behind and my crappy eyes) then it has either been knocked or plucked out. My budgie has a fall every now and then were he will knock his wing in just the right way to knock a flight feather or two out. I can not see which part you say is torn.

The shimmery flakes... can you post a pic of them? I am guessing they are likely to be from pin feathers that are being preened.

 

[flyzipper]

Congratulations on your new family member!

My new baby 'tiel...

He's about a twelve-week old baby...

Since he's a real baby, and not just your baby, then a single bloody feather is probably him just being a clumsy baby -- knocking it out.
At this point, I'd watch for more to see if a pattern develops before you start worrying about plucking.

I've been finding large feathers at the bottom of his cage every few mornings

That's a pretty typical pace to find feathers during a molt. I'm suspecting the "shimmery flakes" you're finding are the pin feather casings being preened away as new feathers emerge (which is normal) -- they're made from the same keratin material the shaft is, and the shaft can appear shiny depending on how light hits it.

Some general info about feathers...

Everything You Need To Know About Feathers | Bird Academy • The Cornell Lab

All About Feathers Unique to birds and their dinosaur ancestors, feathers have evolved into impressive biological structures that come in a surprising diversity of colors and forms. Here, we cover the breadth of feather biology by looking at feathers from a variety of scientific viewpoints inclu ...

academy.allaboutbirds.org

 

[outmaww]

Congratulations on your new family member!


Since he's a real baby, and not just your baby, then a single bloody feather is probably him just being a clumsy baby -- knocking it out.
At this point, I'd watch for more to see if a pattern develops before you start worrying about plucking.

That's a pretty typical pace to find feathers during a molt. I'm suspecting the "shimmery flakes" you're finding are the pin feather casings being preened away as new feathers emerge (which is normal) -- they're made from the same keratin material the shaft is, and the shaft can appear shiny depending on how light hits it.

Some general info about feathers...

Everything You Need To Know About Feathers | Bird Academy • The Cornell Lab

All About Feathers Unique to birds and their dinosaur ancestors, feathers have evolved into impressive biological structures that come in a surprising diversity of colors and forms. Here, we cover the breadth of feather biology by looking at feathers from a variety of scientific viewpoints inclu ...

academy.allaboutbirds.org

Thank you so much : ) This is really helpful. I'm really in that stage where everything is constantly worrying me and I read into every little thing. I see this as a good thing, though, because when I ask frantic, worried questions, I'm able to learn more from it.

But yes, he probably just accidently knocked the feather out. He is notoriously clumsy and bad at keeping his grip, though usually not in his cage. And he currently has a lot of pin feathers and might be molting. It's all just a lot of "probably" and "maybe" right now, but I'll figure it out with more time. He hasn't been with me all that long and there's still a ton to learn about his behavior and habits.

 

[outmaww]

Bad timing, but this morning I discovered barbering on his tail feathers, and he's been acting really strange. He keeps spreading his wings wildy, opening his beak, and throwing his head around when anyone but me tries to touch him, and even once when I reached out for him he tried to bite me before stopping abruptly. I put him back in the cage and tried to hang out with him right outside it, but he started doing it inside the cage and whacking his wings and tail against the bars and one of his toys. I ended up moving the toy and putting him on another perch because I was so worried about him hurting himself.

He's become the ultimate velcro bird and can't handle being in his cage for longer than five minutes anymore. When I take him out, he starts acting weird and trying to bite my family. When he's back in the cage, he starts aggressively pulling at his feathers. I'm worried he's sick or just getting way too attached. I don't want to encourage this new behavior. Any suggestions?

 

[flyzipper]

The stray barbules look unkempt to me, like they've been rubbed the wrong direction, rather than barbered.
If your little guy allows it, you could probably straighten them yourself by sliding your finger along them, otherwise he'll sort them out himself.

when anyone but me tries to touch him...

Have those others earned his trust as you have? Birds aren't like dogs, so they can take time to learn to trust people and won't run over to be pet (so to speak).

How often is he out of his cage, and how much does the rest of your family normally interact with him?
Does he have play stands with toys and food/water outside of his cage, or are you the most entertaining thing around?

 

[outmaww]

Have those others earned his trust as you have? Birds aren't like dogs, so they can take time to learn to trust people and won't run over to be pet (so to speak).

How often is he out of his cage, and how much does the rest of your family normally interact with him?
Does he have play stands with toys and food/water outside of his cage, or are you the most entertaining thing around?

My sister and I are pretty much the only people that he's ever been interested in. He will sit on fingers, but other than that he just didn't seem to want to interact with anyone else (bar one particular friend who visited which he was very enamored with). I know that birds are often one-person people, but he seems to enjoy being with me and my sister equally, except for today.

He's out of his cage quite a lot. I find that if he's being unruly in his cage (which came with a playtop) I can take him out and put him on the playtop to eat or play with the bird kabob up there (so basically the same things that he can do in his cage) and he calms down. I just think that he hates being barred off from the rest of the house. We've been planning to make a bird stand that we can move around the house depending on where we want to be, but right now, we are pretty much his only entertainment for him. I've got toys that I use specifically for when he's out of the cage, and he plays with them more when he's not actually IN the cage. I even have a double of one toy: one in the cage, one outside, that he has literally only played with when he's not in his cage.

 

[flyzipper]

I find that if he's being unruly in his cage (which came with a playtop) I can take him out and put him on the playtop to eat or play with the bird kabob up there (so basically the same things that he can do in his cage) and he calms down.

Any chance you could video that unruly behaviour?

One thing to keep in mind is we get what we reinforce. The statement above is a potential example of that -- he's learned that being unruly will get your attention and a treat on the top of his cage, so his unruly behaviour is actually being reinforced/rewarded and he's more likely to continue. I suspect he's not in danger when he's unruly, so it would be best to let him calm himself, and give him your attention when he's in a relaxed state. That will reinforce that he gets your attention (the reward) when he's calm, and also allows him to to learn to self-regulate.

The other thing I'll offer is that it's only been 2 weeks, so everything is still very new to your little guy.
He's still figuring out life in a new place while he's figuring out life overall.
Patience and time go a long way.

 

[flyzipper]

Also, where is his cage?
It's best if it can be in a central location so they can keep an eye on their flock (us). Being isolated completely can lead to agitation.

 

[outmaww]

Took a couple days to really observe GB's behavior. I even started keeping track of things in a journal dedicated to just him (probably a her, lol)

My anxiety about owning a new bird stems from a lot of things, including all the research I'd done. I realized that it's much harder to put into effect the things I'd learned that it is to simply know how to do it. But I've started trying to keep track of things.

For one thing, @flyzipper, you were right, it wasn't barbering. To my worried brain it definitely looked it, but after his spray bath he preened them right back into place, and I'm a little embarrassed about the freak-out haha. I've also figured out that his strange behavior (beaking, throwing his head around, spreading his wings) only happens in certain circumstances: when he's in the same room as our dog (who the bird has very clearly made his opinion about by flightiness and even hissing when he comes into the room. Our dog, a gentle tiny mutt, is now wary of him and won't come near) and around evening time on our shoulders when we try to take him off. These situations make sense, because in both of them, the bird is anxious and is trying to defend himself. We've switched things around so that the bird is never around the dog and we don't allow him on our shoulders after six, because, as many people say for parrots, shoulders are a privilege, not a right. Especially if he's going to be beaky around my eyes and face.

I've also started actual training with him. I think in my head I assumed "Oh, he's hand-raised, he doesn't need too much training early on" which was incredibly stupid of me. He already steps up willingly, but only when he feels like it, like when he's not playing with a toy. Now, after just a couple of days, he knows the actual command and will (for the most part; he's still a little stinker lol) step up when we ask him to.

And the preening thing has calmed down. He does it less often since I started giving spray baths, it just took a while. He still preens a lot, but it's much less than before. I a counting the lost flight feather as a clumsy fluke on his part.

SORRY for the super long post! I just wanted to share how things have calmed down in such a short time. Of course, he's still learning our house and his new environment and testing human limits, but what did I expect? He's a bird, after all, which is what I signed up for : ) I think I just need to be calmer about situations in general with him.

 

[flyzipper]

Great news that I'm happy to read.

I've also figured out that his strange behavior... only happens in certain circumstances... We've switched things around so that the bird is never around the dog

That's awesome -- he's communicating and you're listening.

He already steps up willingly, but only when he feels like it, like when he's not playing with a toy. Now, after just a couple of days, he knows the actual command and will (for the most part; he's still a little stinker lol) step up when we ask him to.

I love that you said, "ask".

We earn their trust by offering as much freewill and choice as we can in our home environments, and by not forcing.
Reserve forced actions for when they're in danger, and you'll continue to build an amazing relationship.

• 7 times out of 10, mine will step up when asked (most times responding with a raised foot, communicating that's what they want -- their choice).
• 2 times out of 10, they will fly after me when I shrug and then turn my back to walk away (their choice).
• 1 times out of 10, they just keep doing whatever they were doing (our environment is setup so leaving them isn't a risk -- their choice).

Our life together isn't an obedience competition, so I consider each response as good as the others.