So we were in the market for a bird...

Hubby and I are both previous bird owners (amazon and conure) so when the kids started asking for a pet bird, we though why not! THEN our SPCA started advertising this beautiful 11 year old Goffin Cockatoo. Took the kids to see her, fell in love. Took the husband to see her and brought her home right then.


Nonethless, we have had her a couple months. We all love her. She is super cute and sweet. Started giving her a better diet, she was on walmart seed and bought her tons of toys and perchs and all sorts of fun stuff.



While I believe she has acclimated well - She is REALLY losing all her feathers... she isnt plucking (i dont think) I believe she is doing a full molt. Is that normal? ( her belly had a bald spot the size of a quarter when we adopted her)



ALSO - In the midst of this she has lost all her chest feathers and has a perfectly round wound on her chest. Some days it looks like its healing. Others it looks worse than the day before. Thoughts?

She also puts her toe in her nostril all the time and blows out.


Any help would be great. We have an awesome avian vet however, we are in quarantine.

I’m not a ‘too mama, and have limited knowledge on the species, so not sure. But, to me, that hole looks pretty concerning & worthy of a check in. Can you email these pics to your vet and get advice on how to proceed? They can advise on what type of care can be taken, or if it’s worth an emergency trip. Most vets are doing emergency checks in our area by taking your pet in then talking over the phone as they do their check.

Hope someone jumps in here quickly for you! This is a great place for advice.

Welcome to the forum to you and ... does she have a name yet?

I would have to agree that bald patch looks more like plucking than moulting. Given her undoubtedly checkered history a visit to the vet may well be in order as soon as is practicable. She may have had one at the SPCA but that might not have been with a specialised bird vet. The change in her environment and routine may have exacerbated the issue. But she certainly does look like a little sweetheart and I thank you for giving her a new flock and a loving home!

That spot is more than normal molting. At least call the vet's office, describe the situation and maybe you can send a photo. Vets are considered essential services and you should be able to at least consult yours.

Welcome to you and your beautiful Goffins! Her overall feathering is not bad, though I cannot judge her back and wings when extended. That she appears to be plucking on the abdomen may signify two potential issues. One is as prep for breeding - my "proven" male does this seasonally. The other is discomfort from within, ie low grade infection. I'd recommend a vet check when logistically feasible. Our local vets (San Diego area) continue to operate as essential services and take rigorous precautions.

Ugh, Walmart seed. All of my Goffins are rather flexible eaters and have enjoyed a variety of pellets and lots of fresh veggies/fruits.

Two of mine will insert a nail into a nostril and gently pick! Images of the face appear absolutely normal - no swelling or apparent distress.

EDIT: Forgot to share link to a superb discussion of plucking: http://www.parrotforums.com/behavioral/52217-plucking-search-answers.html

A full molt would never look like that. It's way too patchy and localized-molts are generally symmetrical to some extent (excluding the molts that occur as a result of viral infection-- and even this does not look like that). That is also the classic place where many cockatoos pluck.

It looks like she could be self mutilating a bit due to plucking, but perhaps she is plucking because there is something there (like a growth--hard to know if she tore the skin and caused it to swell, or if there was already a mass there). Behavioral plucking is often a life-long battle---it can become like an addiction for them in many cases (even when the situation improves, they still often have trouble stopping--the sooner you can prevent it/find the trigger, the better --if that is what it is). Is the loss only on places her beak can reach? Either way-- birds also pluck for medical reasons (and you have to figure out why yours is doing this).

She needs a vet -ASAP-for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, they pluck because of stress etc, but sometimes its because there is internal pain somewhere. Regardless of the cause, she clearly has an open sore and that alone is cause for concern.

Make sure you get her to a CAV and make sure they run blood-work and possibly a sinus swab/culture (not sure if that is the proper name for it). There are certain respiratory issues that cannot be detected by a single test, but those are things like aspergillosis (which has a root cause of weakened immune system). Cockatoos are so dusty that it could be something in her nose, or an infection.

She really needs a thorough work-over...Has she had an x-ray, bloodwork, gran-stain or any sorts of panels run before?

**our state has been in lockdown mode since...maybe the 17th...and vets are still open but you have to call ahead and arrange for it---wait in the car, they unlock the door etc..** I guess just make sure they are actually closed, because many look it, even though they are not

If you don't have one already, get a really good air purifier (True Hepa) WITHOUT ionizing/sanitize/ozone settings (unless they can be turned off). You don't want to produce ozone around a bird. Anyway---if you have a cockatoo, you will want to have one because 1) indoor air quality in a house with kids etc is going to be bad anyway, 2) they produce a ton of dust, 3) it will cut down on your cleaning and keep all of you (bird included) healthier.

If you get a filter--- splurge on a nice one that will actually make a difference. They aren't cheap, but they are so much more effective than the cheap ones that don't even put a dent in it. Payment plans are available for many and I have an excellent Alen Air purifier that costs me $50 a month on a plan.


ALSO-- Make sure you are only petting on the head and neck. No snuggles/stroking and no wrapping up in blankets...no access to shadowy places (boxes, under furniture, piles of paper, inside clothing, under pillows/blankets, huts, tents etc. Petting a cockatoo anywhere other than the head or neck is a MASSIVE sexual trigger and it often leads to behavioral and health problems. The same is true of shadowy places---can't emphasize this enough. Yes--- they LOVE being cuddles and digging around in boxes, but that is because they are hard-wired to reproduce and it is very unhealthy to allow them to do these things in captivity because it's like making a sexual promise that you can't keep. All of your family members need to know this and adhere to these behavioral norms. You do not want an anxious, sexually frustrated bird who begins to mis-perceive family members as mates. Plucking is common in sexually frustrated birds--- Yours still needs a vet---but do make sure you aren't triggering anything hormonal (now and forever).