Cockatiel plucking feathers; I'm not at home...

caykuu · Oct 12, 2012

Hi there,

I have a 5 year old female cockatiel named Tinker who has bonded with me. I left for college this September, and she is left at home with my mom... she has apparently been plucking her feather's like crazy since, very stressed. My college dorms does not allow pets.

I come home every other weekend, and she misses me so much. Her feathers are in terrible condition.

What is there to do? Any advice is appreciated.

Riio · Oct 12, 2012

I dont have any advice, just wanted to tell you how sad and sorry I am to hear this. Poor lil thing and you.

tab_xo · Oct 12, 2012

im not sure either

could you try skyping with her ? so she could see you and hear your voice..
or maybe get her some more toys which are meant for pluckers ?

caykuu · Oct 13, 2012

Maybe skyping would help! Thanks-
She already has toys for pluckers, but chooses to pluck instead..

Featheredsamurai · Oct 13, 2012

How far away do you live from school? I live 60 miles from school and take a hour and a half train ride and walk across downtown San Fransisco twice a day two days a week(used to go 4 days a week) because they don't allow pets in dorms(I wouldn't bring her to a dorm anyway). I have a classmate who commutes all the way from Sacramento, that's 80 miles away.

If may suck but if you can just commute or take the train if you have one available. I know it kinda sucks and it makes life a but more hectic and tiring but it's worth it to see your bird happy. Rosie is my family and I love her so much and would do anything for her.

caykuu · Oct 13, 2012

For me, commuting in that schedule isn't possible at all, unfortunately. If I could, I would have. I'm taking 11 classes this semester, with morning (9am) to night classes (7~10pm) every weekday except Friday, where my latest class is 4~7pm, which I then I come home over the weekend and return Sunday night. I'm also an hour and a half drive to school.

Thanks for the post though. I come home as often as I can already, but she's like this.

Eloy · Oct 13, 2012

I will give her away to someone that she bond with and are home most of the day if you are going to school for a longer time.
It's not fair to the bird, you come home and she be happy again and then you leave her again. She must be feeling so lost and abandoned.

caykuu · Oct 13, 2012

My mom lets her out to play, take baths, etc. for 5~6 hours per day. I'm guessing that she's doing most of her plucking at night in her cage...

I have a feeling giving her away at this point may stress her out even more, with a completely new environment and people. Tinker at least knows my mom - if I had to choose to give her away, I might as well help my mom to bond with her instead. It would be overall less stressful, comparing the two options.

I am considering a new bird for her too

That may end up working, if the plucking still persists after a few weeks of attempted bonding with my mom.

Eloy · Oct 14, 2012

I don't think you understand what you are doing to your bird.
You have a feeling and you considering..
Your bird are telling you how she feel by plucking her feathers! Each feathers for every stab in her heart.
To give her away doesn't mean stress. I have had several rescue birds and they all come to me and make a bond because I understand them and don't pressure them.

And to buy a friend to her, why is that sad?
Perhaps you should have done that before you went away.
Sorry if you are feeling sad because I'm writing this, but I only want the best for your bird and I hope you will the same.

MonicaMc · Oct 21, 2012

Just got to ask.... has medical reasons for the plucking been ruled out? It does sound behavioral, but it doesn't hurt to make sure it's not medical.

Getting her a friend *may* help her, but that is no guarantee she'll stop plucking. In fact, she might even pluck her friend! No way to know until you go that route.

Is she flighted or clipped? How often does she get bathes? What is her diet like? Can you get us a picture of her cage? What about foraging? Does she get the opportunity to?

Cockatiel plucking feathers; I'm not at home...

caykuu

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Riio

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tab_xo

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