Have just bought a cockateil from local pet shop a week ago. He was the last one and looked a bit scruffy but i couldnt resist him but now im worried as he seems to be nibbling his feathers and the feathers round his neck and back look stubby. This is my first cockatiel so am a bit nieve about them athough i have been reading about them but have not found anything helpful.Would be gratefull for any advice.

when you say stubby, do you mean, it looks like he has snipped the feathers down, but left a little end piece? Try rubbing this end piece, as it sounds like it could be new feather growth, this does look scruffy, but once the end piece comes off, there is new feather inside!

I think its Moulting season for them at the moment..i know mines is mouting just now..ooh my floor in the morning..
you can buy moulting tonic from petshop..if iy dosent clear up soon mybe a trip to the vets..

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R.I.P ...Mesha xx Never Forget you xx
I will be back! i need to fight the BIG "C" atm!

Oh, you could also try some vitamin drops, and crushed oyster shells are also good, along with fresh fruit.

let us know how you get on xx

Thanks for the advice am most grateful. I am unable to hold the bird yet as it is still very scared so cant examine the feathers more closely. I have been watching it today and it is nipping or pulling the downey feathers out and eating them also it doesnt seem interested in any toys and does not chirp or whistle much .i would have thought a bird which is only 13weeks old would be a lot noisier its not lethargic i just feel something is not just right .Just thought i would let you know how things are going . Any further ideas about his problems would be appreciated .May have to take it to the vet.

He is most likely lonely, you should never just keep one bird by itself, i nearly lost my teil because its freind a budgie died and i didnt realise the impact it would have on my bird. You do need to check this though as there are ilnesses taht can cause similar problems, what i did to find out was to play some of the teil vidoes from youTube and my bird after a few vids started joining in, thats when i reallised he was so lonely and rehomed another teil.

My Balders didn't make a peep for about a month after I got him and he didn't really show much interest in toys at all he was 3 months old.

I think it's purely because they are at a new home and settling in.

Imagine if you were in his position; it'd take a while to get used to things.

I'd try and sit with him or near him, maybe talk in a calm voice to him without looking at him, or read a book out load near him.

I've got the Parrots for dummies book, I'll look through it and scan and email you a few useful pages if you want?? Just Pm me and I'll have a look through see what I can find and email to you if you want.

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Saying that though, I got Balders from someone on here. He's very, very tame and he had his mum and dad for company before me. As well as other humans!

As your tiel is still wary of you I'd either, get another tiel for company after you've found out exactly what his feather situation is. OR I'd get lot's of hints and tips on how to tame him

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Congrats on your new furbaby

It is maulting season... my budgies feathers are all over the place so could be just that, as my two look scruffy at the minute.

But as you've only just got him, it could be stress or boredom and he's pulling his feathers out? Make sure there's plenty of toys in his cage, and if it's possible, to get him another feathery friend

Hope he gets better soon!

I think it would be worth you getting him checked out with your avian vet. Try spraying him with some water and ad some Aloe vera in the water too which will help sooth any irritation. Do also keep him quarantined from any other birds you may have until this condition has settled down or he has been checked just to be on the safe side.

If a bird is lacking in some vitimins it can also cause them to chew/pluck feathers, as well as the stress of your bird being on his own after his friends were sold in the shop

Feather up is really good
Feathering products

Good luck with him, would love so see a photo hopefully all being well he will settle down soon.

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