Hi. I have a a cockatiel who has just turned 15. He has always been a healthy bird, and as he has the run of the house, gets plenty of exercise. I have two problems which MAY be interrelated, and I would appreciate some advice. First of all, he is a very picky eater. I have tried over the years to give him fruit and veggies, but he just won't touch them. They just set there and rot, if I don't take them away. I have tried pellets but he won't eat them either, and I'm afraid to force him lest he starve (I've a book that says that 'tiels can starve to death in just a couple of days due to their high metabolism). Anyway, I have never worried too much about his diet because he has always been so healthy and hearty. Lately, I have noticed that he is becoming bald on his flanks, under each wing. He is totally denuded of feathers there and the patches seem to be growing. He is not a nervous bird, and does not seem to pick at those areas any more than any other. I give him a vitamin supplement in his water on the advice of a lady at my local pet store. I have not taken him to a vet yet, as I have heard that feather loss of this kind in not unusual for an older bird. Is this true? What is the cause of this, and can the feathered areas be restored? What can I do about better nutrition? I am very fond of this little rascal, and hope to have him for many years to come. (you say that a 'tiel's life expectancy is 10-17 years. I have a book which says its 25 to 30. Why the wide variation?) Thanks for your help.

George Graves

George,

There probably are cockatiels that are 25 years old and a few have lived longer than that, but the range of 10-17 years is more the average. Why some live much longer than others is due to good breeding stock and proper nutrition and care.

It isn't unusual for a birds feathering to thin as they approach their golden years. A bird's nutritional demands are altered due to their aging. While adding a vitamin supplement to the water could help, without knowing what deficiencies it might have, vitamins added to the water may actually do more harm than good, as tiels' intake of water is low and adding supplements to drinking water tends to promote bacteria growth in that same water.