Hi, I have a pet cockatiel who is always scratching himself. He appears to be a happy, well-adjusted bird other than the scratching. How can you tell if he has mites? Someone told me he could have dandruff, is this true, because he does seem a bit flaky. Any advice you could give me on my little Pavel would be greatly appreciated, Thank you very much!
Yours truly,
Sue H.
Sue,
Cockatiels shed a dusty powder that comes from their feathers. Cockatiel breeders refer to that powder as dander
or feather dust, and that normal shedding of powder is a fact of life with cockatiels and other birds.
If given proper care, mites aren't generally a problem with 'tiels, however, if you suspect mites could be a problem, a trip to the vet should be scheduled.
Bathing the bird regularly could help. You can either provide a shallow dish in the cage, or you can mist the bird with a plant type misting bottle, using plain water.