# My cockatiel is skinny!



## HaleyHobbs (Jul 15, 2014)

I am usually the go to girl for cockatiels in the bird store I work at and I can answer any question a costumer can come up with, no problem! But when it comes to my own little Flock I am a huge worrier. 

So I adopted a cockatiel from my boss after he came in with a hair wrapped around his toe. His toe eventually fell off even though we got the hair off and he looked fine. I took him home to care for him, he fell in love with my female lutino and from then on I wasn't letting him go. 

Although he's not quite as tame as my other 6 tiels, he's very sweet. He is the only one of my tiels that absolutely hates the dogs so I let him keep his flight feathers so he can stay away from them easier. 

He's Lost ALOT of weight. I'm talking like 15 grams. Maybe a bit more. He was more on the chunky side when I got him but this worries the **** out of me. I also have a red rump parakeet that's in quarantine because he was diagnosed with AGY. They are no where near each other but it still kind of worries me.

Being flighted I know they use a lot of energy and burn up calories pretty quick. I have to know though, is that too big of a weight jump for a period of about 6 week flighted?

He is a big boy, he was about 97 and now he's about 82. Which is usually ideal for a cockatiel. But that's alot of weight lost.

Maybe mating season, being around three females, could play a part? 

I'm a worried mom here...


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

82 grams could be his natural weight. He could of been overweight before, from being cage-bound or having a poor diet or whatever. If he keeps losing more and more weight though, I'd be concerned that he might be sick and should see an avian vet.

He's a beautiful boy!


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## HaleyHobbs (Jul 15, 2014)

His keel is very prominent. :/

I have a white faced name henry too!


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## ollieandme (Mar 25, 2013)

82 is generally a very healthy weight, but after such a great loss i would be a bit concerned as well. the keel bone test is the most accurate, and generally prominent keel bones do indicate an unhealthy lack of weight! i'd keep an eye on how much food he's eating and if you're concerned, you can always take him to a vet and get him checked out. queer...i hope there's nothing sinister underlying and that it's just a natural loss  keep us updated!


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## HaleyHobbs (Jul 15, 2014)

So I caught him chewing on some paper today. Crinkly paper that I use for my nanday and my goffins foraging toys. Looked to be digesting it... let me know what you think on that if you could:/


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## ollieandme (Mar 25, 2013)

hm i wouldn't think that would be the cause of weight loss though i guess you never know! mine chew paper, and digest it a bit i think, and they've been fine...


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## Hellena (Feb 11, 2013)

sounds like a normal weight. Just as long as he doesn't keep losing it. That could be what the right weight is for him.


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## HaleyHobbs (Jul 15, 2014)

He weighs 86 today. Sooooo, his probably skinny due to all the flying. Lol


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Yay! That's wonderful. I've noticed that my 'tiels who fly around the most tend to eat the most, so your baby might just need a bit of feeding up, hehe.


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## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

I agree to that it's probably the exercise especially if he's getting more with you than he was before and maybe the stress from being in a new place/home. It's great that he's put on a bit more.


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## HaleyHobbs (Jul 15, 2014)

Lol definatelly not the stress of being in a new home. I've had him for nearly 4 months now. I took care of him at work for a while before I brought him home to take care of him. So he never had that stress. Or atleast never showed it. He sang all day and eats no problem.


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