# Butters, my female screams when she preens



## Rick77 (Mar 14, 2013)

My Cocketiel Butters, a female, makes painful sounds when she preens herself. It looks like she is pulling out her "under ware" feathers at times. Though at times all I see her doing is preening and making painful sounds. Is this a stress reaction? I keep her in her own cage when I leave for 8 hrs to work, and a less then a yard away is my male cockatiel that makes no noises when he preens. She is a little over 2 years old and Woodstock the male, is about 7 months old. Miss Butters :cinnamon pearl: and Woodstock :lutino linnie:
When I'm home, both are free to roam over (little ladder bridge on top of cages) to each ones cage, as well as on the playground and no cage doors shut.

See Butters and Woodstock Picture in my Gallery.


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## Amz (Apr 10, 2013)

She could be molting, which is a painful and stressful time for all tiels.

But I would keep an eye on whether the fluffy feathers are just falling out, or if they're being plucked. There's a definite difference. Plucking could be due to stress, environmental factors, or even just boredom, and it's a bad, bad habit to let happen.


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## cknauf (Aug 27, 2012)

Cockatiels are rarely behavioral pluckers, so plucking in cockatiels is more often an indication of disease. Definitely watch her.


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## Rick77 (Mar 14, 2013)

I thank for your help. She has her own cage, next to the males (Woodstock). He likes to play with parrot toys, but she rarely touches them. Though maybe she needs more things to do when Im at work, and I should get her more play things. Rocko looks a lot like her.
I called up the pet store, where I got her and they told me she needed powdered vitamins. I wonder is that would work, or their just trying to sell me a product.


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## Amz (Apr 10, 2013)

They're definitely just trying to sell. The pet store isn't a vet, they don't know what's best for her. You know more than they do.

Although vitamins are important. Does she have a cuttle bone? Does she get fresh fruits/veggies, or baked birdie bread?


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## Rick77 (Mar 14, 2013)

Thank you for your help. I will keep an eye on her. The male just preens normally, but she has to scream, like in pain.


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## Rick77 (Mar 14, 2013)

Yes, she has a cuttle bone. I dont know what baked birdie bread is. I feed her lots of other things like spinach,lettice,cheerios,wheat Chex, eggs, wheat spagetti, aviberries and of course seeds. Also apples, she doesn't like bananas though, but Woodstock does for he eats the same things.


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## Squawkz (Oct 7, 2012)

Our late Chloe did the same thing, she'd cry out and squawk when she preened.

She was a healthy bird, and weighed what she should have, but her screeches had us concerned.

We looked her over carefully, and saw no evidence of broken feathers/shafts or blood.

One thing she was fond of, as are all our birds, is raw broccoli. It's an excellent anti-oxidant. Also, I put a drop or two of apple cider vinegar in our birds' drinking water. Can't hurt, I figure.


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## Rick77 (Mar 14, 2013)

Thank you for your reply. I can't find any evidence of broken feathers/shafts of blood. My little male just preens normally, but my female who laid eggs a couple months ago, squawks when she preens. An interesting note. According to Hindu yogis, birds are part of the Deva evolution. Western mystics call the devas, angels. From the simple elementals that one finds in forests and effect vegetation to the highly evolved Arch Angels. An example would be in the Catholic religion, Arch Angel Michael.


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