# Dirty bird won't preen.



## ChorneTheFirstborn (Aug 9, 2017)

So, my baby cockatiel came home a couple days ago. He's gotten dirty over that time with bits of food on him and poop in his tail feathers, and he won't preen.
When I try to help him out by picking bits of food off him he bites me. But I think I can manage getting it out. The tail feathers are another story though.

Can I help him in any way to get the poop and etc. out of his tail feathers? Or can I just ease him into it somehow?


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

How is he getting poop on his tail feathers? Is he walking around on the ground through his poop? I would say start trying to keep him out of the poop. Have you tried misting him yet? That will encourage him to preen himself and get clean.


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## ChorneTheFirstborn (Aug 9, 2017)

I didn't know it was odd for tiels to get poop on their tail feathers. I think I know what's doing it know...
He has this purple platform in his cage he adores to stand on, and he'll poop on it all day then turn around to get food. I don't know what I can do about it besides clean it every day along with his newspaper. 
I can't exactly take his favorite place to sleep away from him. And he uses it as a stepping stone to climb around on a regular basis. I suppose I'll just make cleaning that part of my routine...
In the meantime I'll try misting him a bit more. Thanks!


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Honestly, he doesn't need the platform. If it's going be an issue where he's getting poop and stuff on himself from standing on it, I'd remove it. You really want him to use perches more than anything else, this helps prevent issues like bumble foot and how they keep their nails from getting too long.


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## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

I agree with Roxy. Having a variety of ropes, dowels, and natural perches that he’s constantly on will be the best bet. It will prevent arthritis and as Roxy said, keep the nails trim. It isn’t really that sanitary that he’s getting poop all over himself. My lovebirds have a small platform, but they don’t use it all the time. If they did...


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## Oztiel (Sep 5, 2014)

Our rehomed 10+-year-old cockatiel, Banjo often looked tatty and grubby because he formerly lived in a small cage and because the perches were not well set out. He often had poop in his tailfeathers and wing feathers at times.

Good perch layout might approximate a vertical zigzag pattern but with perches offset vertically from the ones, above or below.

This is especially important in that area where your bird sleeps as the poop builds up beneath as the bird is not moving around so that poop accumulates in a lump. The bird when moving around drags his tailfeathers across it.

Clean the cage perches every day and it helps eliminate the problem quickly.If you have dowels -just scrape them.If tree branch with bark get one of those little stainless steel wire brushes that look like a toothbrush.
As far as preening its a skill the bird will develop as he gets older.

Oztiel


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