# Cockatiel down feathers?



## pandactivity (Sep 24, 2012)

Sorry im not sure where to put this.

Tally has these weird feathers, they look like mini down feathers, they're near his tail close to the wing (almost under) on both sides, those are the only places i see them they come out and look like fluff, very soft and you can roll them into a ball..

I tried to look them up but all i found was posts about tiels being dusty, but it's not dust, or disolvable...


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

Those are powder down feathers. When tiels preen, those feathers break down and make the dust that helps seal their feathers from moisture. It's perfectly normal.


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## pandactivity (Sep 24, 2012)

ah okay, 

thanks!


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

If these feathers are sticking out abnormally, it could be a sign of liver disease. It would be helpful if you could post a picture so we can see exactly what you're talking about.


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## pandactivity (Sep 24, 2012)

tielfan said:


> If these feathers are sticking out abnormally, it could be a sign of liver disease. It would be helpful if you could post a picture so we can see exactly what you're talking about.


Oh god 
Ill take a photo right now and see if i can use my moms lappy to upload it.
they're not really like sticking out.. well kinda, theyre like when your dog blows it's coat (i have a husky, but i know this happens to gsd too) and all of a sudden you can just grab their hair and it comes out like easy peasy, this is what the mini fluffs are doing, he has also lost one tail feather and a few chest feathers and he had some pins on his neck i figured it was from molting, but i gave him a bath all his feathers seem super healthy and his pins are not that noticeable anymore, (and hes not as cranky he LOVED the bath)

Ill take a photo just to be safe though.


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## meaggiedear (Nov 20, 2011)

Before you freak out.... Bjknight's bird Allie has/had these feathers that tielfan is talking about... Here is the picture:









and here is another reference to those types of feathers. 

http://talkcockatiels.com/showpost.php?p=252832&postcount=4


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## pandactivity (Sep 24, 2012)

Oh okay, thank god tallys feathers don't look like that.

and i have realized how hard it is to get a photo of the mini feathers with a tiel that wants to climb all over. 

>.>
i got some photos but you can hardly see them ill keep trying x)


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

It's normal for the down to be visible sometimes. As long as it's fluffy and not hard and stringy like in the pic, I think its fine.


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## meaggiedear (Nov 20, 2011)

You have to look hard bc of her pearls, but willow had a floofie tonight. It's on her shoulder.


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## pandactivity (Sep 24, 2012)

meaggiedear that' it!


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## meaggiedear (Nov 20, 2011)

Lol. Yes. Like enigma said. That is totally normal.


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