# Concerned about my molting Mabel.



## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

*Concerned about Mabel.*

So Mabel has passed the one year mark now and has been going through a very heavy molt for the past few weeks (actually, my entire flock is - soo many feathers everywhere). She has pin feathers popping up everywhere and has been preening like crazy and letting out a little yelp every time she knocks one of them. I've been showering her daily in an attempt to help relieve some of her itchiness. Yesterday I noticed some blood on her beak and watched her pull out several new pins from under her wings, where the down has not yet grown back and her bare skin is showing. She was yelping but kept doing it. I've been keeping a close eye on her and have noticed her doing it quite often... I'm really concerned. This has only started since she has been molting, she has never plucked herself before. I'll see if I can get a photo next time she does bat bird.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

You can try spraying her with 100% aloe mixed with warm water. Pin feathers are super itchy and that could definitely be her issue.


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Thanks Roxy, I will try that. I haven't seen nor heard her pluck any today so that's a relief.


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## TamaMoo (Jan 12, 2014)

Keeping my fingers crossed, and Joey is keeping his wings crossed, that no plucking means she is on the mend.


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## Fran.bath89 (Jun 12, 2016)

There's no chance they could have got mites from anything? Just best to be vigilant with things like that also as moulti is so stressful that if they catch a mite while under stress it can be fatal I used scat on all my birds every few months as precaution and I use dermatcious powder on crevices but my birds are outside so more chances for them to get them. The aloe advice is excellent as it's non toxic and soothes and heals


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

No, I don't think she could have caught mites, as my flock spends the majority of their time indoors. She hasn't plucked in a few days and her molting is slowing down, so hopefully this will be the end of it, and if not, I'll contact my vet.


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Okay, bad news. Today I was giving the flock a shower and noticed two new bald spots on both sides of Mabel's wings. I managed to get a pic of the worst one. This doesn't look normal, right?


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

If you haven't already, have her tested for giardia. Plucking/screaming and plucking under the wings are primary symptoms.


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Thanks enigma - I am going to make an appointment today. The scale shows Mabel has lost 5 grams. Henry has had giardia in the past - can it recur even though he was treated? The aloe vera seems to be helping with the itchiness but hasn't stopped the overpreening. My partner has a huge aloe vera plant so I've been slicing up a leaf and letting it soak in some water in a spray bottle overnight.


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

Yes, it can recur. Giardia sheds intermittently, so birds can be asymptomatic carriers for it, too.


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## littletiel (May 15, 2011)

roxy culver said:


> You can try spraying her with 100% aloe mixed with warm water. Pin feathers are super itchy and that could definitely be her issue.


Would something like this be good too?
http://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/Buy/70997/Plunkett-Pure-Aloe-Vera-99-Spray-125ml


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Mabel had a full exam on Friday and nothing out of the ordinary was found. No parasites (relief!). My avian vet suspects she could have an allergy, or an inflammation issue, so she has prescribed a week of anti inflammatory meds. If she doesn't improve by next Friday I will be taking her for a second visit for further tests to be done, most likely including a skin sample to be sent to the lab. I am so proud of how chilled out she was in the car and how she behaved with the vet - no biting at all (although Mabel has never bitten me nor anyone else). I will be keeping up the aloe vera showers as well. I have to syringe feed her the meds because she's a smart cookie and refuses to eat the med-spiked toast I have offered her, which is okay because she's pretty calm when restrained. Fingers crossed she stops feather picking soon.

Side note: Georgie is going to the vet next week to get DNA tested! Exciting. We decided we can't wait 3 or so years to see if he develops a ring or not lol.


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

I took Mabel back to the vet on Friday after not seeing any improvement. The plucking has gradually gotten worse. Another poop examination showed that she does indeed have giardia so I am treating her orally and also putting a larger dose into a small waterbowl for her three cagemates. Is it possible she had giardia already when I got her but has only just recently shown symptoms due to the stress of a huge molt? Nobody else is showing syptoms but I'm betting they all have it. To be honest I'm sort of relieved I know the cause of Mabel's plucking now because I was starting to fret that perhaps she was turning into a chronic plucker... phew.


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

Yes, very possible. They can be asymptomatic for a long time. I hope this solves her plucking issues!


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

P.S. Remember you have to clean well throughout the treatment to stop them from getting reinfected.


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Hopefully. That's the only explanation I have as to why she was infected.. the pet shop I got her from (I got Henry from the same place and he also had giardia). I clean their toys and cage weekly, they are rarely outside and I always give them filtered water. Naturally I'm one to blame myself but I'm pointing the finger this time.. not that it matters now.

Mabel has been very sleepy lately but has somewhat kept up her appetite (although no improvement in her weight), and she's been getting treats daily. I am going to wheel their cage outside and give it a deep clean this week.


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

What med are you treating with? Is it metronidazole or ronidazole?

(Don't blame yourself, giardia is one of those things that's just present in the environment, and sometimes our birds contract it.)


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

The medication is called Trichozole which I'm assuming is another name for Metronidazole. I read your tips and tricks for giving oral meds that you linked in another thread, very helpful stuff.

I came across something interesting in this article. Do you think feeding oregano will help as much as the article suggests? Anyways I am giving some fresh to them daily, they love it.

While making my order for more Lafeber products on eBay I found this product and wondered if it could help Mabel with her irritation. I know liquid supplements are typically not recommended but I thought it might be worth a try? A little bit added to her soft food perhaps?

Also going to add a couple of pics of one of the patches she has plucked. (Note that she is wet from her shower, when she is dry you can't see the bald patch without parting the feathers.)


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Trying not to stress out but Mabel has been holding up her left foot a lot and limping slightly when she walks. She is climbing and using it perfectly fine though. Going back to the vet today to pick up some more meds...


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

How is Mabel doing? Did the vet think her limping was related to the giardia at all?


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

No. Her leg is back to normal. Could have been the result of Coco picking on her when she was trying to sleep the other night.. he nips her feet.. I don't understand why they need to fight over who sleeps where, there's plenty of room in there lol. Such a bully. Or maybe she sprained it somehow. Either way, it's corrected itself on its own.

She's doing better today, being active and playing with toys instead of fluffed up sleeping on a perch like she was a few days ago. She seems to be picking at herself less. I got a second lot of meds since the first lot wasn't enough for all four of them. I hope she's getting enough down for it to work... I'm no expert at administering oral meds. Her appetite is good. 

Just wondering, how long should I wait before I take her back to the vet for another checkup?


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## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

I think we rechecked at 30 days, but it somewhat depends on the treatment, so check with the vet.


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Okay thank you. I forgot to ask her, will give her a call first thing next week.


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## chrissy055 (Jan 16, 2017)

Where can I get the 100% Aloe? And how much do you mix with water?
Thanks!


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Mabel has returned to her usual mischevious self but she's still plucking her pin feathers, although not as often as before the treatment. She has regained 5 grams and seems pretty happy. 

Not sure where you can buy 100% aloe vera... your best bet is probably buying the plant itself. I used the flesh of one medium sized leaf to 500ml of water (the size of my spray bottle), and apparently it lasts for a week in the fridge.


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## magbitangcedric (May 2, 2017)

Maybe she needs another cockatiel to talk to her yesterday i asked the man that owns the petshop ive been at and the only thing he said is that some feather pluckings cause are loneliness that is true cause when i bought 5 cockatiels for my 1 white face cockatiel he stopped feather plucking but he did it again because all of the cockatiels i bought for him was still young to breed so maybe mabel feels lonely because other parrots plucks their feathers until they die because of lonliness

Sent from my SM-J500G using Tapatalk


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Mabel is not lonely, she shares a large cage with three other cockatiels. She naturally chooses to spend time with me when she's out of the cage rather than her 'tiel friends, and is quite fascinated with people and will step up for anyone, even people she's meeting for the first time. She is a very outgoing, special girl with plenty of personality. If you'd looked at my signature or read my profile you would have noted that Mabel isn't my only bird.

Mabel is slowly feathering out again . I will be taking her back to the vet for a follow-up appointment in the near future to confirm her recovery.


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## magbitangcedric (May 2, 2017)

Ohh sorry about that cause i experienced that so i answered it right away for mabel to stop that beacause when that happened to my cockatiel i was worried about him so sorry i didnt knew that you have more cockatiels ohh and she looks beautiful when she stop plucking her feathers so all i can sa is goodluck plus i hope all cockatiels stop feather plucking sorry again.googluck to mabel and your other cockatiels😊😊

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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Thank you. She is doing sooo much better!

Almost dozing off on my shoulder:


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## Nimra (Aug 4, 2014)

Poor Mabel! I am glad to see her recovering, since the place where she plucked off all her feathers seemed really severe. Hope she recovers completely very, very soon.


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