# Why does she do this?



## naiefae (Jul 13, 2010)

She's been doing it for a few days now, and I wonder if it is something to worry about or not.

While my cockatiel, Sunni, preens her back, she sometimes makes this weird squawking sound, like a quick 'Rrrrr' or 'Rraa' sound. It's not continuous though she'd do it a couple times while preening, so she's squawking into her back. 

She's not done this before and now she does it every day, though not all the time - the only time she previously did that was when I would be scratching her head, and I think it's when I bump one of the quills (so I assume she doesn't like it). Yet she'd just be sitting on me or my dad, preening her back, not being touched or us doing anything and then she'd squawk.

Is this bad? It doesn't seem as though she has mites, at least not on her wings (she's a lutino). I don't know how old she is, but I think she is fairly young, and I've had her for over a month now.


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## Cassie (Jan 7, 2009)

I'm sure others on here would have a far better idea than me, but perhaps she has a damaged blood feather that's hurting her when she preens? One of mine recently damaged one and that's what she would do. I had to have the feather pulled out. Can you hold her and pull the feathers aside to see if there's anything there maybe?


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## naiefae (Jul 13, 2010)

Thanks for letting me know Cassie!  I was feeling around her back the other day, but couldn't feel any pin feathers or see anything reddish in the feathers - though I don't think I had a thorough enough look before she nipped at me (doesn't like her back being touched much or being held). I'll have a look again tomorrow. Cheers!


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## AlbyPepper (Apr 3, 2010)

Sometimes when Alby or Cinnamon are grooming, they let out a random squark. I think they tend to get a little carried away and accidently pull on a pin feather or blood feather. Alby does this more so when he is grooming his wings. But Cinnamon does it to her back.


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## Annie (Nov 20, 2009)

Don't worry. I agree with AlbyPepper. My Sunny does it all the time---preening himself and letting out a loud squawk every now and then because he must have accidentally pulled on a pin or blood feather which caused him pain. My dad just laughs and says it's just like us humans saying "ouch" when we hurt ourselves.


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## naiefae (Jul 13, 2010)

Thanks for replying Annie and AlbyPepper. It's comforting to know that other tiels do the same. I couldn't find any bloodfeathers or pinfeathers on her back, so maybe she's just being silly or over enthusiastic with preening herself. 

It's just odd that she's suddenly started doing it, and she's be squawking while she preens for more than a few seconds - at one point she was preening herself and kept squawking and squeeking for some 20 seconds before she quietened. My parents are a bit worried - dad thinks that somethings probably eating her, but I've sprayed her for mites, and checking through her feathers there doesn't seem to have anything. =\


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