# Got a cockatiel- weird smell



## amsue0222 (Feb 15, 2010)

I just got a cockatiel from craigslist for free-- she is a lovely female-- I believe that she is a normal pearl. She is very sweet and loving, super quiet and friendly.

She has an odor to her that I am not sure is normal. It isn't a very pleasant smell--
I have a quaker parrot that has really no odor and have never owned a cockatiel before. Do they normally smell? 

She took a shower today and really enjoyed it but is still pretty smelly-- it isn't a pungeont odor but not pleasant either.

She has been abandoned in a house that no one lives in for a while-- the girl that she belonged to has moved and apparently didn't want the poor bird anymore. I will be buying her a new cage after she gets settled in and taking her to the vet this week to have her tested for several issues.
She doesn't seem sick but I have children and a quaker parrot that I don't want to get sick from her.

I am happy to have her-- she is so sweet!!


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

Spike has a powdery smell but when he has a shower he can smell quite musty. I would also worry that if you can smell her quite strongly that she may be sick. I think when in doubt an avain vet visit is always a good idea


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## amsue0222 (Feb 15, 2010)

It is a musty smell and she was quite dusty when I got her, I don't think she has had a bath in quite a while-- she is definitely going to the vet to get checked out but I do know that the Galah has an odor I was just wondering about cockatiels. My quaker doesn't have an odor so I didn't know if cockatiels have an odor in general. I do hope she isn't sick-- she has a bit of an apetite but doesn't want to try many veggies yet.


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## Clawsworth (Nov 9, 2009)

Cockatiels do have an odour in general, and it's stronger when they're wet after a bath. I describe it as a mixture between dust and corn chips! Hopefully the vet can tell, and I hope everything is alright with her. It's good she's eating though.

Welcome to the forum, and I'm happy you rescued a poor 'tiel.


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## dimplez (Oct 21, 2009)

Dimplez smells like seeds - just like my parakeets but maybe a little bit stronger obviously b/c they're bigger...But I can only smell his odor if I put him close to my nose and...sniff him or give him kisses  Otherwise I don't think I can smell him that strong or anything.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

If there was anything funny-smelling in her old house, some of the odor could have attached itself to her feathers, and it might take a while for the smell to fade away.


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## amsue0222 (Feb 15, 2010)

I do hope she is fine-- I was wanting a cockatiel for my birthday which is today : _ ) I am happy to have given a cockatiel good home ; ) She is in a much better place and is loving the attention!! I think that the smell is just her but I don't really know until I take her into the vet. She is a sweetie. My vet is an awesome vet and does all sorts of tests and will make sure she is good to go-- we go to an avian and exotic pet vet -- she tested my quaker baby for all sorts of tests. We boarded my quaker there last summer for vacation. They are so good with birdies and seem to really care about them! They also help with behavioral issues (like my stubborn quaker)


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

When I got my Green Cheek Conure from the breeders place, she had an utmost AWFUL smell on her. It took awhile for the smell to go, but now she smells really pretty! 

Happy Birthday by the way, and congrats on your new ’tiel! I’m sure she’ll be fine, I’d say it’s a smell she’s brought from the previous house she was in, good luck at the Vets.


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## jc119007 (Dec 28, 2009)

This reminds me of when I bought Kikou home, straight away I realised that she smelt like a chicken coup-  not very pleasant at all! Since then she's had a shower (which she loves thank goodness) so the smell has faded, and since she got the green light from the vet I know that nothing's wrong. So now she smells like a faded chicken coup with fresh seeds mixed in  So maybe just a few more showers to go before it goes away


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## Spongebob (Feb 16, 2010)

I always thought Spongebob smelled like popcorn! lol.

You could only smell her if you put your nose right up to her feathers and it wasnt a nasty smell. She probably has just picked up a smell from her old house. It will fade im sure.


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## WallyBird (Nov 23, 2009)

I don't think it's her natural smell, cause tiels do smell sort of musty at least mine do. Have you tried misting her everyday with a spray bottle? Its a good idea to do anyways, but it also helps with your tiels cleanliness. Overall they are pretty clean birdies but I'm sure after some baths you won't be able to smell her. 

P.S congrats on a wonderful tiel!


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## brittbritt (Oct 25, 2008)

Happy birthday and I'm glad you got a sweet cockatiel for your birthday and were able to adopt a sweetheart needing a loving new home. I hope all goes well at the vet visit.


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## amsue0222 (Feb 15, 2010)

Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes!! -- we are goin to the VET tomorrow in the am-- hopefully they will say she is healthy! She got another shower today and she still smells a bit-- I am sure that after she is here for a while it will fade. She is sooo sweeet!! Our whole family is so excited about her-- my kids are amazed at how sweet she is (compared to our crazy quaker! )


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## Luti-Kriss (Dec 23, 2009)

I would just keep giving her baths. I got my cockatiels about a month & two weeks ago. Their former owner NEVER bathed them, so they were VERY dusty and their feathers felt very oily. They were kept in an outdoor aviary all Summer so I assumed that was the reason why. Wild birds feel the same way lol.

But anyways I started bathing them a lot and they enjoy it so much. They're a lot less dusty now, their feathers aren't oily anymore, and they're much more healthy looking.

So just continue giving the baths. Cockatiels do have a normal musty smell because of the dust but if it's any other smell than that taking her to the vet like you are is good.


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