Posted by acehelix on Sun, 06/29/2008 - 10:24 :: Cockatiels
My 14 year old female cockatiel has been showing some pretty obvious signs of aging over the last few years. She's developed bald spots on her wings and "cheeks"(ears) but as of the last year her wings have managed to fold UNDER her feet. Somedays it's just one wing that gets stuck, other days it's both. She has trouble walking and moving around and occasionally will fall off of her perch, for lack of more eloquent wording, pooping all over herself. We bath her weekly to stop the build up from handicapping her any futher. Is there anything that we can do for her to make her more comfortable? We've tried to carefully unfold her wings and place them back but they end up folding right back under her body within minutes. Is something else seriously wrong with her or is it just old age setting in? I just feel so bad for her, I've had her since she was a hatchling, I fed her from a bottle. It's hard to see her like this. Here are some pictures of what I'm talking about:

Unfortunately it's hard to see, but the wing on the left is caught under her foot:
http://i26.tinypic.com/2wn711s.jpg

And here again (you can see our male 7yrs in the background):
http://i30.tinypic.com/jj8pxj.jpg
Posted by jeanmey3 on Sun, 07/06/2008 - 18:55.
Hi, poor baby, did she have much wing flapping exercise
thru her life to strengthen muscles? Could you clip her wings
to lessen the weight of them? I'm not a medical person of any
knowledge, so just some thoughts. It looks like the muscle
tendons might not be strong enough to hold up her wings.
I would think it must be painful, if a arm tendon is pulled
in a person. Have you taken her to a avain vet? Jeanie
Posted by jeanmey3 on Thu, 07/10/2008 - 07:47.
Hi, I'm sorry, I keep thinking about your poor Cockatiel.
I can't help she must be in pain. Her tendons must be pulled
and muscles stretched so far. She also looks very old and
weary and or pained. Please take her for a professional
opinion. It hurts me to think she may be in pain. J
Posted by bensdad on Sun, 07/13/2008 - 10:38.
I assume you took her tothe Vet? You did not mention it.