cockatiel stress

Question
I was away from my cockatiel over night.  My brother was here to take care of Archie.  While I was gone, he pulled out about 12 feathers and now he is chewing on his feet.  I am back now but he still seems stressed.  What do I do?

Answer
Hi Sandra!

Thank you for asking my advice!

Was this the first time that you left Archie?  Did anything happen while you were away that would cause him major stress?

When dealing with a bird that is feather plucking or self mutilating I always recommend a check up at the vets to rule out a health problem, it could be a virus, bacterial or fungal infection, or internal or external parasites.  It may not have anything to do with you being gone overnight.

If you would like help locating a good avian vet I would be happy to help you!

Sincerely
Danielle