A dirty cockatiel is not too appealing to look at, birds usually clean themselves but this isn’t always the case.
If your pet cockatiel has a set of dirty tail feathers this article will help you clean them up.
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How to clean cockatiel tail feathers:
Cockatiels can get their feathers dirty in a variety of ways and if these tail feathers are not cleaned in good time then the dirt can dry up on the feathers making it harder to remove.
Here are different ways to clean these feathers:
Use a Q-Tip:
If the bird’s feathers have recently been dirtied then you can use a Q tip to clean them.
Start off by securing your cockatiel so it doesn’t move around during cleaning. Once secured, dip the q tip into some warm water and gently run it along the bird’s tail feathers.
Make sure to run the Qtip along the feather grain.
Mist the tail:
If you don’t want to get the whole bird dirty but need to soak the dirt to get it off because it is stuck you can mist the cockatiel’s tail and remove the dirt.
Pour some warm water into a spray bottle and use the mist setting to gently mist the bird’s tail.
Let the dirt soak up the water and when it is soft enough to remove you can gently remove it. Massaging a little bit of dawn dish soap on the bird’s tail may also help get the dirt off.
The mist pressure should be gentle to avoid hurting your cockatiel.
Bathing the bird:
You can also bathe your cockatiel to get the dirt off. Doing this is recommended if the dirt is dry and stuck on the bird’s tail.
Fill a shallow bowl with some tepid to warm water, do not fill the dish to a point where it would cover the bird’s head when the bird is in the water.
Allow the bird to approach the water and get into it, your cockatiel will start to bathe itself once inside.
Allow the dirt to soak up some water and then remove the dirt on the bird’s feathers.
The bird will be able to dry itself after the bath, you can help out by drying the bird using a paper towel or by letting the bird dry off under a heat lamp.
What not to do:
Avoid using soap on your bird to clean its tail. Soap can strip the oils off of the bird’s tail. Also, be careful about using shampoos on your bird as they can be harsh on their sensitive skin.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other bird related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Conure Poop Watery, Why Is My Conure So Clingy?, Why Are Cockatoos So Loud?, Parrot Stomach Infection, No Urates In Bird Poop, Cockatiel Feathers Turning Black, Conure Closing One Eye