Cockatiel Feet Problems

Your cockatiel's feet are very delicate and you should watch for any kind of injury or problems. Good exercise, excellent nutrition and a clean environment are key for keeping your cockatiel's feet in top health. The lack of good care can cause deformed nails, fungus infections on the feet, and sores.
Mites can also damage your cockatiel's feet as well a Vitamin A deficiency.

Watch for overgrown nails, if not sure do have your avian vet examine your cockatiel's nails for proper size. Anyone with long nails knows the painful feeling of bending or breaking one. Cockatiel s can have the same pain if a nail is damage. It's always best to have your avian vet trim the nails if you are not an EXPERT on cockatiels. If cut too short your cockatiel can bleed to death very quickly. If for some reason a nail does not grow back, it will not be handicap to your cockatiel.

Taking good care of your cockatiel's feet.
Cockatiels will spent most of the day and night on their feet so perches play an important role here. Perches for cockatiels should be made from natural wood and in different sizes to maintain the health of the bird's feet.

Clean your perches every week, bacteria from dropping can build up and infect your cockatiels feet.

Fruit trees that are organic and have not been treated with chemicals make excellent perches live those from apple trees. If you get perches from a pet store, do make sure you get different sizes in diameter.

Perches that are too small (diameter) can injure your cockatiel in the long term. The tips of the front and back nails should not meet or overlap when perching.

Watch for hot surfaces around the house like the kitchen, or a pan you just cooked on, they can burn your cockatiel's feet.