My friends Cockatiel has lost all colour!

Question

When I last saw it 8 months ago, it was grey with yellow cheeks and orange bits. I went to feed the birds in her aviary last week when she was on holiday and I thought I'd gone colour blind! The budgies were fine but the cockatiel had turned pale grey and white. It was like looking at a black and white TV. Any idea whats caused it to lose it's colour?

Answer 1

maybe he caught something from the other birds

Answer 2

cockatiels change color from having spots, to turning grey (if they are males and if they are born pearled) its not a problem he basically matured lol check out http://www.parrotcentral.net/cockatiels.... for good tiel info

Answer 3

Did you ask if this is the same bird? How old is the bird? What does it eat? and, Does the bird still have orange circles on his face? I get concerned when you say the orange was in "orange bits", no cockatiel's cheek patch should be broken up into a pattern. It should be a full, bright orange (unless it's a female or a color mutation).

Healthy male and female bird: http://www.naturephoto-cz.com/photos/bir...

Is it perhaps a color mutation?: http://www.parrot-and-conure-world.com/i...

http://www.leannescockatiels.com/mutatio...

With any change in feather coloration, the owner needs to call an avian vet. It could be anything from liver/kidney malfunction, hormone imbalance, viruses or something else. You will never know until the vet runs some tests.

Good luck! And let us know what you find out!

Answer 4

does it get the right nutrition? is she feeding food that is specifically made for cockatoos? ask her what kind of diet it gets...that could be a big factor!  

Answer 5

Put a cherry and a colourful umbrella on a cocktail stick in it.

Answer 6

has anybody bleached it?

Answer 7

they have premium multi drops that you put in their food and water (it their vitamins that they need and they also sell seeds that enhances colorful plumage they are called molting and conditioning supplement and it also has alot of vitamins and minerals in it ,,, it really brings out their color,, you can get this stuff at a pet store or like me i buy mine a wal*mart

Answer 8

maybe its another bird?

how  can i get  mine to shut up?

Answer 9

Young Cockatiels can change colour with their firs full moult, Pieds usually don't but not always. If he is still lively, eating ok and his eyes are bright then I wouldn't worry too much.

Good Luck.