Parakeet help?!?

Question

i have parakeets and they keep fluffing up their feathers & keeps on scratching themselves every so often. do you guys think that they have fleas or mites or something?

Answer 1

Sometimes a bird will puff out its feathers when you're about to groom it (pet it) -- it knows what you're about to do, and it wants to make sure you can reach all the itchy spots.

Birds puff up to keep warm; to show comfort; when they are ill (this is a messy, haphazard kind of puff -- they look sort of scruffy); to look bigger to scare off a rival; but also when they are curious, comfortable, excited, or about to get a heady-scratchy from somebody they trust

Answer 2

Sounds normal to me. I have a male parakeet and he does that and it's just preening. If they start scratching like 24/7 then take them to a vet!

Answer 3

If there is no bald spots it probably doesn't have mites. but if you want to you can get a bird spray to kill mites and prevent them. it does not hurt the bird. i used it on mine and he is just great now!you can purchase it at your local Wall-mart.that is just for precaution. your bird probably does not have mites any way!

Answer 4

I have a parakeet. Well, we used to have two parakeets. That is REALLY normal. You know how cats l**k themselves when they are dirty? That's the same thing with Parakeets, except they fluff up and scratch themselves.

Answer 5

Depends on how often.  Every now and then it is normal preening.  Too much preening, or if he is leaving bald patches and he might mave mites.