Cockatiel Preening

[Giovanni Lovoi]

My 5 1/2 year old tiel is preening a lot lately. More than usual. He isn't losing any feathers but has lots of dust and flakes. He gets one or two sprays of water every week. His previous molts were not really marked by anything except for tons of feathers on the floor. He acts/eats normal except for when he scratches/preens. I was thinking about taking him to the vet because of this new behavior. But i would like to make sure it's not just dry skin. I live in Arizona and the humidity is very very low, but i have never noticed this excessive preening. He also seems to preen the underside of his body towards his feet and his vent more than other parts. He sleeps fine and when he is having fun out of the cage or is with me, he acts completely normal with no preening.
I hope you guys can help me out.

Thanks so much!

[nymphy]

greetings from australia... my 10 year old m8 [mate] molted somthing furious , feathers everywhere about 2 years ago ,squirter bottle... gone. he hates water even drinkinking it never seen him have more than 2 or 3 break fulls at a time and he flies around inside the house [ big house ] and amazes my guests with his aerobatic skills when l frist moved into this house, he was a bit slow learning where the window s are but he's setttled right down but how nervos are tiels hate magpies, sparrow, cockatoos,gahlahs m8 tried to be a father 2 a lichenstrmus cryasops l had to mother once, he's a funny little guy [different diet ]every home should have a lichenstromus u don't need insect repellant with these little guys around l used 2 call it starvin marvin sit on my shoulder and beg beeeeeep beeeeep and m8 would start regurjitating funny as a hat full l realesed marvin relctantly cos 5years jail or 50,000,00$ fine at the time dunno wot l'd b now stopped playin mum cheers hope this gives u some insite into long term tiel ownership nymphy and m8

[Giovanni Lovoi]

Thanks for the story...
But can anyone give me some advice or info on my question?

[Monica]

Not sure there is even a right answer. If he's not molting, and he doesn't seem irritated (excessive preening with perhaps some screaming), then perhaps he's just been in the mood to preen a lot lately?