My cockatiel's feathers are fluffed. Is she sick or just sleeping?

Hello. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Sepeda is beautiful!

A cockatiel sleeping with feathers fluffed can either be normal behavior or sign of illness.

Nighttime is when a cockatiel gets the majority of their sleep. At night, a cockatiel’s body temperature is lower, so they may do several things to conserve body heat.

* stand on one leg, tucking the other up under the abdomen
* tuck the head under her wing
* fluff up the feathers to trap warm air next to the body

It is recommended that you keep at least three sides of the cage covered at all times to help keep temperatures constant in the cage.

If she seems unusually sleepy during the day then she may be getting sick. She should be active in daylight doing all of her normal activities (feeding, preening, exploring, exercising, singing, etc).

If she is sleeping more than the occasional nap, especially if she is fluffed up, she might not be feeling well. Sick birds often huddle at the bottom of the cage, fluffed up and looking sleepy. They can quickly become too weak to stand on a perch or eat. A cockatiel behaving this way needs evaluation as quickly as possible by an avian veterinarian.

Hope this helps. Best wishes.