Owning a pet Cockatiel can be a lot of fun. If you’re a first time bird owner then you may have a few questions regarding basic care and upkeep of your Cockatiel. For instance, you might want to know if your pet bird can carry mites. This is a good question to talk over with your vet. Your veterinarian will probably tell you that contrary to popular belief, most pet birds do not carry mites. In fact, mites are often seen only on birds living in the wild. This does not mean; however, that your Cockatiel cannot pick up mites. If your bird comes into contact with mites in some way then he will be susceptible to an infestation. The most common mites found on pet birds are scaly-faced mites, air sac mites, feather mites and red mites. Call your veterinarian Glendale, AZ if you notice your Cockatiel has itchy skin, skin lesions, anemia or feather damage. More details here.