Why are my parakeets plucking their own feathers?

Question

My 2 birds are healthy, eat, and chirp all day long. But they cant stop plucking their own feathers. Is this common? They have bald spots on parts of their body. Should i be concerned?

it seems the general consensus is that theyre bored. Ive checked them and their skin seems healthy so i dont think its anything too serious. Thanks everyone. Keep the answers coming!

Answer 1

I raise birds parakeets, Finches and cocktails.

It could be a few things.

1) stress...emotional upset from a type of change

2) boredom...they need a variety of toys they like to play. It is recommended that you rotate the toys every few weeks.

3) dry skin..make sure you mist them or have a tub available a couple times a week

4) PBFD a bird virus...need to see an avian vet

Hope that helps

Answer 2

Yes, you need to be concerned about feather plucking because it always happens for a reason. If you have 2 parakeets in a cage, do they have enough room? Look at the cage and imagine both birds with their wings spread out completely. They should be able to sit on their perch, turn around completely, and not touch the sides of their cage or each other. And that's the minimum size they should have! Also, birds are very intelligent animals and need toys to play with and stimulate them. But they get bored with the same toys all the time. If they don't have toys, it's time to get some. If they do, try some different ones. A mirror is usually a winner, as is anything with a bell. Try some rubber toys, wooden toys, ropes, swings, etc. Buy enough so that you can switch out at least one toy per week. Switching out all the toys can stress them out and result in more feather plucking.

Another big factor in feather plucking is their diet. Seeds are not a good total diet for any bird. Their diet should consist of only about 20% seed, then 20% fruit & vegetable, 20% pellet (like ZuPreem), 20% pastas and grains (millet for example), and 20% other. Other could be a cracker, piece of bread, a tiny bit of peanut butter (only as an occasional treat!), or something like that. A mineral cuttle bone is a good idea too since it not only gives them vitamins, but can help wear down their beak.

If it doesn't stop after you've made the changes (and expect it to take a couple weeks for them to adjust), then get to a vet. Of course, if you see any red or black spots on them, head to the vet right away.

Good luck!

Answer 3

I recommend getting a second opinion from a qualified avian vet on your parakeet's plucking. I don't know of any psychotic parakeets. Your parakeet may, however, be bored, or have a hormonal or vitamin deficiency which is causing him to pluck his own feathers. There is also a possibility he may be ill. You need an experienced avian vet to examine your parakeet and make an accurate diagnosis. There isn't a way to stop the plucking unless you know what is causing it.

Answer 4

Some birds are known to be pluckers or shredders. Please make sure they have enough toys to shred, such as paper or sisal rope. Or even nesting material to shred apart. They make cool looking pinata toys that my birds love to tear up. Are they getting time out of there cage. Most birds pluck because of boredom or stress.

Answer 5

this is common but not healthy it is when birds feel either stressed out or bored in your case i think their bored maybe switch around their toys more often so they have a different variety everyday if they dont stop call the vet to ask them what to do next, a checkup may not be necessary however

Answer 6

Your birds need a daily bath. They have dandruff that builds up on their skin. Mine bath everyday when its warm enough, in a big enough pan to immerse their whole body, None of my birds have ever had a skin problem.

Answer 7

Hi...there are causes for this & the usual one is boredom but if they are happy & live with other birds it could be down to fat content in food/over high protein levels that cause overheating of the blood...Regards Jake
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PetsSecondChanc

Answer 8

yes, I think the birds are bored, or maybe they need some of
medicine. Call a Vet.

Answer 9

They are bored..they need more stimulation....new toys, a shift in diet, new snacks?

Answer 10

Picking Article
by Vicki Barnard
Exotic Animal Nursing
June 3, 1997

Definition and Description.

Feather picking, also known as feather plucking, is a condition in which birds cause damage to their own feathers. All normal, healthy birds preen daily, but feather pickers typically overpreen to the point of obsession. This can include chewing on their feathers or actually plucking them out. Sometimes they just chew off little bits of their feathers; others chew them into a broken, twisted, crushed, or mangled shape. Some birds may chew their feathers clear down to little nubs of shaft with possibly a little tuft of feather fragment left on it. The feather pluckers pull them completely out, shaft and all.

Some birds may pick in one small area, such as on one leg, other birds pick every feather they can reach, and it's possible to find feather pickers of any degree between the two extremes. Common plucking locations are the chest, abdomen, upper legs, and inside the wings, but remember: If they can reach it, they can pick it. The only areas they can not reach are the head and the back of the neck. Those feathers will always appear normal (assuming there is not another bird within reach). If they're not, the owner is advised to get the bird tested for feather-deforming diseases such as Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD), or French Molt in Budgies, without delay.

Causes.

Feather picking itself is not a disease. It is a symptom of disease or a result of some other problem. It is exclusively a captive bird problem. In the wild, lack of feathers means the lack of ability to fly or keep warm. A bird in such a condition is not likely to survive. There are many possible causes of feather picking, several of which are medical (i.e., disease-related) and some which are not.

Some disease-related causes of feather plucking include:

Endocrine diseases such as low thyroid levels, progesterone or testosterone imbalances
Infectious diseases such as pox virus or psittacosis
Poor nutrition
Food allergies, especially to seeds
Liver disease
Pruritis: "Itchy Bird," caused by:
Internal parasites such as roundworms and tapeworms
Giardia infections (can trigger severe skin irritation)
Bacterial, viral, or fungal infections of the skin and feathers
Yeast infections
Staphylococcus aureus infections
Intestinal, respiratory, or crop infection can cause whole-body pruritis because of a hypersensitivity reaction
Internal tumors or Kidney disease: Bird may pluck over the skin above the tumor or kidney
Inhaled allergens (smoke, cockatoo dander, perfumes, house deodorants, pollen, dust mold)
Contact allergens (laundry detergents, deodorants, perfume, hair products, litter or nest box material)
Ingested allergens (especially certain proteins, carbohydrates, chemical additives such as preservatives, colors, or flavors)
Dry, flaky skin or thickened reddened skin dermatitis
Folliculitis
Improper wing clipping, where the cut shafts poke the bird's back
External parasites such as feather mites are very rarely a cause.
Other causes, not related to any disease, include:

Boredom
Nervousness
Insecurity, Stress (can be caused by an alteration in daily routine, a new environment, or new owner)
Overcrowded housing: Finches in particular
Sexual frustration
Overenthusiastic plucking of a brood patch
Excessive courtship behavior: one bird plucks the other
Parents persecuting their chicks to drive them from the nest so they can breed again (possibly an inherited trait)
Inadequate bathing facilities
Breed predisposition, as in Quaker Mutilation Syndrome (QMS)
" Itchy Bird" is distinguished by the way the bird acts--instead of casually, calmly preening and plucking, it will dig furiously at itself, act agitated or irritated while plucking, and rub its head or sides vigorously against cage bars, perches, or anything else available.

Quaker Mutilation Syndrome has no single definitive cause and no sure-fire cure, which makes it highly frustrating for both the owner and veterinarian. QMS includes not only the feather plucking described earlier, but the bird goes one step further and mutilates the flesh on the chest, wing webs, and thighs. Although it tends to be a seasonal problem with adult Quakers, placing them in a breeding situation does not usually stop the problem. Even worse, QMS birds tend to produce chicks that grow up to be QMS birds themselves.

Those are some of the major causes of feather plucking. It's also possible to be dealing with more than one cause at a time, which can really make the diagnostic picture muddy. Some examples of one problem leading to another are:

Plucking can not only be a result of folliculitis, but can cause it as well.
Self-mutilation can lead to secondary bacterial infections, which causes more self-mutilation, setting up a cycle very hard to break.
Clear up the underlying medical cause and plucking may continue anyway...it has simply become a bad habit.

Diagnosis.

Diagnostic tests include a physical exam, looking for lumps, injuries, feather cysts, lipomas or other tumors. Do a Complete Blood Count and blood chemistry panels. Test for parasitic, yeast, fungal, and bacterial infections. Also test for psittacosis, Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease, and Giardia. Other tests may include radiographs or a skin biopsy.

It is very important to get as much background information as possible from the owner, as the only real clues may be contained in the bird's history. Find out the bird's diet, especially what it is actually eating as opposed to what is being provided. Have the owner recall if there have been any environmental changes, including new family members or pets, new location, or even the absence of a family member. Any onset history and observations the owner can provide may help.

Treatment.

There are many different treatments, as you might have already guessed by seeing the list of many different causes. When a disease or infection is diagnosed as being involved, provide the treatment specific to that disease. Also pull any broken or shredded feathers so new ones can grow in.

When the cause is raging hormones, the cure is far less cut and dried. Two years ago my Quaker, Lumpy, was diagnosed with this problem. Part of her drug therapy included a progesterone injection (along with the antibiotic Baytril orally). It worked. However, the use of testosterone or progesterone is now considered a thing of the past; the current counter-hormonal therapy is an injection of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG), which has no known adverse side effects. According to Dr. Brian Speer, D.V.M., ABVP, certified in Avian Practice, some Quakers have responded favorably to HCG therapy. However, my own avian veterinarian has had instances of decreased effectiveness with repeated use.

It is important to give birds an opportunity to bathe every day. In the winter in particular, artificial heating can lower the humidity significantly, and "dries them up like little raisins". This is an almost guaranteed method of developing an Itchy Bird.

Behavioral therapies include sedatives, behavior modification, collars, bandages, bad-tasting sprays, grinding the upper beak, environmental change, nutritional change, and acupuncture.

Tricyclic antidepressants such as haloperidol have gained in popularity recently, but one veterinarian reports that less than 50% of birds respond favorably. On the other hand, one Quaker owner reports that her bird, who started plucking due to a food dye allergy and became an obsessive plucker, is currently on Prozac and doing much better.

Environmental change can be very tricky, since both boredom and stress need to be avoided. Change is necessary, but make all changes gradually. Protecting a parrot from traumatic experiences is essential. Overprotected parrots, however, who have not been introduced to change in safe, secure ways are often feather pickers.

Make certain the bird is provided with good nutrition, as picking adds nutritional stress to the bird. Providing the following easily shreddable foods can help both nutritional and entertainment needs: Raw carrots, green beans, spinach leaves, peas in the pod, corn on the cob, apples, breadsticks, wheat toast, zucchini sticks, mini bagels, or mini rice cakes. There are others but make sure they are not toxic to birds (avocado for instance). Some easily shreddable toys: Rope, straws, cardboard, new toothbrushes, new makeup brushes, wood, pine cones, wooden craft sticks, twisted and knotted paper towels, and any commercial toys appropriate to the bird's size and beak power. All fresh food and anything from outside should be washed and free of pesticides.

Other things to do to alleviate boredom include playtime with the owner, leaving a TV or radio on during the day, and making sure the bird is getting enough sleep by artificially lengthening nights. That also helps the "raging hormone" cases get out of breeding season.

Conclusion.

The best results are always achieved when the underlying cause is identified, but no single treatment works consistently, even with a known diagnosis. Working with birds that pluck for behavioral reasons will usually lead to significant improvement, but may never completely prevent future episodic picking during times of confusion and stress. These birds can be compared to fingernail biters and even smokers. They find their self-destructive behavior rewarding, relaxing, and enjoyable. It becomes a deeply engrained, tough habit to break, but with dedication and patience on the owner's part the condition can be improved.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

References.

Chris C. Pinney, D.V.M. The Illustrated Veterinary Guide for Dogs, Cats, Birds, & Exotic Pets. McGraw-Hill, 1992.

Gary A. Gallerstein, D.V.M. The Complete Bird Owner's Handbook. Macmillan Publishing Company, 1994.

David Alderton. Parrots, An essential reference for keeping more than 200 parrot family species. Salamander Books Limited, 1992.

Jeanne Smith, D.V.M. Do You Have An "Itchy" Bird? Bird Talk Magazine, March 1996.

Margaret Wissman, D.V.M., Dip., ABVP - Avian Practice. Causes and Cures: Feather-Picking Cockatoo. Bird Talk Magazine, October 1996.

Margaret Wissman, D.V.M., Dip., ABVP - Avian Practice. Causes and Cures: Quaker Mutilation Syndrome. Bird Talk Magazine, October 1996.

Sherry Rind. Feather Picking: Sudie's Story. Bird Talk Magazine, February 1997.

Sally Blanchard. The Complexities of Feather Destructive Behavior. The Pet Bird Report, Issue #23, October 1995. Internet URL http://www.petbirdreport.com/complexities/shtml

[e-mail] (Internet Screen Name) Avian Advice, online reply Re: Feather picking Ringneck,, March 3, 1997 (URL unavailable)

[e-mail] (Internet Screen Name) Post on Quaker message boards, Birds, America Online Pet Care Forum, AOL Keyword: Pet Care, Re: New to Quakers, May 18, 1997

Brian Speer, D.V.M. Diplomate, ABVP, Certified in Avian Practice, Internet Screen Name

AVN [e-mail]. Re: Quaker Mutilation Syndrome, Posts on Questions to Vets message boards, replies to Vicki Barnard, Screen Name [e-mail]. AOL Pet Care Forum, AOL Keyword: Pet Care. May 28, 1997; May 29, 1997


Hope this helps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!