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Why is my bird plucking his feathers?
By Mary Sara Fields, AnimalForum.com staff
Question:
My Kelly has been picking and pulling his feathers out. I've had Kelly to
the aviary vet and he has been run through all the tests. "Nothing." $249 later I was told (just guessing) that he might be wanting to breed and he's frustrated. Kelly is 3-1/2 years old and a wonderful, funny, playful bird, but lately he hasn't been talking and is very different personality-wise. My lifestyle has been altered and he may be going through stress, but I am on the upside now and would like any logical advise that anyone may offer. Thanks. -- Pretty Bird
Dear Pretty Bird:
 The reasons a bird starts plucking his feathers are as many as there are
bird species! You did a very good thing in taking your Eclectus for a physical checkup
to rule out any illnesses. Once you and your avian vet have determined that
Kelly is healthy, you can start trying to determine his actual cause. Please
look at the following list to see if any might apply to Kelly:
Over zealous preening: As birds become more mature, their new feather
shafts become stronger, therefore are probably more irritating as they
emerge through the skin. Some birds become very agitated during the period
after the molt while their new feathers are growing in. In preening
themselves, they can go overboard and start pulling out their feathers
because they itch.
Broken tail feathers: Frequently, birds break their tail feathers because
their toys are too close to the sides of the cage. Hang all toys more
toward the middle of the cage, so the bird is not banging his tail and wing
feathers against the sides of the cage while he plays. Many owners think
those feathers have been plucked, when actually they have been broken.
Zinc and lead poison: Plucking can be a symptom of zinc or lead poisoning.
Make sure none of your toy connectors, wire hangers, food bowls or the cage
itself is made from lead or zinc. Ask your vet if he tested Kelly for this.
Diet and nutrition: Make sure that Kelly is getting a good variety of fresh
foods, pellets, nuts and some seeds. It is important to offer extra calcium
during the molt period. Keep a fresh cuttlebone and mineral block in the
cage at all times. If Kelly won't eat them, grate the cuttle bone into his food.
Try to offer foods that your bird would be eating in the wild at this time
of year (winter). Sprouts, grains (cooked or uncooked), soft foods like cooked yams,
cooked brown rice, etc.
Boredom: Lack of stimulation will cause a bird to pluck. Make sure the
bird has plenty of toys, and rotate them regularly, so he does not get bored
with the same ones. Find toys that the bird can preen, like with lots of
leather strings on them, and fun, soft wooden toys that he can chew on. You
can try some of the cotton rope or sisal rope toys, but make sure you keep
an eye on the ropes. Once they get frayed, the bird could get caught in the
ropes. Use them under supervision, and keep Kelly's toes clipped so they
don't curl and get caught. Also, buy Kelly some hand (foot)-held toys.
Cage size: Make sure that Kelly is housed in an appropriately sized cage
that allows him to move around a lot and is not crowded with all the toys
and food bowls.
Baths: All parrots need regular baths and misting. The baths help to get
rid of their dander, especially in their down feathers, which can cause
itching. Baths also help to soften the keratin sheaths on the newly
emerging feathers, after the molt, to make them less irritating. In the winter, our homes have been closed up and warmed up by heaters, so the air is very dry. Parrots need lots of moisture to keep their feathers at peak.
Lack of oils: If Kelly is on a purely pelleted diet, he might be lacking
essential oils causing dry skin and related feather problems. If Kelly does
not eat seeds, try offering some seeds, palm nuts, almonds and a few
peanuts to get some oil back into his system.
Proper lighting: All parrots need natural sunlight to keep their feathers
in optimum condition. When we keep our pet birds inside the house, they do
not get enough natural sunlight. This problem can be eliminated by
installing "full-spectrum" lights above their cages. Many severely plucked
parrots have been cured by this one remedy alone.
Environment: As any of our parrots become more mature, some of them start
developing different behavior problems with the same things that existed
when they were youngsters. But just as humans find it harder to cope with
certain things as we get older, so do parrots. So plucking can be caused
by birds living around smokers, noisy children, noisy dogs, cats, too many
people in the house, lights left on too late, lights coming on too early
in the morning, etc. If you smoke and then handle your bird, nicotine gets on his
feathers and feet, and can cause severe allergic reactions in some birds. Always wash your hands before handling your bird. Make sure the bird gets plenty of dark, quiet, nighttime sleep. Keep boisterous children and dogs and noises away from the bird.
Sexual maturity: A very common problem with many pet birds. If the
plucking is caused by sexual frustration, it should stop as soon as the
breeding season is over, usually after the major molt and in the early to
late spring. During this time, you should make every effort to spend more
time (bonding experience) with your bird. Give the bird weekly baths and
daily misting. Feed high-quality foods and more of it than usual. Make
sure there are preening toys in the cage. Give the bird as much time
outside of the cage as possible -- on a perch or with you. Let the bird
watch TV or listen to a radio in your absence. It is critical to give the
bird as much attention as possible during the breeding season to relieve the
sexual frustration. The desire to mate is very strong in all animals, and
birds are no exception. If he can perceive you as his mate, his frustration
will be lessened. Spend time preening him and hand-offering him foods
while you are holding him. These activities mimic what breeding pairs would
be doing. This is what they want to do at this time.
Homeopathic remedies: There are several companies that sell very
specialized products for parrots that are safe and calm them down during the
breeding season. You can find the best ones advertised each month in Bird
Talk magazine. I have heard of many owners who have had fantastic results
with some of the homeopathic, natural food supplements available. One of
the companies is Avian Medicine Chest. They offer a product called
Bird Calm that seems to work wonders with some birds, during their
breeding cycle. I understand that you can call this company and they
spend time with you on the phone.
Please keep in mind that Eclectus Parrots are extremely intelligent birds.
Any lessening of attention from their owners would be noticed immediately.
Also, if the owner has been thru stress, it is believed the bird also suffers the stress.
Also, in the wild, Eclectus come from New Guinea, northeastern Australia
and some surrounding islands. Their natural habitat is almost always in
the rain-forest sections of those countries. That means that in the wild,
these birds probably bathe four to six times per day! Their feathers are kept
beautiful by lots of humidity. In the wild, Eclectus eat oily seeds, lots of green foods, most
vegetable-type foods and some sweet fruits. I would make sure you are
offering the palm nuts to him regularly.
Also, I would recommend that you join one of the internet Eclectus lists. I
feel sure that other Eclectus owners would have many other ideas for you.
You can probably find an Eclectus list at http://www.upatsix.com. They have quite a few bird lists at that site, and
most of them are specialized by species.
I hope some of this information helps Kelly. Please keep us posted. Please
give Kelly a great big kiss from me! Tell Kelly that he is such a gorgeous
bird that it is a shame for him to be removing his magnificent feathers! Then, give him a palm nut!
Mary Sara Fields
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