Feather plucking in parrots
Other names: Plucking، Plucks its feathers
Symptoms
- Cut, plucked or chewed feathers on the chest, legs and under the wing, with the head intact (because the bird cannot reach its head)
- From excessive preening to injuring the skin
How it spreads
Not contagious (unless caused by an infectious disease such as PBFD). Affects up to 40% of captive African greys.
Diagnosis
Rule out medical causes first: blood count and chemistry, virus tests (PBFD), skin biopsy, radiographs/endoscopy; then a behavioral assessment.
Treatment
Multimodal treatment: correcting the diet, environmental enrichment and foraging time, a 10–12 hour sleep routine, sometimes psychiatric or hormonal drugs under veterinary supervision, an Elizabethan collar for self-mutilation.
Prevention
Daily enrichment, social interaction, bathing/misting (especially in Egypt's dry climate), a balanced diet, not forcing the bird to be alone.
Treatment and doses are decided by an avian vet after an exam; Zajel does not publish doses.