My bird's tail feathers keep falling out after regrowing. Why?

Thanks for reaching out about your parakeet and including photos. Was he ever tested for Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD) and Avipolyoma virus? Nutrition deficiencies, metabolic disorders (liver, renal), hypothyroidism and other endocrine problems, all must be considered. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Review and discuss diet with the veterinarian during the visit. Good luck.

Thanks for the picture and reaching out about Kore. This could be either a fractures feather, possibly weakened by a nutritional deficiency. Protein and several vitamin and minerals are important for feather strength and integrity. Check to see if the calamus is still in place inside the follicle. Usually the birds will chew it and work it out. Another possible condition is one of a few viral diseases that can damage feathers. If the condition continues, a veterinary visit is recommended.

Sometimes a delay in regrowth of feathers can be due to husbandry and diet, or it can be due to disease. I would recommend evaluating your husbandry closely to start. If there is an abnormal day/night cycle, temperatures that are out of the comfortable range for the species, a diet that is too high in fat or deficient in nutrients, or if the humidity is not correct, a lack of feather growth may occur. If you evaluate all of these parameters and they are normal and appropriate, then it may be secondary to disease or stress. At that point, I would recommend that you take Mitu to a veterinarian for evaluation. They can take samples of the feathers, evaluate the skin, and may also recommend additional diagnostic testing in the form of blood work to evaluate systemic health and radiographs (x-rays). I hope this gives you a place to start, and good luck!

Thanks for reaching out about Tilo and including a photo. It is not normal for feathers to fall out in birds this young. The picture appears as if the feather is fractured and broken. Review nutrition as lack of protein and vitamins can lead to weak feathers. Correct husbandry to prevent falling and traumatizing feathers. A veterinary visit can help to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment/husbandry recommendations. Good luck.

Feathers not growing back in properly can be due to a number of things including illness, nutritional issues, metabolic diseases, parasites, infections and more. If you cannot find the cause of your bird's feather loss and balding, it would be best to have her examined by a local avian vet so they can check for any of these common issues and get her feeling better. Making sure she is on a balanced diet and is treated for any parasites such as mites (most pet stores carry a spray for this) may help, however if the problem continues vet care is needed.

Thanks for the pictures. This is concerning about Yusuf. I would probably recommend you seek an avian veterinarian. Two of the concerns I have are for viral diseases (avian polyoma virus {called budgie fledgling disease] and Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease). The later can change the feathers where they appear "pinched" at the base, which I think I see in the picture. An avian veterinarian should be able to test for these. Nutritional deficiences, specifically low protein, can affect feather growth. Good Luck.

Thanks for your question about Rio. It is normal for birds’ feathers to fall out at regular intervals. This process is referred to as molting. As feathers get older, they lose some of their function so they are replaced by new ones. In most species, this occurs one to two times per year. Where things become concerning is when a bird is losing their feathers between molting times. When this happens, it can be due to illness or to behavioral problems. I hope that helps to answer your question, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.