My lovebird has feather issues. Could it be PBFD or Avipolyoma?

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 reaching out about Zulekha. A veterinary visit is recommended as a disease called Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease is a good possibility. This viral disease is potentially contagious to other birds and there is no treatment. A diagnosis needs to be made. Other concerns are liver, renal, polyoma virus, just to list a few. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Billy and including photos. Viral diseases, nutritional deficiencies or metabolic disorders are all possible. Stress can cause feather destructive behavior. Some external parasites are only on the animal during the evening hours therefore are difficult to identify during the day. A veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Bangaram and including a photo. Psittacine Feather Destructive Behavior is common in parrots, but the difficulty is acquiring a cause. Stress/behavior is common a nd can consist of breeding, nutritional or environmental stressors. Diseases can also lead to pulling feathers including infectious diseases (viral, bacterial), metabolic disorders (liver, renal), skin diseases and others. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and try to determine a cause. Diet and husbandry practices need to be reviewed with a veterinarian experienced with birds. Some diagnostic tests will probably be recommended and necessary to come to a conclusion. There is no topical medication that is going to cure or even stabilize this condition. Good luck.

Thanks for your question, and thanks for the photos - they are very helpful. From the photos, it looks like the feathers on the back and around the crop/underside of your bird are not present. The black spots you are seeing appear to be areas of blood, and this may be where feathers were removed. Usually the body feathers come in before some of the major wing feathers, so I would be worried that your bird is destroying the feathers itself. This can be due to a number of medical issues, and also behavioral ones. With a bird that is so young, I would be suspicious of a nutritional deficiency leading to feather destruction. From the photos, the feathers that are present look ragged and dull in color. If you are not feeding a pelleted diet, I would recommend switching to one. I would also recommend that your bird be evaluated by a veterinarian. They’ll be able to provide husbandry recommendations, and may be able to find what the underlying issue is through this and a physical exam. They may also recommend some diagnostic testing. I hope that gives you a place to start, and I hope your bird feels better soon!

The consistency and appearance of droppings can be affected by diet. It is possible Flint had some fruit or fluids which resulted in looser droppings than normal. If he is behaving normally, keep an eye on what he eats and his droppings. If they remain loose and larger than normal, consider an exam with your veterinarian or an experienced avian veterinarian. You may want to submit the droppings to diagnose intestinal parasites or bacterial/fungal overgrowth. It is never recommended to medicate a pet without the advice of your veterinarian. Inappropriate antibiotic use can lead to resistant bacteria and may complicate any underlying condition which can delay diagnosis. If Flint did have an infection that was not susceptible to the antibiotic used, then there would be no improvement. An exam would be recommended to diagnose and properly treat any infection. Your vet can also take a look at the wing feathers to rule out infection (mites, bacterial, viral, fungal). You can bathe or mist him with warm water to promote preening and healthy plumage.

This could be due to an infection, to Polyfolliculitis which can cause itch, or nutritional imbalances. Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease due to a viral infection, Feathers mites, lice or ringworm must be ruled out first. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!