Why aren't my parrot's trimmed feathers growing back after months?

You can't do anything to make the feathers grow faster aside from providing good nutrition. The feathers that are cut never actually grow back, you have to wait until the moult and new feathers coming in to replace the cut ones. A birds moult different amounts, but usually a couple of times a year.

When you clip wings the feathers do not grow back until they fall out completely at the next moult. So every bird will be different assone moult more frequently than others. I imagine she simply as not moulted as quickly. As for the ruffled feathers it is likely just due to the wings being an odd shape with being clipped. If tge feathers dont improve within a few months or you notice any skin problems I would have her checked by an avian vet.

Thanks for your question about Spyro, and thanks for the photo - it is very helpful. I didn’t see you mention how long he has been without feathers, or what the process was that originally caused him to lose them. These will affect how long (if at all) it would take for him to grow feathers back. Also, if the feather follicle (where the feather grows from) has been damaged, the feather may never grow again. Environmental things that you can try are a 12/12 hour light/dark cycle, excellent nutrition focusing on a pelleted diet and vegetables, and a very clean cage. If you suspect that his friend may be pulling some of his feathers, then it would also be advisable to separate them. I am not sure if you have ever taken Spyro to see a veterinarian, but that would also be advisable. There are a number of diseases that can result in a lack of feather growth, which they could test for. I hope that gives you a place to start, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Poor Precious! The first step to growing her feathers back is to figure out the underlying cause behind why she plucked them and to change it. Health issues such as parasites, malnutrition, infections, illness, etc can cause feather plucking and loss, so scheduling a vet visit first is a good first step to make sure any underlying health issues are treated and she is healthy enough to regrow her feathers. Boredom and stress can cause excessive feather plucking. Making sure she is in a clean (the bottom of that cage need a scrub!) and stress-free environment away from other pets or people that may harass her is best. Adding in enrichment such as toys she can chew on or play with, a play pen she can climb and stretch on, or spending time playing and interacting together can help with boredom. In some cases, the feather plucking becomes a habit and needs to be stopped with the use of an Elizabethan (cone) collar or flight-suit to protect the body from being plucked. Feather regrowth takes time, so even with these changes it may be several months before you see them start to grow back in. However, keeping up with enrichment and health issues can help ensure they have a chance to come back.

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!

Thank you for your question about Cripp. As long as the feathers are otherwise healthy, and Cripp is fed a well-balanced and healthy diet, his feathers should grow back. Birds routinely shed their feathers, and it is called molting. After the old feathers are lost, new feathers will grow in their place. If you would like for Cripp to be able to fly, you would not want to cut the feathers again. If you did want to prevent him from flying, you would need to have the feathers cut again. There are numerous ways to perform wing trims on birds, and you may elect to choose a less severe trim in the future. I hope that helps, and I hope you enjoy your new pets!

Thanks for reaching out about Peru and including a photo. Birds usually molt in spring but if all the feathers were knocked out, new feathers should grow in soon. Poor nutrition and some diseases can affect new feather growth and a veterinary visit is needed if problems persist. Good luck.