My parrotlet picked her vent clean. Why are the feathers gone?

Feather loss can be from a large number of things. If it is concentrated around Fidu's vent, it is possible she is having some GI upset or diarrhea which is causing her some discomfort. Making sure she is on a balanced diet, removing any extra treats or snacks for a few days, and treating for any parasites may help relieve this and get her to feeling better. Adding in additional toys and spending time together can help with boredom feather plucking as well, however this type of feather plucking is usually all over the body or along the wings and chest, rather than on the bottom/vent area. If treating at home and changing her diet some doesn't help, or you see loose, watery stools, reduction in eating and drinking, etc, then trying to find a vet near you, even if they don't see specifically birds, is best to try and find the underlying cause and get her started on appropriate treatment.

Feather plucking is often associated with boredom, or other issues within their environment, but the cause of this problem is not always known and highly debated amongst avian experts. Making sure he is not bored is a good first step. One good way to keep your bird busy is by making them work for their food. Birds in the wild spend most of their time foraging for food. Instead of just putting food in their bowl, you can hide it, or put it in puzzle toys that require them to do some work to get the food out. I fed my parrot almost exclusively this way. Other enrichment options include putting a mirror in the cage and putting him in other environments. It's best to give your parrot as much possible space that you can to let her fly and roam around. You may consider getting perches or other cages for different rooms, or outside. If you can afford to have a flight cage built, this would be even better. Below is a link to some more information about enrichment ideas: http://www.parrotenrichment.com/ It's also good to make sure he is getting enough sleep. This is best achieved by keeping the bird in a dark room during sleep time. Birds should have 12 hours of sleep a night, so don't feel bad about putting him in a dark room for that amount of time. Diet is also very important. He should eat mostly a formulated pellet diet like zupreem. Make sure he is not eating a seed, or nut based diet as these are too fatty and can cause issues leading to feather loss. For more information about diet, read the article at the link below. https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/species/pacific-parrotlet/ Lastly, make sure he is bathing regularly. Dry feathers can itch, break and cause them to pluck. It's good to put a bird bath in the cage as much as possible (once a day would be best). I hope that helps and he gets better soon.

Treating feather picking really depends on the underlying cause. Mites can be a possibility, and you may see an increase in itching, redness of the skin, or visible flecks of "stuff" on the skin or feather base. Most pet stores carry a mite spray that can be used to treat this. If you see visible wounds or oozing on the skin, it could indicate something more serious such as an illness or skin infection which should be looked at by a vet. If the plucking is around the vent, this can sometimes indicate an internal parasite or digestive upset causing issue. Boredom can also sometimes cause feather plucking. Adding in more enrichment such as fun puzzle toys, toys that can be preened instead, or even spending more time together can help reduce boredom behavior and feather plucking. Moving the cage to a lower traffic area without pets or people bothering Kiwi as much can also help. if you can't seem to find a cause, home treatment doesn't work, or the problem worsens, seeking veterinary care is always best.

If Sky had a lot of dried feces around her vent this could cause the feathers to stick/mat together and fall out. So if Sky is otherwise acting normal, eating well, and her stools have returned to normal then I would not be too concerned. A well balanced diet is also important to healthy skin and proper feather growth. Good luck with Sky!

Check her vent for redness or swelling. Monitor for loose droppings. Submit a sample to your veterinarian to diagnose intestinal parasites or bacterial overgrowth. If she is of egg laying age, have her physically examined by your vet or an experienced avian vet to diagnose or rule out being egg bound.

If you mean just preening and grooming, then this is normal behavior. If you mean that your bird is pulling the feathers out, I would try to find the cause. Issues such as molting, where the old feathers are replaced by new, are normal. You will see pin feathers (new feathers poking through the skin that look like pins) if this is the case. If you aren't seeing new feathers, but are instead seeing redness, wounds, irritation, or "stuff" attached to the feather base, then this could indicate an issue such as parasites, infections, etc that should be checked out by a vet. In some cases, behavioral issues such as stress or boredom can lead to over grooming as well. Making sure Rio has an adequate diet, plenty of enrichment such as toys or treats he can play with, time spent with you, etc, and making sure his cage is in a stress-free and quiet area can help with behaviorally related feather plucking.

Thanks for reaching out about Rupu and including photos. Feather picking can be caused by behavioral problems and medical conditions. Medical conditions range from metabolic (liver, kidney), dermatitis (bacterial, fungal, viral), parasitic (mites), dietary deficiencies, and other systemic illnesses. Feather picking due to stress, breeding behavior, and others are also common. A veterinary visit is needed to assist with diagnosis and treatment plans. Dietary review is important. Keep separated from other birds in case infectious and contagious. Good luck.