Why is my Quaker parrot chewing its feathers? How to stop it?

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.

The excessive preening can be caused by parasites, molting, boredom or stress. You can have Shelly examined by your veterinarian to diagnose infection or parasites. In the meantime, clean and sanitize the cage, bowls, toys and perches. Discard anything that cannot be sanitized. Mist her with warm water to encourage bathing and to promote healthy plumage. Rearrange her cage and rotate out toys to freshen up her environment. Survey the area around the cage and eliminate or decrease any negative stimuli.

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.

Hi there, I'm Dr G and I see a lot of birds. Your conure, even though he is not pulling feathers out is still having some "feather picking" or at the least over grooming. This can have so many reasons! So many! Often at this time of year, it relates to seasonal sexual behavior. It can also be a skin infection, stress of some sort, loneliness, and more. I would recommend an exam by a vet to rule out medical problems before starting to work on behavioral reasons. Increased bathing/misting encourages normal grooming behavior. Making sure your bird is on a low seed/high pellet diet and the pellet is free of colors and dyes. (Just make changes slowly). Make sure you are not encouraging sexual or mating behaviors in your bird by not kissing them, not snuggling them too much and not petting along the lower back or abdomen area.

Thanks for reaching out about Tooka and including a photo. A veterinary visit is needed to determine a cause for the picking. Medical conditions such as viral diseases (PBFD, polyoma virus), kidney or liver disease, bacterial skin diseases, pain or arthritis, malnutrition, are just a few. Behavioral stresses can lead to feather picking also, hormones or husbandry. Anti-anxiety medications might help with feather picking but a veterinary visit is needed to prescribe. Good luck.

Parrots do get mites, but they also feather pick due to many behavioral and emotional issues. Make sure it has enough room as possible, ideally is loose most of the day in a safe environment with many safe toys, perches, and stimulation, and is getting a seed-free high-quality parrot diet with many fresh fruits and vegetables.

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.