Valley Aviary
Breeder's of Eclectus Parrots,
Timneh African Grey, Great Billed
Parrot, Cape Parrot
Feather
Picking
By
Sally Blanchard
2236 Mariner
Square Dr #35
Alameda, CA 94501
From the
Proceedings of the International Aviculturists Society Convention,
Orlando, FL
During consultations and seminars, I am often asked to provide a
solution for feather plucking problems in companion parrots. I can share
helpful information but absolute solutions are usually difficult.
Parrots rarely indulge in feather destructive behavior for just one
reason. There are probably as many complexities to feather picking as
their are parrots who pick. To some degree, different species of parrots
may have diverse causative factors that influence feather problems and
certainly the age that picking starts has a great deal to do with its
reasons. I believe it is absolutely essential that parrots who have
started plucking be seen by a knowledgeable avian veterinarian as soon
as possible. Even if the test results show a physical health problem, I
encourage parrot owners to optimize their parrot's environment. This
includes a discussion about proper diet, frequent showering, good
lighting, cage size and the necessities of play and exercise. Improving
basic care is always an important step with any health problem whether
it is physical or emotional.
Parrots evolved in an environment vastly different than what we can
possibly provide for them. Many pressures, both physical and emotional,
play a role in feather picking. Some theories about this topic are far
too simplistic as most feather problems have a combination of
influences. For example the rampant over-generalization that plucking is
caused simply by sexual frustration is absolute nonsense. While actual
sexual frustration may play some role in feather picking that begins in
mature birds, the vast majority of companion parrots who pluck exhibit
aspects of this behavior as young birds long before sexual factors exert
an influence. Many of the parrots who develop behavioral picking
patterns have been poorly socialized, have experienced few rules and
little guidance, exhibit some phobic behaviors, and are overdependent on
their human owners. While reaching sexual maturity may exacerbate
problems that already exist in a companion parrot, it is rarely the
primary cause of such problems. It is unusual for serious feather
destructive behavior to occur in well-nurtured parrots who experience
optimal care and have been raised with rules and guidance.
I believe that the initial cause of a great deal of picking,
especially in hand-fed domestic birds, is physical with behavior playing
a part in its continuation. Physical causes can include disease,
traumatic injury, malnutrition, poor physical care, allergies, and/or a
substandard environment. Allergies and severe stress may also result in
feather picking episodes. Several clients of mine have parrots that
started picking after earthquakes and severe storms. Interestingly
enough, in many cases it did not appear to be the actual stress of the
earthquake that caused the plucking. The continual stress of aftershocks
was the factor to many birds. Parrots have encapsulated nerve bundles in
their leg joints that seem to act as vibration detectors. Consequently
they are highly sensitive to vibration. I know of parrots who started
plucking when their owners moved to downstairs apartments or next to a
freeway. Parrots are also highly empathic picking up their owner's
energy in times of stress.
Allergies, including food allergies, household dust, and seasonal
allergies to pollen or mold spores may be a cause of picking in some
birds. Food allergies may also be a significant factor. I personally
question the use of some food additives, particularly artificial food
coloring, in the manufacture of pelleted diets and won't feed them to my
birds. Some birds may have negative physical reactions to components in
other foods and dietary supplements. It is however, difficult to
pinpoint the exact cause of food related allergies.
Airborne pollutants can also be a problem. It is not natural for
parrots to be confined to a situation where they have to breathe the
residue of their droppings, food waste, or feather dust. Household
pollutants of many kinds may play a significant role in feather picking
problems. Cigarette smoke can be particularly damaging to a bird's
sensitive respiratory system and physical contact with nicotine on an
owner's fingers or hands can cause serious skin reactions. Problems
caused by cigarettes due to breathing the toxic smoke, filthy feathers
and physical nicotine contact reactions, could be a major factor in many
cases of skin and feather problems.
Injury Or Trauma
Any physical injury is likely to cause a bird to bother its feathers
in the area of the trauma. This is actually a frequent cause for the
onset of feather picking in many birds. However, the majority of birds
who began local plucking of an injured area will rarely continue picking
unless other factors are involved. Although I generally do not think
collars are helpful in stopping habitual plucking, they can be useful in
keeping a bird from bothering an injury while it heals. The success of
collars from a behavioral point of view depends a great deal on whether
or not the parrot accepts wearing one. Some birds adjust quickly with
little trauma while others suffer problems that may be more serious than
the picking when forced to wear a collar.
One of the major causes of injury plucking in young birds is a fall
in the cage which often ends up in a thrashing episode. Young parrots
fall in or off of their cages for a variety of reasons, most of which
are preventable. Trimming the toenails too short before the balance
skills are developed can be one contributory factor. Many young birds,
particularly greys, are clumsy and need special considerations until
they develop their balance skills. Parrots who would normally be
fledging and taking their first flights should never be allowed on top
of their cages or other high places if their wings are trimmed. It seems
to be instinctive for birds at this stage to fly when startled or
excited and a bird who can not fly may end up seriously injured. If a
young bird falls onto the tips of his long shafted wing or tail
feathers, they can be jammed up into the follicles creating bruising.
This type of injury can cause a bird to bother the feathers excessively,
often resulting in their destruction. An all too common injury occurs
when a young grey leaps from the cage or play gym top and plummets to
the ground like a lead balloon landing off balance on their breastbone,
splitting the skin.
In the wild, young parrots who are startled or become afraid either
hide or fly away from the situation -- usually with the guidance of
their parents. In captivity, a bird may instinctively attempt to fly
but, instead, will end up crashing into their cage, tangling their wings
and tails in the cage bars and grate. For this reason, it is important
that the cage bar spacing be appropriate for the size of the bird. If
the bars are too wide, it is possible for a wing to become twisted
between them causing more serious injury. Grates in the bottom of the
cage are particularly dangerous at this time. I highly recommend
removing them or padding the bottom of the cage to prevent injury to a
bappy who has not developed his cages smarts yet.
Too severe a wing trim seems to also be a physical cause of feather
picking. Of course, having clipped wings is a totally unnatural
situation for any bird. This does not mean we should not trim our
parrots' wings, it means we should take care in the way they are
trimmed. I have particularly observed parrots who begin to bother their
feathers when the flights have been trimmed too close to the follicle
(up under the coverts) or when the secondaries close to the body have
been cut.
The Two Major Physical Causes Of Plucking?
I believe, after talking to hundreds of owners who own plucking
birds, that two of the major physical causes are still inadequate
diet and not enough humidity and/or baths. Calcium and vitamin A
deficiencies are still a serious health problem in parrots who are fed a
primarily seed diet or too much human junk food. These two nutrients are
essential for the proper growth and condition of tissue, skin, and
feathers. Converting birds to a quality pelleted diet and/or feeding
healthy human foods with supplementation for a balanced diet can make a
vast difference in skin and feather quality. With the knowledge we have
now about proper avian nutrition there is absolutely no excuse for
feeding a predominantly seed diet. It is nutritional abuse and anyone
who tells you otherwise is ignorant of the facts. Pet stores that still
wean babies to a seed-only diet or recommend seed as a total diet can
only be motivated by greed and/or sloth since the profit margin on seed
is greater than just about any other bird-related product. It is
possible to convert any bird to a better diet with patience and the
right information.
Year round daily misting with plain water plus a once a week
drenching (not drowning) are essential for parrot’s respiratory health
and feather condition. In most areas of North America, we set our
thermostats high in the winter and most heating systems dry the air
considerably. When the air becomes so dry, we may get all sorts of
symptoms including dry skin and nosebleeds. The same drying of the skin
and mucous membranes occur with parrots causing them a host of health
problems. Some parrots seem to be seasonal pickers, plucking only during
the winter when the artificial heat dries them up like little raisins. A
"real" bath with detergent may be necessary only if a bird's
feathers become severely soiled or greasy for some reason. The soap is
rinsed from the feathers Owners and veterinarians should consider the
possibility of a contaminant on the feathers before starting extensive
drug therapies.
We all know birds should have good lighting, however, that can mean
different things to different people. Many of the homes I have been in
do not have sufficient lighting for the birds. Even a bird who is next
to a window probably does not have adequate light. Our eyes quickly
adjust to the level of light in our houses and we may think it is good
enough for the birds. Not only is it humid in the equatorial rainforest,
the light is also intense. It is amazing what a difference proper
lighting can make in the condition of our captive parrots.
Learning The Wrong Techniques
In thinking about the myriad of causes for feather destructive
behavior, I have wondered about some interesting possibilities. It is
obvious to me that many parrot behaviors are a complex combination of
instinct and learning. While flying may be innate, the finesse of flying
may depend on parental teaching or example. Eating is an essential
behavior but how to eat, what to eat, and where to eat seem to be
learned behaviors in parrots. The same thing may be true of preening.
Cleaning and "rezipping" ruffled feathers is no doubt an
instinctive behavior, but the finesse of preening may be learned by
young birds observing their parents. If this is true, at least some of
the overpreening and feather problems we see in young companion parrots
may be related to them not learning proper preening techniques or
learning by watching the wrong species. Observing various parrot species
preen makes it obvious that some species have subtle differences in
their preening techniques that probably correspond with differences in
their feather structure. For example, there is a significant difference
in the feather structure of Eclectus, cockatoos, and Amazons. Is a young
cockatoo that watches too many Amazons preen more likely to overpreen or
pick its feathers? Even the possibility that this may be a consideration
creates many questions. For example, how can a human teach a parrot to
preen properly? Do baby parrots need to watch adults of the same species
to learn their proper preening techniques? Perhaps this is just an
exercise in thinking aloud but as someone who spends a great deal of
time puzzling about parrot behavior, I often have more questions than
answers. Hopefully as we know more about these complex beings, we will
find some of the important answers. Any thoughts on this topic are
welcome from readers.
Monkey see, monkey do. Parrots do not just mimic vocalizations, they
also emulate body language and behaviors. Young parrots clearly learn
from the example of others and even older birds may take up habits they
see exhibited in other birds. Consequently, there is no doubt in my mind
that some parrots start picking their feathers after watching other
parrots pick. As I stated before, finding a mate for a plucking parrot
often results in that parrot plucking its mate or teaching its new mate
to pluck. behavioral Considerations In Picking
In most cases feather picking is caused by a complex combination of
physical and behavioral causes. Since I believe a great deal of plucking
starts for physical reasons, I encourage a full veterinarian work-up at
the onset of the problem. The presumption should not be made that the
problem is simply behavioral. However, even if picking starts for a
purely physical reason, behavior complexities can continue the plucking
beyond the resolution of the physical cause. The primary behavioral
influence is attention paid to the bird when it is picking. Parrots can
be incredibly behavior. A bird who starts plucking because of a simple
insect bite may develop a habitual pattern if the owner pays attention
to it every time it messes with its feathers. While picking birds
certainly need nurturing and attention from their owners to feel secure,
it is important not to give them that attention around their
picking behavior.
Gradual change by itself should not cause enough of a trauma to start
a feather picking episode. However, parrots who have been overprotected
and poorly socialized may not react well to any new situation,
especially if it happens suddenly. If the change seriously threatens the
bird's sense of security, phobic behavior may result in feather
mutilation. In young parrots, traumatic or aggressive handling can also
be a factor in picking. It is important to protect any young bird from
any threatening experience.
Some people drive their parrots crazy. Teasing, aggressive behavior,
continual confrontation, or constant arguing from humans can cause
insecurity in parrots that could lead to picking. Our major goal for our
parrots should be to help them be secure in our homes.
Poor Early Socialization
Parrots are intelligent animals and much of their behavior is
learned. Early socialization is not simply the number of people (or
birds) that a young bird comes into contact with. It is the process by
which they learn their social and survival skills. Basically, parrots do
not automatically know how to adapt to their life in a living room. We
need to teach them how to be good pets. If we don't guide their behavior
from the time they would naturally start exploring their environment,
parrots raised for the pet trade can begin to show serious behavioral
dysfunction. These problems are rarely apparent until the young birds
start to reach their independence stages. One of the manifestations of
this behavioral confusion can be feather picking. It appears that most
plucking related to poor early socialization will start by the time a
parrot is 2 years old.
The majority of people who consult with me are under the erroneous
presumption that their parrots must be unhappy if they pick. This is not
necessarily true. I know of many contented parrots that play happily,
love to be cuddled, chatter loquaciously, and pick their feathers. The
most important advice I can give the owners of plucking birds, whether
it is from physical or behavioral causes (or both), is to totally ignore
their bird when it picks. Give him lots of love and nurturing attention
but ignore the picking. Parrots can be highly manipulative and if they
receive attention for a behavior, they will continue it for attention as
long as we give them an investment in it. Fussing over a parrot when it
picks is almost a guarantee that the behavior will become a habit.
As with all behavioral problems, treating the symptoms is less
effective than solving the underlying cause. The underlying cause of
most behavioral problems in companion parrots is a confused bird in
control of his own life doing a miserable job of it. With very confused
or phobic birds who pluck, working to increase their sense of security
is essential. Giving clear messages with verbal commands and defining
periods of attention and cage time-outs will help develop a sense of
independence in spoiled birds. Protecting a parrot from traumatic
experiences is essential, however, over-protected parrots who have not
been introduced to change in safe, secure ways are often feather
pickers. Gradually setting rules, providing behavioral guidance, and
teaching a bird to accept change and new adventures under close
supervision is imperative to their well-being. Working with behavioral
pickers will usually make a significant difference but may never
completely prevent future episodic picking during times of confusion and
stress.
The Pet Bird Report
has published several articles that will help you understand Nurturing
Guidance and the socialization process. (To order, please send a SASE to
PBR Reprints, 2236 Mariner Square Dr #35, Alameda, CA 94501).
Feather
Plucking: Some Causes & Cures
