Feather Plucking Solutions

For bird parents everywhere, when a feathered friend begins to pick or pluck their feathers, it can be a very trying time. For many otherwise healthy birds, it just becomes a difficult habit to break.

Stress:

Birds that are overactive and overstimulated frequently pluck their feathers, as do birds that are bored. Such birds also show anxiety and aggressive behaviours. Anxiety can be caused by a lack of fresh air, a lack of light, and a disturbance in the bird's circadian rhythm (a physiological 24-hour cycle). Another stressful situation occurs when the bird is moved from one place to another, or when there is a change in its habitual environment. Nevertheless, the stress in any form can cause the bird to indulge in feather plucking.

Diet:

An insufficient diet also leads to skin and feather problems, which the bird tries to solve by feather plucking. Similarly, birds affected by internal or external parasites can resort to feather plucking due to discomfort.

Treatment:

Feather plucking can become a habit if it is not treated in time. Usually, there is more than one underlying cause for the bird's feather plucking, and you need to explore and treat all of them with your veterinarian's help. It is also important to keep your bird busy with toys, by using behavioural therapy techniques, or by changing its environment to reduce isolation. Omega fatty acids, when added to the diet, have also proved successful in reducing feather plucking.