The budgerigar plucks out feathers from the breast. Why does a parrot pull out its feathers? Molting and ritual scratching

Often, parrot owners are faced with the problem of plucking feathers. In order to avoid or cope with this problem, you need to know what such actions indicate and what should be taken immediately.

Features of the behavior of parrots

Parrots are one of the finest and most vulnerable bird species in the world. Almost every action they take indicates a change in mood and level of satisfaction, or vice versa, dissatisfaction with something in their life. Any strange movement, sound, or action of the bird can be a signal that the pet is unhappy with something. Unusual behavior can also indicate a health problem. Therefore, uncharacteristic actions of a pet need to be identified in time and carefully monitored.

Usually, the behavior of a parrot is due to factors of two types:

External factors - living conditions, food, a change in environment, the appearance of new animals or people.
Biological factors - the influence of age, hormonal disruptions, illness or puberty (this is strongly influenced by the appearance of a partner).

The most common manifestations of the internal state of parrots are:

Shivering is a very common manifestation of behavioral change and indicates sparseness, agitation, or arousal.
Flying inside the cage is an indicator of good physical shape.
Strange sounds, or screams near people - the bird is scared and ready to defend itself (perhaps even attack).
Spread wings - the parrot feels uncomfortable in the environment, it is hot.
Lack of interest in food and water - most often this phenomenon is observed when buying a parrot, or moving, it is due to the fact that the bird has not yet got used to the new and retains safety measures for itself. Water can also be enough in the pet's diet, especially if there are fresh fruits and vegetables, then the reluctance to drink is absolutely normal.

Did you know? Parrots give their offspring names! It will be very difficult for a person to hear the difference between sounds, but it is individual for each chick.

Particular attention should be paid to biological factors. First of all, this is the period of incubation of eggs and molting. During these periods, parrots can become extremely aggressive and can even bite the owner. This is completely normal as they are simply trying to protect their offspring and feel insecure. During the molting period, birds experience unpleasant sensations - itching, slight pain, this leads to increased irritation.

Among biological factors, there are hormonal periods: a parrot can feed its owner, or a mirror, because it sees another parrot in it, rub against the rods, coo, spread its wings, start making a nest. During these periods, the bird can show aggression, therefore, irritants (mirror, toy) should be removed and wait out this period.

Why does a parrot itch and pluck out feathers: reasons

During the molting period, when the parrot feels itching due to the growth of new feathers, it tries to pull out the old ones, in which case this is absolutely normal, but if the skin is damaged to blood and the pet is constantly itching, you need to pay attention to this and start treatment. There are a number of reasons for the appearance of such a process.

Containment breach

In case of violation necessary conditions for life, the pet's skin can be severely damaged, this in turn leads to the pulling of feathers. This is most often due to the wrong temperature and humidity for the parrot.

At very high temperatures and dry air, the skin of the bird begins to peel off, become covered with scales, like dandruff, and begins to itch violently. The optimum temperature and humidity are + 20-25⁰С and humidity 70-80%.

Important! Finding a cage near a fireplace, heater, or battery can seriously harm your parrot!

Irregular cleaning of the cage can also lead to skin irritation and disease in your pet. Also smoke and insufficient lighting can cause health problems for birds.

Skin irritation

Improper nutrition can lead to the appearance of diseases such as hepatitis, fatty hepatosis, liver and kidney tumors, liver rupture, nephritis. All these diseases are quite unnoticeable, their symptoms are: apathy, lack of appetite, bad stool and skin problems.

Stress

The reasons for stress for a parrot can be: moving to another place, travel, change of owner, separation from another parrot or his death, neighborhood in the same cage with another parrot of the same sex (competition and tension arises), change of cage, presence of a dog or cat that is aggressive towards a parrot, physical pain. All such activities can put the bird into a state of stress. This leads to the fact that she pulls out her feathers.

Also, if ointments were previously used to treat the bird and they were poorly absorbed, it will be stressful for it and it will get rid of the oily feathers. This can become a habit and even when the feathers are clean, she will still try to get rid of them.

Did you know? Parrots have been pets for 3000 years! The Egyptians and Chinese were the first to tame them.

Failure to meet all the needs can also lead to the pet getting rid of feathers. This is often associated with loneliness. For example, Jaco's parrots require communication, and if the owner leaves the house all day, the bird begins to get bored. The same goes for the need for space, food and entertainment. When there are no toys in the cage, boredom can be the cause of depression.

A good and sound sleep is very important for birds, if it is not there due to external stimuli, constant noise, then the bird will be aggressive and can begin to get rid of feathers.

Important! Holistic care of the parrot is necessary, the lack of at least one element of care can lead to severe illness and stress for the bird.

What to do?

Once the cause is identified, action must be taken immediately to stop the loss of feathers.

Inspection and observation

If plucking feathers leads to skin damage to blood, and is also accompanied by symptoms such as apathy, lack of appetite, poor stool, aggressiveness, peeling of the skin, the presence of black sticks (feathers, lice) on the body you must immediately contact your veterinarian.

But if this happens during molting and is not accompanied by the above symptoms, then this is normal, since new feathers cause itching and irritation. If the molt is delayed, then this is also considered an alarm signal.

Veterinary care

First of all, going to the veterinarian will help determine the exact cause of feather loss, since some options (diseases internal organs, fungal diseases, ticks) is very difficult to determine on your own.

If the cause is stress, then a bitter spray is most often prescribed, which does not contain harmful substances and stops the bird from pulling out. Aloe vera spray is also prescribed, as it is a natural antiseptic that helps soften and moisturize the skin and stop bleeding. Calcium pangamate and vitamin B 15 are often used. The doctor will be able to determine the best treatment option individually for each pet.

Home help and treatment

If there is no way to see a veterinarian, you can resort to home treatment. First of all, it is necessary to determine the cause of the phenomenon.

Bright luxurious plumage is the decoration of the parrot and the pride of its owner. But often the owners notice that the parrot begins to pluck feathers for itself. The concerns raised about this are not unfounded. Self-plucking is a serious disease and can occur under the influence of factors of various nature. Even a specialist sometimes finds it difficult to determine the true cause of the development of pathology.

It used to be believed that plucking feathers of themselves are mainly large parrots, such as gray, macaw. Now the owners are faced with the same problem. budgerigars, lovebirds, necklace parrots etc.

Self-pinching symptoms

The parrot sits ruffled, indifferent to everything that happens around, most often there are no feathers on the lower part of the wings, belly and chest. In severe cases, the entire body, with the exception of the head, becomes naked.
Plucked feathers, bitten, torn, frayed. At first, the bird pulls out feathers during daily grooming, then it does this more and more and more and more loses feathers. If they are "alive", bleeding may occur.
The bird also pulls out newly growing feathers. Sometimes a parrot, furiously pulling out feathers, can peck at the skin, then extensive wounds with exposed blood vessels appear, and bleeding begins.

Possible reasons for a parrot pulling feathers

1. Violation of the conditions of detention, namely

Dry air in the apartment, especially during the heating season, when the rooms are not ventilated and the batteries are hot.
Due to the anatomical peculiarities, the skin of parrots is dry, since there are no sebaceous and sweat glands in it, with the exception of the coccygeal (and some species of parrots - gray, macaw, amazons - do not have a coccygeal gland). Accordingly, the birds must be bathed, which the owners often forget about.
For the prevention of hypodynamia, parrots contained in cages should be given the opportunity to fly around the apartment. Do not forget to check the apartment for sources of danger for birds before doing this.
It is important that the perches are made of natural material... The tannins of the perch bark stimulate digestion, and birds do not have problems such as diarrhea or constipation.

2. Violation of the rules and norms of feeding, namely

Lack in the diet of amino acids such as cystine, methionine, lysine, due to the lack of a protein component in it. Owners often forget to give the birds protein foods, and some are not even aware of their need. Once a week, parrots should receive protein in the form of a boiled egg, low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt, minced meat. The amount of protein feed depends on the type of parrot. So, for budgerigar it can be with a cherry, and for a larger one - accordingly more. During the moulting period, the squirrel should enter the body of the parrot 2 times more often, during laying and incubation of eggs, as well as when feeding the chicks - daily.
For a pet to be healthy, fresh food must be present in its diet - fruits, vegetables, herbs. It often happens that the owners, once seeing that the parrot refuses an apple, carrot or pear, stop giving them. But this is the case when you need to be persistent and offer fresh food again and again every day. The parrot is by nature very curious, and after a while he will begin to taste the offered fruits and vegetables, and then eat them fully.
No bird's diet can do without grain feed, and parrots are no exception. However, mistakes are encountered here too: the food is constantly given the same. For poultry, the composition of the grain mixture is very important, since different seeds contain correspondingly different nutrients. For example, wheat contains sulfur, which is essential during molting; oats - the most important amino acids lysine and cystine; corn, millet, canary seed, grass seeds are rich in carbohydrates; oil seeds and nuts - unsaturated fatty acids.
There are also such owners who, out of ignorance, try to feed the parrot with food from their table: cutlets, fried meat, sausage, etc. This leads to a perversion of the bird's appetite and, as a result, to metabolic disorders, and often to death pet.
Some experts believe that the reason for plucking feathers is the pathology of the thyroid gland, and advises to include beets, carrots, cabbage, lettuce in the diet of sick birds: they stimulate the activity of the thyroid gland. At the same time, it is necessary to exclude oats from the diet of parrots, because it suppresses the activity of the thyroid gland, as well as oilseeds and walnuts containing fatty oils.

3. Skin irritation

Liver and kidney disease can also cause itchy skin.

Often the reason for pulling out feathers is the treatment of pet's skin diseases with ointments. The ointment on the feather makes it sticky, and the bird begins to tidy it up. But she, as a rule, does not succeed, and such a pen has to be removed. The larger the surface treated with the ointment, the more extensive the area of \u200b\u200bskin thinned from feathers.

4. Frustration

This is the most common and most difficult to determine cause of self-pinching. Parrots live in large flocks and are endowed with a highly developed psyche. Frustration is the most common type of psychogenic disorder; it is a strong emotional experience that is a reaction to an insurmountable obstacle on the way to satisfying one's needs, both physiological and psychological. That is, any violation of both the conditions of keeping and feeding, and communication (with other birds or humans), causes frustration in the parrot. Prolonged presence of a bird in a state of frustration can lead to serious disturbances in its mental state - depression, neurosis. The reaction to frustration can be aggressiveness or depression, depending on the type of the bird's nervous system, but in any case, it begins to pull out its feathers.

The reasons for frustration in a parrot can be:

boredom (the owner is absent from home for a long time, and when he returns, he does not pay attention to the pet);
the presence of other pets or small children that do not give the bird rest;
obsessive attention from strangers;
loneliness with the loss of a partner or owner;
the emergence of a new partner who did not like the parrot;
low position in a group of birds, when the majority rejects the parrot; lack of sleep when the cage is overpopulated or when the daily rhythm of the bird is not observed (it needs 15 hours of light and 9 hours of sleep);
fear of separation from a person when he goes on vacation and gives the pet to an unfamiliar house, to strangers (this is especially important for a parrot in the first year of the owner's life).
often a state of frustration is observed after the parrot, along with the cage, is moved somewhere in a corner where there is not enough light, the air is drier and there is less attention. That is, when they forgot about it, when no one needed it ... The bird feels good about it, suffers and begins to pull out feathers from grief.

But it also happens that after a change of owner, the parrot may stop pulling out feathers: with the new owner, the bird is more comfortable, and aggression or sadness passes away.

How to help a parrot? Self-plucking treatment

You can apply the bitter spray "Beafar spray", "Aloe-Vera". The action of Beafar spray is based on the use of bitter substances that are harmless to humans and animals. Spray Aloe-Vera - a natural antiseptic, anesthetic and hemostatic agent, softens and moisturizes the irritated area on the bird's skin.

For home remedies, try a 1: 1 baking soda solution. Applied to the feathers of a parrot, because of bitterness, it discourages the bird from plucking.

But without finding out the reason for pulling out feathers, these funds will not help.

You can put on a protective collar on the parrot, but this is also not a way out, since the physiology of this bird is such that it must clean the feathers and put them in order for 2-3 hours every day. The collar will not allow this, because of which the painful condition of the parrot can only worsen. If the collar is removed, the parrot will go back to the old one.

To reduce itching, the pet needs to be given 1 / 8-1 / 2 tablets of calcium pangamate, vitamin B15 every day. If the feathers do not grow, the parrot must be constantly fed with iodine. To bring the pet's nervous system to a stable state, he is given an infusion of valerian (with sugar or honey) or valerian extract (1/2 dragee per day large birds). Eleutherococcus extract, pollen will also help reduce itching. In addition, the ward should be bathed frequently. And don't forget that he needs ultraviolet radiation.

In contact with

Many owners of feathered pets, seeing for the first time how they pluck themselves and go bald, are horrified. Of course, such self-torture is not a pleasant sight. But the bird behaves for a reason. What does not happen, and what are the reasons for this behavior? Let's find out in detail.

Improper diet as the cause of the problem

Chaotic eating of a flying friend most often causes itching, which begins to bother him so much that it leads to self-pinching. Some owners simply do not attach importance to the issues of competent drawing up of the bird's diet, they believe that it can be fed from the master's table. But this is an irreparable mistake. After all, the digestive system of humans and birds is significantly different. So over time, eating cutlets, salads, pecking bread and crumbs from the table can lead to skin problems in the bird. Yes, parrots get used to such a diet, it is very convenient for the owner, because there is no need to spend time and money buying special food. He eats together with the feathered one, and meanwhile the metabolism is disturbed, and the bird in one day begins to pull out its own feathers. She does it so actively and zealously that soon the feathers can remain only on the head and neck, where they are unattainable for pulling out. Food from the master's table is taboo for birds. Problems will begin with a deficiency of calcium and vitamins, metabolic disorders, then kidneys and liver will suffer. The pet will itch intensely, experiencing itching. So he pulls out the feathers.

If the plumage suffers in females during the rearing period, then perhaps their diet lacks protein.

Stress as a risk factor

There are many reasons for emotional experiences in birds. This is resettlement into a smaller cage, change of owner or death of a partner, severe fright, attacks of a cat. Sometimes stress is caused by physical punishment, which the owners use when the bird is mischievous, learns to speak poorly. Sometimes, due to inexperience, the owners keep 2 birds of the same sex in one cage. Then one of them will infringe on the other, who is weaker in character. So he can begin to pluck himself.

And the owner himself, his indifference and inattention to the pet lead to the fact that the bird develops stress. She feels unnecessary. Indeed, in nature, parrots are used to living in flocks, loneliness is not peculiar to them. And if the owner leaves the bird alone for a long time, does not pay attention to it every day, then in this way the bird will try to attract him to himself.

The stress of loneliness is a feature most often characteristic of gray parrots. When buying such a bird, you must take into account your employment.

Bird owners should be aware that the thyroid gland, which produces hormones that affect metabolism and thermoregulation, is responsible for the growth of plumage in birds. When a parrot plucks itself from stress, the thyroid gland, as in the period of natural molting, begins to work in an enhanced mode. The feathers grow back, and the bird plucks them out again. Then the thyroid gland intensively synthesizes hormones and works for wear and tear. She is thus depleted. The main organ of the endocrine system stops the production of hormones, and the feathered pet can remain practically bald. Large wing feathers, tail and flight feathers will remain on the body. And so that this does not happen to the ward, it is important to provide him with emotional comfort every day.

A healthy parrot spends a lot of time cleaning its feathers. For him it is a hygienic procedure and fun in one bottle. Sometimes the owners notice that their pet itches too often. This can be both the first sign of the disease, and absolutely normal.

Instructions

Parrots can scratch their feathers for up to three hours a day, this is completely normal. Sometimes they rub their heads with their paws and even push them through the bars of the cage. However, remember that not only for hygienic reasons. Active scratching may indicate that your pet has begun molting, and feathers scattered throughout the cage may also report this. The parrot comb out old feathers with its paws, making room for new ones. During molting, it is necessary to monitor the diet of the parrot; your pet must be sure to get enough calcium.

If it seems to you that your parrot is too active, then you can examine the feathers that have fallen out. There should be no marks on them, and they should not be too disheveled, that is, have damage. Perhaps the room is too dry, because of this, the parrot itches too often. The air humidity should be approximately 70%. The skin of the bird is dehydrated from dryness and itching appears. To moisturize the skin, the parrot should bathe regularly, you can also spray the bird from a spray bottle from time to time.

Signs that itching for unnatural reasons is peeling of the beak and legs. At the first symptoms of malaise, it is urgent to show the parrot veterinarian... If you keep several birds, then the sick parrot must be isolated by quarantine.

Spectacular and bright plumage is one of the most attractive qualities of exotic birds. Sometimes the owners of parrots are faced with a serious problem: their beloved pet begins to pluck their feathers. If several pieces fall a month, then this is not scary, but quite natural - the bird independently gets rid of unnecessary specimens. Sometimes the once beautiful feathered friend loses all his splendor and takes on a pitiful look, constantly plucking himself. There are several sources of this behavior. Some of them pose a danger not only to the appearance of the bird, but also to its health. Let's dwell on the main reasons for feather plucking in parrots.

Feeding errors

As food for these exotics, it is better to purchase ready-made food for parrots in specialized stores. Additionally, you can enrich the diet with vegetables and fruits. The products are pre-washed, cleaned, cut and pitted. Do not use salty, sweet, fatty and fried foods. You also need to diversify the menu with special vitamin complexes with mineral supplements.

In case of improper feeding, the parrot's body lacks useful trace elements, and the bird compensates for this by plucking. Sometimes itching makes him behave like this. It occurs with allergies or metabolic disorders, if the pet is fed prohibited or harmful foods. For example, you cannot give a lot of sunflower seeds due to their high fat content. The owner wants to please the pet with a delicious treat, but as a result, the pet has problems. You can avoid problems in this case if you revise the bird's diet.

Sometimes self-plucking occurs during the feeding of chicks, when there is not enough mineral and protein substances in the diet of adults.

Poor conditions of detention

A cramped and uncomfortable cage, too high or low air temperature, low or high humidity in the room, not long daylight hours can cause the parrot to pluck out feathers on the breast, on the bottom or in another accessible place.

It is necessary to give the bird the opportunity to swim in warm water, especially in extreme heat and in very dry air in the room. In winter, when the days are very short, near this exotic, the lamps must be turned on for several hours in order to increase the length of the day. It is useful to let the bird fly around the apartment. The more often you do this, the better for the pet, because in nature he does not sit in one place for a long time.

Loneliness and boredom

In nature, parrots mostly spend time with their own kind. In the absence of such an opportunity, they may well engage in self-plucking. The likelihood of this behavior increases if the bird's sexual partner or cage partner dies. Sometimes the feathered one does this during puberty.

You can help the bird if you devote more time to the pet. You can buy new toys, get another feathered friend to reduce the feeling of loneliness.

Parrots pluck feathers photo

Lack of attention

The parrot needs to devote several hours of his free time every day. He is like a child who is constantly drawn to adults. Developing activities, stroking, quiet long conversations will help to avoid problems with self-plucking from a bright friend.

Stress

There can be many reasons for overvoltage:

changing the usual living conditions - new food, lack of sleep;
too noisy neighbors (children, animals);
new place of residence (or moving the cell to another place);
low place in the bird hierarchy if there are other birds in the house.

Stress can lead to frustration. This painful condition often begins with the parrot plucking feathers from the bottom or other accessible places. Other symptoms then develop. Depending on the specific individual, aggressiveness or depression is manifested. Serious mental disorders are possible - depression, neurosis, etc. The problem can be avoided if its source is eliminated.

Ticks, different kinds fungus, feather and feather eaters, helminths give the parrot serious discomfort. The bird is carefully examined to exclude such a reason for plucking. If there are other birds in the house, when buying a new pet, a monthly quarantine is required, and appearance the beginner is studied especially carefully.

Diseases

This is one of the most annoying reasons for feather plucking in parrots. A variety of illnesses can lead to this behavior.

Inflammation of feather follicles. Often with this disease, the parrot pluck out the feathers under the wings.
Thyroid gland pathologies. For the prevention and stimulation of the thyroid gland, lettuce, beets, carrots and cabbage are included in the parrot's diet. The consumption of walnuts, oats and oilseeds is limited.
Dermatitis. There are many sources of its appearance, but as a result, a parrot can pluck out feathers before blood, and the resulting wounds are easily infected and worsen the condition of the bird.

Plucking feathers is a serious reason to take a closer look at your pet. Sometimes there are several reasons for this behavior, and it is very difficult to find them yourself. If in a couple of weeks it is not possible to understand and eliminate the problem, and the plumage is catastrophically lost, it is necessary to contact the veterinary clinic to help the suffering bird.

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