Why are my birds picking their feathers? Is it normal or a problem?

Thanks for reaching out about Tuyu. Birds often have a feather-less area under the wing but is actively pulling out feathers, that is a concern. Self mutilation or over grooming can be a sign of disease, but also stress. Nutritional deficiencies need to be corrected, especially is on a seed diet. If the feather picking behavior continues, a veterinary visit is recommended. After ruling out diseases, anti-anxiety medications have been used in birds to reduce stress. Good luck

Hi and thank you for using PetCoach, Generally speaking, there is no need to do anything unless the feather picking results in bald areas. What you are describing sounds more like normal preening than feather picking. Blood feathers are new feathers that are growing in. They can brake sometimes, but that is usually not due to picking.

It is most likely that your bird is either picking out her feather because of stress or boredom or that she is molting. Since she is eating well and otherwise acting like herself I think it is less likely that she is ill. Make sure you are feeding her a well balanced diet of pellets, small amounts of fruits and veggies and minimal amounts of seeds. If she continues to lose feathers for more than a couple weeks or if she stops eating, then I would recommend taking her in to be evaluated by your veterinarian. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Boop by Petco. Best of luck.

If Bobo is otherwise happy and healthy, he could just be molting. This is a normal thing that happens when your bird sheds their old feathers and replaces them with new ones. You will likely see "pin" feathers, or feathers that look like little pins sticking out of the skin in the places where old feathers were lost if this is the case. If, however, Bobo is itching, there is redness, new feathers aren't growing in, or he seems ill or upset, it could indicate something else such as parasites, skin issues, etc, that should be checked out by a vet.

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 flint and including a photo. The picture of the feather appears normal. Heavy molts can be normal but also the caused by stress, poor nutrition, some viral diseases, external parasites (mites, lice), metabolic problems (liver, kidney) and others possibilities. A veterinary visit is recommended if concerned to help assess the problem and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Good luck.

Hi and thank you for using Boop by Petco! It is absolutely normal for parakeets to occasionally shed their feathers, even the larger feathers from the tail. However, since it sounds like there are two birds housed together, I recommend keeping an eye their overall appearance and have them evaluated by a vet if there are any large featherless patches.

Feather loss can be from any number of things, so finding the underlying cause is best. Molting is a normal loss of feathers that occurs 1-2 times a year and all the old feathers are replaced with new ones. You will see "pin" feathers appearing on the skin (look like needles or pins) to indicate this is a molt and new feathers are growing in. Making sure Mithu is on a balanced diet can help ensure he grows in new feathers. Skin issues such as parasites, infections, nutritional issues, etc can also cause feathers to fall out. Treating any visible wounds, making sure Mithu is on a balanced diet, and using a mite spray to treat any external parasites can help. Illness can sometimes cause feathers to fall out either due to a lack of nutrition or from the illness itself. If you can't find an immediate problem, having a vet examine Mithu is best to rule out any illness. Boredom and stress can also cause feather plucking, which may make it look like the feathers are falling out. Making su

He may be molting. It is difficult to determine with any certainty from the images provided. If he is, simply provide a well balanced diet, fresh water and keep him as stress free as possible. Bathing or misting him with warm water will promote preening and healthy plumage.

If he is getting new feathers in that area of the body, that could be a reason for him to preen in the neck area. If, however, he begins to lose feathers and you aren't seeing new feathers coming in/ you are seeing bald areas of skin then this could be a sign of a problem (such as mites/parasites) that require veterinary attention. If your bird had a bath today that could be another reason for his extra grooming habits today.