Lovebird losing neck feathers: Is its cage mate plucking? How to stop?

Question

I have two lovebirds, and one of them is losing a lot of feathers around its neck. The first thing I thought, is that she's plucking. But the bald spot is to high up for her to reach, she could only reach like half of it. Also I have never seen her pluck even once, but i find about 2-3 neck feathers at the bottom of the cage each day. Can it be that the other bird is plucking her feathers at night, and if so how can I make the other bird stop? And how do I know if feathers are growing back? Pet's info: Bird | Lovebird | Female

Angel Alvarado, LVT · Accepted Answer

The other bird could indeed be preening her excessively. It is possible she could be starting a milt also. Monitor her for feather loss in other areas. Ideally, she should be examined by your veterinarian or an experienced avian vet to diagnose and treat any medical causes. If medical causes are ruled out, you will need to address behavioral causes such as stress or boredom. If the behavior persists and you confirm the other bird as the culprit, you may need to separate them temporarily. Don't worry, they can be caged next to one another. Feathers will grow back wrapped in a sheath. These are called pinfeathers. The sheath will be removed by preening and the feather will unfurl. You can bathe or mist them once or twice a week with warm water to promote preening and healthy plumage.

Lovebird losing neck feathers: Is its cage mate plucking? How to stop?

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