Jornada Veterinary Clinic

                                                                                                                                                            Home

Feather Picking
                                                                                                                 

Once diagnosed with a feather picking disorder and medical reasons for  picking have been ruled out as causes, a few changes in the bird's environment may aid in reducing the picking behavior.

• Make sure the bird receives at least 12 hours of light and dark at the same times each day. Covering the cage with a dark blue or black blanket for at least 12 hours will help.
• Try to spend time with your bird. Setting a schedule that allows you to play with your pet every day at the same time may help to prevent a separation anxiety and concurrent feather picking. Do not play with your bird outside of this schedule since you are trying to establish a regimen.
•  It is important that your bird has many toys to occupy free time and distract from picking. Changing the toys daily or rearranging them within the cage also helps.
• Observe your bird when it is picking. There may be something in it's environment that stimulates it to pick. Identifying the cause is the first step in eliminating the behavior.
• New foods may interest your bird and occupy it's time. Feed fun things such as rotelle pasta, spray millet, breads, unsweetened cereals, bean mixes, etc.
• Mist or bathe your bird on a regular basis. Initially, bathe daily or every other day for about a week, then bathe weekly. Do not use shampoos, tonics or additives. Just spray or mist with water to lightly coat the plumage or take the bird into the shower with you and allow it to perch on the shower bar or door. Many birds love to preen in the sun and groom their plumage after a bath. This activity induces normal preening behaviors and detracts from feather picking.
• Avoid destructive behaviors. If your bird picks from a stressful situation, then avoid that situation. For example, some birds do not like to have their plumage stroked but enjoy merely perching on your hand. Let them perch and keep hands away.
• Dominance behaviors are a large part of understanding your bird. Birds view their families as their flock. Birds resting on the top perch in a flock are usually the dominant birds yet your bird may not understand this role. Perching birds high on a lamp, curtain rod or even your shoulder puts them in a dominant position over you. Keeping your bird at chest high level or lower will help alleviate dominance frustration and possibly reduce picking behaviors.
•  Frequent trips to your avian veterinarian or your avian behavioralist may be necessary for follow up care. Many treatments are available for reducing and preventing picking behaviors. Hopefully, there will be a method for helping your feather picking friend.