LoveBird losing feathers around neck

[Jason]

Hi,

I have 2 lovebirds. One of the is losing alot of feathers around their neck area. Im not sure if they are pulling them out of molting. Only around the neck seems to have most feathers missing.

 

Has anyone any experience of this ?

 

Thanks

Jason

[Dave007]

Periodically, this can happen with overpreening, especially with lovebirds but that practice rarely involves one area of the body.

She is most likely picking her feathers. Sometimes birds pick for medical reasons like a skin disorder, or burrowing mites, and dry skin. Mist her about 4 times a week with warm water to help dry skin even if she hates being sprayed. Other reasons are that your bird could be very stressed about something, not getting enough sleep, having her cage moved, having something new added to the inside of her cage, losing an owner or a mate, not enough privacy, not having enough toys to keep her busy, being in a cage that is too small....lots of reasons. You should try to change her food to a pelleted diet, then you won't have to worry about making sure she gets all the nutrients she needs. You can still feed her fruit and veggies for fun foods, but with the pellets, she will have a very balanced, nutritious diet. Some of the things you can do to try to stop this habit are, buy a peacock feather (pet stores or household products stores) and hang it in her cage. Give her fun things to play with like a toothbrush (new of course) straws, rope, cardboard, paper, wooden craft sticks. Feed her things like corn on the cob cut in disks, green beans, mini rice cakes, apple sticks (no seeds) carrot sticks, spiniach leaves, peas in the pod. Lots of these things aren't good for greys but we're talking about a different species. My friend breeds about 8 different types of lovebirds and this periodically happens with his birds. Many times items like this will keep the birds mind off of picking its own feathers. It can be a very, very hard habit to break, and many time actually impossible to break. Many birds go on to pick thermselves naked and start to self mutilate. Lovebirds frequently do this because they're high energy birds. It is very important to find out what is wrong and stop it now. This is NOT an indication that your bird needs to have another bird to keep it company. Birds do not have to be kept in pairs....even "lovebirds" although you do have two which I assume are together. So, overpreening could be possible.This is an indication that your bird has a problem...medical or pshycological and if nothing works, a trip to a vet is necessary.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2009/10/20 20:25

[Jason]

Thanks Dave. Thats a great post.Very informative

 

Cheers

Jason