Friday, April 20, 2012

Why Is My Parrot Losing Feathers?

Do you know the frustration of trying your best to take care of your pet parrot but there just seems to be something wrong? You may be wondering why your parrot is losing its feathers. You may be concerned about the overall health of the bird when it begins experiencing feather loss. In fact, there are many conditions that could present themselves in the form of feather loss. It is important that you do not overlook it if your parrot is losing its feathers.

Understanding Your Parrot’s Feather Loss:

parrot feather lossOf course, one common cause of feather loss will be feather plucking. Parrots can develop this habit for numerous reasons, from boredom to stress. If your parrot is feather plucking, you will want to take steps to stop this behavior. However, if your parrot is losing its feathers and you have not seen any sign of plucking, then you will have to determine another cause for the feather loss.
  • A serious illness that could be the culprit could be beak and feather disease. In a case of this illness, you will see several symptoms. The bird will grow feathers, but they will grow in damaged or broken and will eventually fall out. Additionally, the parrot will have beak problems that can include cracking and peeling. If you feel that your parrot may have beak and feather disease, then it is vital that you take it to an avian veterinarian as soon as possible for a diagnosis.
  • There are other, less dangerous problems that could be causing your parrot to be losing its feathers. Any number ofskin problems and allergies can cause itching and discomfort. Often, these skin problems will lead to feather loss as well. A deficient diet can cause these skin problems as well. If your parrot is having trouble with skin problems and feather loss, then you will definitely want to evaluate its diet. Make sure it is getting enough foods other than seeds in order to get all of the nutrients it needs.
  • In addition, there are some viruses and fungal infections that can lead to feather loss. This is because these infections can directly settle in the follicles that produce these feathers. In these cases, your parrot will lose its feathers in one area and you may notice that the skin is inflamed, swollen or damaged. These types of infections will need to be treated with medications that you will need to get from an avian veterinarian.
  • Finally, liver disease can present itself in feather loss. This is because the skin is directly affected by the liver. If a bird’s liver is not working properly, then it can cause skin problems and feather loss.
Is your parrot suffering from feather loss? There are many causes for this condition. Some of these causes are minor and can easily be managed through diet or changes in environment. In some cases, however, feather loss is a symptom of a much more dangerous disease. If you have any doubts about why your parrot is losing its feathers, the best thing you can do is visit an avian veterinarian for the health of your bird.
 http://birdcage.net/2011/07/13/why-is-my-parrot-losing-feathers/

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