Birds are fascinating, beautiful, incredible creatures that I have chosen to share my life with. I've enjoyed keeping and raising birds for as long as I can remember and they are greatly responsible for my becoming a veterinarian. While I love these critters, I also understand how difficult they can be to live with & care for properly. Before anyone acquires a pet bird they need to understand what they are getting into. Never acquire any type of pet on an impulse and especially a bird. Studies have proven that birds are much more intelligent than our other commonly kept pets and they also are very long lived. These two factors often contribute to some of the problems we see in avian veterinary medicine. Because birds are so intelligent, they need regular mental and physical stimulation and lack of this commonly leads to behavioral disorders such as feather picking and skin mutilation. Their intelligence can also get them into trouble. As an example, it is not uncommon for a bird to learn that when they scream the owner comes to the cage and they quickly become attention yellers. Also, because they often live for decades on very poor diets, we regularly see diseases associated with severe malnutrition. Therefore, I encourage anyone considering acquiring a bird to become thoroughly educated in the needs of the bird prior to bringing your feathered friend home.

Veterinarian:

Your avian veterinarian should be one of the most important aspects in providing your bird with a long and healthy life. I highly recommend establishing a relationship with a veterinarian the first day you acquire your new bird. Additionally, all birds should be examined at least yearly by a veterinarian and I recommend regular lab screening as well. The lab screening will vary depending upon what the veterinarian feels is important but typically includes a fecal panel, complete organ panel, and a look at the red and white blood cells. The importance of this cannot be overstated. Birds are notorious for not showing signs of illness until they are critical and a good way to catch them in the early stages of any disease is with basic lab screening. Another benefit of lab screening is for the establishment of normal values for your individual bird. This becomes important when your bird is ill because we have those baseline values to compare the current results to. This allows your veterinarian to determine the longevity of the disease and also helps to allow them to focus on the changes that are of most importance. If I could do only one thing with this web site, it would be to enforce the importance of a good relationship with your veterinarian. Your bird will never get better care then by seeing someone who knows him/her and most importantly knows what is typical for your bird, both in behavior and laboratory results.

1. Screaming - see behavior tips below - teach your bird to whisper

2. Chewing/Destructive Behavior - see toys and caging.

3. Biting: Biting can be due to a variety of reasons but a few of the more common reasons are:

The feather plucker is the most common type we see in practice. These guys will vary from the bird that just plucks a few coverts exposing the fluffy underlying gray down feathers (often over the top of the wings) to the bird that has plucked its entire body. Please note that pluckers cannot pluck out head feathers so if a bird is also missing head feather (and doesn't have a cage mate that may be plucking) the bird is likely losing feathers from another cause such as PBFD virus. So, the typical whole body plucker has few to no feathers on the entire body, except the head which is usually in perfect feather. Often we see these birds after they have been plucking for an extended period of time or have seen several other veterinarians. Again, realize that it is best to start treatment early with all feather pickers and to do a complete laboratory health work-up first.

Not all feathers chewers or pluckers will go on to actual skin mutilation, but this manifestation if the most dangerous for the individual bird. These birds will also pluck feathers, but will go on to actual chewing/tearing of the skin. Areas targeted can vary but often I see injury/scabs on the keel or feet and legs. The injuries can vary from mild superficial skin wounds to life threatening injuries. I consider this an emergency problem for the bird and thus it must be addressed immediately. I'm not a big fan of placing birds in e-collars (cones that look like lamp shades and placed around the neck to prevent access to the body) but often time these guys have to be collared to prevent ongoing injury. If an e-collar is used it is extremely important to work on correcting any underlying medical and/or behavioral issues. The e-collar should not be used as the correction to the problem and the bird should not be made to live its life in the collar.

ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES AND SOME TREATMENTS: The most important thing to remember when treating a feather picking or chewing bird is that this is often a lifelong management issue and there is no quick fix or cure. Therefore, it is important to realize that correcting this problem may take a considerable amount of time and commitment. Also, the longer the behavior has persisted the more difficult it is to correct. It is always best to take the bird to your veterinarian as soon a behavior is noticed. The birds caught early have the best chance of success in reducing or eliminating the negative behavior. That said, the following are some environmental changes I often suggest after a complete health screen of the bird. (for caging and housing see correct beginning)

1) Full Spectrum Lighting: Often our birds are completely housed indoors and never see the sunlight. Even those by a window will not benefit from the sun because the window acts as a filter preventing the bird from absorbing the benefits of the sun such as Vitamin D3. Birds use the sunlight by preening their feathers with feather dust in the case of cockatiel or cockatoos or the oily secretions of the uropygial (preen) gland. The substance on the feathers will undergo a chemical reaction from the sunlight producing Vitamin D3 which the bird ingests with further preening of the feathers. The exclusively indoor bird does not have the benefit of the reaction. One alternative is to provide full spectrum lighting. The packaging for the light should state that is provides both UVA and UVB rays and must always be a fluorescent light and not an incandescent bulb. The introduction of the light should be slow to prevent stress to the bird. I'd suggest starting out with the light in the same room but not lighted or next to the cage and gradually moving it closer to the cage over several days. When the bird appears comfortable with the light is can be placed within 18inches of the cage and turned on. Ensure that the bird is unable to access the light or cord because most will chew given the opportunity. Also, the light should not be left on around the clock. Night time and darkness is also important to the bird's health and I recommend 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness each night. Some of the better light will simulate dawn and dusk with a slow brightening and dimming and can be placed on a timer for consistency. Another option is to provide an outdoor cage for temporary sunning. The cause must have shaded areas available at all times and should be protected from wild birds or their droppings.

2) Humidity: Many of our captive birds are adapted to the jungle and very high humidity. I suggest you research the natural lifestyle of your particular species and attempt to provide something close to their natural temperature and humidity. Often we live in areas of the country with very low humidity (i.e. Arizona) or we live in areas that require artificial heating which will lower the humidity. Either of these situations can be uncomfortable for our birds. Feather pickers will often benefit from increased humidity because it is soothing to the skin and allows them to keep their feathers clean. A great way of increasing the humidity is to provide a daily bath for your bird. Bathing can be done in a variety of way depending on the individual. Many of the larger parrots enjoy showering with us and there are actual shower perches that can be purchased. Smaller birds may enjoy misting or a shallow bowl of fresh clean water placed in the cage daily. Noise will often stimulate bathing activity and my birds will almost always bathe when I run the vacuum. For smaller birds I've also run the skin faucet slowly and placed the bird on a towel over the skin divider (for traction). The birds will watch you running your hands under the water and often will join in on the activity. Bathing with water alone will improve the health of the skin and feathers, but for feather pickers I’ve often added a prescription shampoo to the bathing routine (especially for the shower birds) and this is often an effective way of treating secondary skin infection caused by the trauma of picking. Of course you should never use an over the counter shampoo and also check with your vet prior to using any substance on the skin or feather. Often time anti-pick sprays will often increase the feather destruction because the bird is attempting to clean the substance off its feathers. So always check with your vet first. A humidifier is another means of increasing the humidity. If used, the water chamber must be cleaned in the dishwasher every day to prevent growth of fungus and bacteria that can be very harmful to our birds. Also the paper or cage litter must be changed daily to prevent growth of fungus and of course the bowls should always be cleaned daily as well.

3) Provide mental stimulation during the day: I cannot over stress the importance of this need. Our birds are often left sitting alone in the cage, with a dish full of food, while we are at work. These can be long boring hours for our intelligent companions. They have no interaction with other intelligent beings most of the day, there is no work involved in getting food and there is no ability for vigorous exercise during the day. Why wouldn't they feather picking. In the wild these same birds would spend their time interacting with flock mates, flying to distant locations while expending lots of excess energy, and most importantly looking for food throughout the day (mental stimulation). So what can we do? Toys, toys, toys... Think of a child spending time in a room alone and then the same child in a room full of enriching/interactive type toys. Still not perfect but better. I always suggest a variety of toys (see links below) that should include hand toys, puzzler toys, treasure chests, chewable toys and foraging toys. Think of toys not as an option or luxury for the pet bird, but as essentials to that bird's well being. Please review the excellent links that are provided at the bottom of the page as well as the article on foraging shown below. I also suggest placing a TV or radio on a timer so that it repeatedly goes on and off through the day. This will still allow the bird some quiet time while also providing mental stimulation. Placing the cage in partial view of a window is also helpful. And requiring them to forage for their food is excellent mental stimulation. Foraging may involve hiding food or placing food in toys that they must "unlock" to get the treats (see foraging article below).

4) Vary the location of the cage or have multiple cages: Caution should be used especially in a timid bird with little self confidence. Some birds are so frightened of change that a cage move will cause picking (see correct beginning). However, if your bird is already picking providing variety in the cage location may give them other things to think about and provide some distraction to slow the picking. Of course, it is best to start out early with a baby bird but even older birds can lean to tolerate change if the introduction is gradual.

5) A companion bird???? This is a tuff question and can go either way depending on the individual bird. Ideally, I recommend when purchasing a baby bird that 2 birds be purchased. I believe it is unfair to these intelligent beings to require that they spend their lives alone. If raised together many birds will become lifelong companions. The babies should both be hand fed so that they are very tame and you must interact frequently with both birds to keep them tame and loving with the family members. The down side of having 2 birds is that they can become aggressive with each other (especially if introduced later in life) and breeding activity can be stimulated. Breeding activity or hormonal changes can occur with 2 birds of the same sex of even with a single bird that has a mirror. The negative aspects of these hormonal changes are potential aggression, feather picking due to hormonal stress, and reproductive problems such as egg binding in females. If a bird has lived the majority of its live alone and has behavioral problems such as feather picking I often do not recommend getting a second bird. The original bird is often very jealous of the newcomer and fighting may ensue, also the new bird may develop the same behavioral problems as the first. It is best to work exclusively on the original bird to improve its general health both mental and physical.

6) Caging: don't have your bird in the kitchen or in the center of activity but rather on the periphery of activity so that they can be a part of the family but can also "escape" for some quiet time.

7) Toys and perches: see behavior tips and links below...

8) Nutrition: The feather picker is causing damage to its skin and feather follicles which can lead to secondary infection. It is important to provide the best possible nutrition for your particular species of bird to allow for a healthy immune system and prevent the stress of vitamin and nutritent defficiences. Realize that all birds are not the same and cannot eat the same diet. Ideally, I like to offer a variety of foods that include a organic and color free avian pellet, a large variety of fresh veggies, and a small percent of fresh fruits and seeds. The following are a few dietary generalization on some individual species, but again it is important that you speak with your veterinarian and do research on your bird prior to making any changes.

9) Medical Options: Certainly treatment of any primary or secondary medical causes of feather picking will need to be treated by your veterinarian. Many of these birds will develop secondary fungal and bacterial infections from the chronic skin damage. Also, many illnesses will cause picking and these will be discovered based on a physical and laboratory examination. Each illness will have its own treatment based on how it is affecting the bird.

A couple of things that I don't recommend for routine use in feather picking birds are

(1) Medroxyprogesterone acetate (Depo-Provera) which can cause obesity and liver disease
(2) steroid injections which potentially can cause liver and gastrointestinal disease.

Medications for anxiety: It is important to remember that a medication is not a "fix" for this very complicated problem and is not warranted in all cases. You must first have a complete physical and laboratory examination of your bird and then work on correcting any environmental concerns. The best use I've had for medications are in those birds who are long term picker, very nervous birds, and birds causing skin damage. Also, remember that none of these drugs are had formal studies done in birds and are not labeled or approved for this use.

Some medical options may include:
1) Clomipramine: This drug is labeled and used for dog separation anxiety.
2) Haloperidol: An antipsychotic drug that can have liver side effects
3) Fluoxetine: Prozac, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
4) Amitriptyline: often used in cats for elimination problems, tricyclic antidepressant

Medications for hormonal feather picking: Some birds will be greatly influenced by hormonal changes and this stress will cause feather picking. It is best to first make environmental changes such as removing mirrors or nest boxes (this can include anything the birds thinks of as a nest box), preventing hormonal stimulation such as petting that induces this behavior, and altering the light cycle to mimic winter sunlight. If all these changes fail than drug therapy may be warranted. Drug therapy is most effective in females but has also be tried in males.

Lupron: leuprorelin acetate has an inhibitory effect on the pituitary that should reduce the hormones FSH and LH. This drug has been used in birds for chronic egg laying, hormonal aggression and feather picking. Again, this is not a perfect drug and certainly not for all situations.

Antihistamines for Allergies and itchy skin:

Most feather pickers are NOT allergic birds and are not picking due to itchy skin, but there are exceptions and some birds will benefit from antihistamines. For those birds that do have allergies or skin irritations it is important to reduce environmental causes such as cigarette smoke in the air or on your hands, perfumes or other aerosolized sprays, and dust from cockatoos which can cause allergies in birds such as macaws. Always have clean hands when holding your bird, don't use any sprays around the bird and ensure that the room is well ventilated.

1) Diphenhydramine: both oral and topical forms
2) Hydroxyzine: both oral (liquid) and topical

Some Change is Good: Also, start from the beginning by introducing new objects into their environment such as toys and exposing them to new people and situations. This helps to desensitize the bird to change later in life.

To fly or not to fly: Some avian experts believe that in order for a chick to grow into a confidant adult they need to learn to fly. Flying not only builds muscle, but the bird also learns to navigate and seems to promote balance and the development of confidence. This method utilized a delayed wing trim on young birds. The bird is allowed to fledge out and learn to fly. I recommend teaching your bird to come to you on cue at this point or you'll be forever retrieving them form topmost areas of your house. Once the bird has gained a good flying ability the outer few primary wing feathers are gradually clipped until the bird is no longer able to gain lift. I do believe that this result in a better emotionally developed bird, but if you decide to utilize this method of raising your bird you must understand the inherent danger. Young birds will have no navigation ability and will fly into walls and windows to they should only be allowed to fly in a "safe" room and they should be kept out of kitchens and bathrooms - full of dangers to the young flyer. Of course, the primary danger is that your bird could escape the house and be forever lost. For that reason, I don't recommend this method is young children are in the house (it is just about impossible to always watch for the open doors). And this is another reason the bird should be taught to fly to you on command early in life, but realize that a scarred young bird that escapes the house may be long gone before you can call the baby back.

2. Enrich the environment: Because we want our birds to be content in their cage during the times that we cannot interact with them, it is important that the cage be a fun place to be and not a prison. Enriching the environment means providing distractions for your bird in many different ways.

Older birds that have not been exposed to any variety in their lives may originally be frightened by the introduction of toys. The best way to get around this is to do a very gradual introduction. I like to start by just placing the object in the room and gradually moving it closer to the cage until the bird is accustomed enough to allow introduction into the cage. The most important thing is to not give up. These older birds will benefit from environmental enrichment just as much as the babies.

Perches: Birds require a variety in size, shape and texture of perches. Birds rest their feet by changing what they are perching on and those individuals that are not allowed variety are often subject to foot sores. The hardwood perches are virtually indestructible but should not be the only type of perch. If you have unsprayed trees in your yard, a few dried natural branches are often the best choice. Having one cement perch in the cage allows the bird to polish its beak by rubbing the beak on the perch to remove the outer dead layer of cells. Another good choice is a rope perch. I especially like these perches for the new clumsy baby birds such as Amazons and African Greys, because they allow the bird to get a good grip on the perch. Caution should be used with these perches though because if chewed on strings can be released that can entrap a birds foot. Throw out the chewed on rope perch. So, the most important thing is to provide your bird with a variety of perches to keep your friend happy and healthy.

Location of Cage: As I stated, I believe it is important to get a baby used to change so that they don't become an adult bird that suddenly plucks out all its feathers when they cage is moved. Having said that, there are some dos and don'ts regarding the placement of the cage.

 

DON'T:

- Place the cage directly in front of a window, which is subject to dramatic temperature shifts and also doesn't allow the bird to "escape" the view.

- Place the cage directly in line with a heat or ac vent

- Place the cage in a kitchens or bathroom. Kitchens have large variations in temperature and toxins can be inhaled from non-stick cookware and from self-cleaning ovens. If kept in a bathroom the bird is likely to be exposed to aerosolized products that can also be irritating and toxic to their air sacs.

- Place the cage in the center of activity for the house. This can result in a stressed and sleep deprived bird.

DO:

- Place the cage in an area of the house where the bird can see and interact with the family.

- Place the cage in an area with a partial view out a window so that bird can escape from unwanted/frightening views.

I like to have a night cage in another room. This allows the bird to be placed in the sleep cage at the same time nightly, preventing sleep deprivation. Ideally, the room should be one that is quiet and dark after dusk.

Here in Arizona it is also nice to have a "sun cage" for your bird. This is an outdoor enclosure where your bird can be safely placed on nice days to allow further environmental stimulation and sunbathing. The enclosure should have a solid roof to prevent contact with wild bird droppings and should have at least one shady area.

Realize that my discussion involved how it makes the cage an enjoyable and safe place for your bird and it did NOT give the option of not using a cage. All birds should be caged when you are not able to directly supervise them. An unsupervised bird will chew anything in reach (even items containing toxins such as lead and zinc), will roam the house and can be stepped on or injured by other family members and pets, and will ingest items that are unsafe. Remember, our goal is to make the care a happy and safe place for your pet. Allowing a bird to roam the house is like allowing a toddler to roam unsupervised - it can only lead to problems.

STEPS:

1. Never respond when the bird is yelling. This means do not talk to them, don't look at them and certainly don't go to their cage. I recommend leaving the room if the bird starts to scream inappositely.

2. Reward the bird for good behavior. Pick a vocalization that your bird already makes and encourage it. Most birds have a variety of vocalizations that they make throughout the day even if they don't actually speak. Pick one of these and EVERY time the bird repeats this vocalization in your presence reward the bird. Rewards can vary depending on the individual, but common ones include food rewards, toy rewards and the best is to be taken out of the cage for a cuddle.

3. Realize that some screaming is normal for birds and cannot be totally eliminated. Most birds will vocalize at dusk and dawn and an occasional vocalization should be accepted as a part of a healthy well-adjusted bird's normal behavior. We just want to eliminate the inappropriate behaviors only.

Not all FDBs are as obvious as the bird a bird that has only a few tail and flight feathers left and a fully feathered head, most are much more subtle. Feather destructive behaviors can range from the bird that over grooms its feathers resulting in a ragged appearance to the feathers, to the bird that plucks large amounts of feathers from its skin resulting in a chick-like appearance with exposed down feathers, to the most serious form, the bird that actually mutilates it’s skin resulting in potentially deadly infections and wounds. It is important to note that while not every feather chewer goes on to mutilate, some do, and we don’t know who these birds are in the early stages of the disease. Also, regardless of the degree of feather or skin damage it is important to realize that feather destructive behavior in all the various forms is a serious behavioral disorder that should be corrected or at least managed to improve the quality of the life of these birds. In short, look for ragged or unusual feathers on your bird, areas on the bird that are actually devoid of feathers, and skin wounds on the bird. Any of these signs should warrant a trip to the Veterinarian.

My bird has feather destructive behavior so does this mean my pet is unhappy or poorly cared for?

Paper cups make a great foraging device. Use small paper cups and place a small treat in the cup, wad the cup into a ball and place in the cage or on the tree. The parrot must chew through the cup to get the treat. Advanced stages of this include placing a tie around the cup and suspending it from the tree so that the bird must pull the cup up by the tie to allow access for chewing.

Tamale wraps can be used to make a great hidden treat. Again, place only a small amount of treat in the corn husk and wrap until fully covered and tie closed. Then allow the parrot to chew the tamale until the treat is revealed. Commercial type piñatas are available from retailers and serve much the same purpose as the tamale wrap, but come in interesting shapes and colors.

Cardboard rolls are another easy foraging toy. The roll should be appropriately sized so that the bird can easily pick the roll up in its hand and chew out the treat that is hidden inside. Also, thicker cardboard is better as it requires more time for the bird to get the treat out. Many commercial products are available and now come in various colors and sizes.

When your bird has become a master forager you can start to vary the routine somewhat and place a large variety of foraging toys in the cage. Some of the toys are now empty, some are filled with actual toys, and some are filled with small treats. You can also introduce some of the acrylic type toys that require an action such as opening a drawer, turning a wheel, or lifting a lid to get to the treat. A few of the better toy retailers include www.birdsjustwannahavefun.com, www.thebirdbrain.com, and Parrot Island . Parrot island makes a variety of treasure chests with various toys to fill them with.

So, as a result of these small changes you have implemented you will have a more physically, emotionally, and mentally fit companion bird with which to enjoy your life. The bird has gone from spending its day plucking out feathers and sitting on one perch to roaming all over the cage and discovering many yummy and interesting treats in its now much more exciting world.

Acknowledgements : The photos used in this article are a combination of patient photos, my own birds and wildlife photos that I’ve taken in AZ and IA. Much of my own education has been through extensive reading on just about anything involving bird behavior. I've learned greatly from the published materials of Dr. Echols whose work has contributed greately to the well being of captive birds world wide. I've gathered foraging & behavior information from various journal articles involving avian behavior, the Association of Avian Veterinarians Conference 2006, Exotic DVM, and Captive Foraging DVD . Most importantly, keeping and raising birds throughout my life has provided me with unlimited opportunities for learning. My love and awe of birds is largely what lead me to become a veterinarian and the care I’ve provided my birds has been paid back a thousand fold with the knowledge they’ve shared with me, allowing me to utilize that knowledge repeatedly when caring for my patients. I thank them all.

An important thing to realize is that even the tamest and most loving of pet will excel at hiding or masking any sign on illness often until too ill to “pretend.” Therefore, it is our job as care takers of these wonderful creatures to be very in tune to the slightest of changes in our pets.  Often times an owner will often just feel that something is not the same about their pet but may not be able to pinpoint any one thing.  Please may attention to your instincts and have the bird examined by your veterinarian if you feel something is awry. 

Fluffed/Activity/: So we’ve established that birds attempt to hide illness but they will still give subtle clues to the attentive owner.  Most commonly a bird this is not feeling well is just less active and will spend more time on a perch sitting quietly fluffed up.  If the bird is also weak you may notice that the bird is not resting with one leg tucked up to the body or you may notice the bird wobble or rock with respirations. An extremely weak bird will no longer perch but rather will sit on the bottom of the cage.

Feces: Another early sign of illness is a change in the character or production of feces.  Bird dropping are composed of 1) urine – the watery ring 2) urates – the white matter 3) feces – the green matter.  Any changes in any of these components can signify disease.

Appetite: You may notice an increase or decrease in the amount or type of food ingested.  For seed eaters it is important to pay close attention to the seeds.  Occasionally a sick bird will appear to be eating but when the seeds are examined closely no shelled or cracked seeks are found.  Also, pay attention to drinking as either increased or decreased water consumption may indicate a problem.

Palpation:  I highly recommend handling your birds on a daily basis not only for their enrichment but also to detect signs of disease early. Often the only way to determine that is bird is becoming thin is to feel it –the feathers hide too much!  Additionally, when petting a bird you make notices massed, abnormal or missing feathers, abnormal breathing or diarrhea staining on vent, and even a weakened grasp to feet.

So the take away message here is to pay attention to your instincts and to react quickly to prevent disaster.

Debilitated birds must be kept in a stress free situation. Often what appears normal to us can cause stress in our feathered friends. I suggest taking a close look at your bird's environment with a critical eye to determine what may be stress factors. Some common one include, the bird in the center of house traffic with no chance to rest, cigarette smoke or aerosols in the birds environment, lack of darkness/sleep time at night, other pets, small children, too much visual stimuli (cage directly in front of a window), competition from cage mates, too much handling, poor nutrition and temperature extremes (such as birds kept in kitchens). I recommend that sick birds be left in their cage and allowed to calmly recuperate. Think of this as bed rest for your pet! Too much handling can stress the bird and will require the bird to use additional calories. If the bird is housed with other birds, it is usually best to remove the bird to a single cage. Some birds can become too stressed when separated from the colony so you should seek your veterinarian's advice on how to cage your sick pet. However, generally removing the bird from the group will reduce the stress of competition for nutrition and allow for medicating easily and better monitoring. Of course, if infectious disease is suspected, then the pet must be moved into an isolation cage and at least a separate room - preferably a separate house with no other birds.

I prefer not to medicate in the pet's water or the food. Medication given in this way often causes a change in the taste and can potential cause the bird to reduce their food and water intake. Thus, in my opinion the best routes are injectable and oral. Topical medication often is not of use to the pet and will cause oily feathers.

Prior to taking your bird home, yYou should be shown how to appropriately medicate your bird by the doctor or technician. Briefly, the patient should be held in an upright position and the syringe containing the medication should be gently introduced from the left side of the mouth and angled to the right side. Most birds will attempt to bite the syringe allowing it to be easily introduced into the oral cavity. Slowly depress the plunger on the syringe to dispense the medications into the lower portion of the beak. If the pet struggles while medication stop for a few moments and then try again. You should advise your veterinarian if you are unable to medicate your pet. Medication can be mixed with a flavoring agent (FlavorX), which will help to reduce some resistance. Occasionally, depending on the reason for treatment, your doctor may be able to give a long acting injection in place of oral medication but this has limited uses and thus is not available for every pet.

1. Malnutrition: We commonly see malnutrition in birds. The cause is not the lack of food but rather years of feeding an incomplete and inadequate diet of seeds only. Yes, birds can live on seeds alone, but most experts now agree that their lives are shortened due to the chronic affects of malnutrition. The idea being that if you feed your bird better it will live a longer and healthier life. So what is a better diet? I don't believe that there is only one answer to this question, partly because different types of birds will require different types of food, but also because we are still learning how to best feed our pet birds. However, there are some basics that you can utilize in the choice diet for your bird.

1. A pellet-based diet is going to be more complete and balanced then a seed only diet.

2. And, you usually can't go wrong by feeding your bird fresh vegetables daily. Typically, I advise my clients to convert their birds over to a good quality pellet diet, and to offer a mixture of leafy green and yellow veggies every day.

3. Fruits are considered treats and should only be given in moderation.

4. Avoid feeding any pits to birds (avocados can be toxic) and spinach should only be fed occasionally.

 

Again, variety will occur with the individual types of macaws. However, in general macaws require a higher fat content in their diet which can be provided with some of the large nuts as a part of their regular diet.

Greys are often subject to calcium deficiency and will require higher calcium content in their diet then other birds. The best way to provide this is by providing calcium rich foods such as cheeses and yogurt in moderation. Almonds are also a good source of calcium for birds.

Eclectus often require more vitamin A in their diet than other birds, but you must be very careful with supplements because it is easy to create Vitamin A toxicity. Again, providing natural sources of Vitamin A is best. Feed leafy green and yellow veggies daily. Sweet potatoes are also a source of Vitamin A that many birds enjoy.

2. Feather Problems: The most common feather problem is feather picking as discussed above. However, diseases can occur that will result in abnormal feather formation or growth. Viruses such as Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease and Polyoma Virus can often cause abnormal feather growth or feather loss. Feather cysts or ingrown feathers can occur and are common in some birds such as canaries. Changes in feather color can indicate organ disease such as yellowing which can indicate liver disease. Lastly, stress and malnutrition can both cause abnormal feather growth, delayed molt cycles and stress bars or weak points to the feather. So if a change is noted in the feather color, character or quantity the bird may have a disease condition.

3. Organ Disease:  Birds like dogs, cats and indeed humans are susceptible to organ infection, inflammation, cancer and failure. The three most common organs involved include the liver, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract.

Liver disease can be from infection or toxins and is also often related to chronic malnutrition.  That is, a long term diet devoid of balanced nutrients can lead to liver disease such as hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease).  The best way to avoid liver problems is to feed a very balanced diet.  

Kidney disease can be caused by a variety of factors like liver disease but again malnutrition may often play a role. For kidney health ensure a balanced diet, avoid over supplementing vitamins and minerals and provide plenty of fresh clean water to keep your bird well hydrated.

Gastrointestinal disease can involve problems anywhere from the mouth through the cloaca. Common problems include crop burn and injury in chicks, foreign body ingestion, toxins, viral infection, bacterial and yeast overgrowth.  Pay close attention to your pet’s normal weight and food intake will allow you to identify a GI problem early.

4. Infectious Disease:
Infectious disease includes parasites, fungus/yeast, bacteria, and viruses. 

Internal parasitic infections are uncommon in birds raised and kept indoors but will be seen in aviary birds especially if kept on dirt flooring or cages with poor cleaning/hygiene. Signs may range from malnutrition and diarrhea to the absence of any symptoms.

Fungal disease are common in birds housed in unsanitary conditions, those in more humid parts of the U.S. and those housed with poor ventilation. Fungal infections can be GI such as megabacteria, often seen in budgies as chronic wasting, or more commonly may involve the respiratory tract and cause wheezing or respiratory distress.

Yeast – candidia is common in chick being handfed and is often related to overfeeding or feeding at improper temperatures. Yeast overgrowth may also be seen in birds on long term or numerous antibiotics. Common signs are regurgitation and weight loss – “failure to thrive”

5. Foot Trauma – Commonly caused by other birds in the cage. May be seen as wounds or bleeding on the toes.  Additionally causes include constriction by material such as thread wrapping around the toes and causing necrosis and blackening.  And trauma in the flighted bird allowed lose in the house – often perch on a door that is closed or landing on a hot surface.  

So, these are just a very small sampling of some of the medical and surgical conditions your veterinarian will see and treat on a regular basis. Please, if you are concerned your pet is showing signs of illness, have him examined by your avian veterinarian.

6. Reproductive Disease

As with dogs and cats, reproductive disease in birds can take a variety of forms including dystocia (stuck egg or egg bound), ectopic egg laying, oviduct infection or rupture, hormonal problems and more. Signs of reproductive behavior can range from aggression to a weak and lethargic bird.  The egg bound bird will often, but not always have a history of egg laying.  She will attempt to pass the egg over many hours to days.  The longer the egg remains the more gravely ill she will become.  Illness develops from dehydration, malnutrition and pressure of egg on kidneys.  Typically the bird will be found sitting on the bottom of the cage often very lethargic and intermittent straining may be noted by the owner.  The vent will often have feces present and an abdominal bulge may be noted. Care should be taken on handling the dystocia bird so as to not break the egg in her oviduct.  The bird should be taken to your veterinarian as soon as a problem is noticed.  Veterinary therapy will include hydration, lubrication, calcium injection and possible hormones. As a last resort surgery is performed to collapse the egg from within allowing delivery.

7. Constant egg laying: is another common reproductive problem in pet birds and cockatiels see to be notorious for this condition. Many pet birds will lay eggs throughout the year with or without a mate. Unfortunately, owners often remove the eggs from the cage and this forces the bird to lay a new clutch. Repeated egg laying is very hard on the hen and can result in very low calcium and egg binding, among other problems. If you have a chronic egg layer I recommend purchasing a few plastic egg of the appropriate size and once the bird has laid her clutch (usually a set number of eggs each clutch) you should replace her eggs with the plastic and allow her to sit on the fake eggs. This does two things 1) prevents for from laying a new clutch for a short time and 2) prevents fertile eggs (if a mate is present) from being hatched and causing a further drain on the hen. I also suggest attempting to reduce the hen's daylight hours to mimic a winter environment in an attempt to bring her out of the breeding season. And of course, it is vital that a chronic egg layer be on an excellent diet that is rich in calcium and sunlight/vitamin D.

Image shows a cockatoo under general anesthesia to replace a prolapsed oviduct.

Occasionally, a bird will have internal problems associated with egg laying. This can include problems such as an ectopically laid egg and cystic follicles. In addition to a bird that is feeling and acting sick, you may notice fluid build up in the birds abdomen. Such birds should be taken to a veterinarian immediately.

Behavioral issues were discussed above. If behavioral problem persist it may be beneficial to contact a recognized avian behaviorist and of course consult with your veterinarian.

Birds learn what to eat from their parent when they are very young. They are true mimic eaters learning what to eat in the wild by watching their parents and other flock members. This can result in some problem for us if the birds were not exposed to a variety of foods by the person rearing the chick. Many birds can be very stubborn about accepting a change in their diet and will actually starve to death because they don't seem to realize that the new food is eatable. Therefore, any change in diet must be done with close supervision and monitoring or the bird's weight.

1)Limit seeds to 2 timed meals daily: I like this method because if the owner is persistent it seems to always work. The idea is to take out all seeds and place fresh pellets in their normal food bowl. It is best to leave the pellets in for the first 1-2 hours every morning and then offer 15 minutes of their regular "old" diet so that they do not go hungry. Repeat this in the evening. The idea is to offer the pellets when the bird are most hungry but NOT to starve the bird into eating.

2) Choose a human grade bird pellet such as Harrison’s and allow the bird to see you eating the pellets. Birds learn by example and are likely to be interested in anything you show interest in.  Do remember that birds and humans have different “normal” bacteria in their GI tracts so do not offer food from your mouth.

3) Soak the pellets in sweetened juice or a favorite food to encourage eating based on flavor.

4) Make cornbread mix and place the old diet, veggies, and the new diet in the mix. Then feed birdie bread.  Harrison’s now makes a powdered starter for birdi