One of the most attractive things about parrots is their colorful feathers. But what do you do if your parents start plucking? What causes plucking? And, more importantly what can you do about it? parrotbliss.com/why-do-africa...
Great information. I agree with your comment that it’s so important to not wait. Get that bird to an avian vet. There are things that can be checked and there are great medications that can help, as well as CBD. In my opinion this is such an important video, not just for the birds but the owners. It really is a guilt producing problem.❤️
You make a good point, it is hard to have a parrot that has plucked. It can be embarrassing and make you feel guilty for not having taken care of it right away. So, yes getting them to the vet as quickly as possible really is significant. Thank you for commenting Jan!
I have a female Cape Parrot who plucks at certain times of the year. Could be hormonal. I did not agree with the first avian bet I took her to. She only takes baths in her water dish which only gets her head wet. This vet told me to put her in the sink and spray her down. I did it 2x. It was horrible. Bird Tricks just came out with a Aloe Vera spray using a unique spray bottle. I gave her 2 spray baths today. She tolerated it fine. My new Avian Vet feels she needs to be taking a lot more baths than one every couple months. All of her blood work came back fine. He feels we should start by cleaning up her feathers and see if it helps.
My capes don't love baths either, but they do take one when they choose to. I know that some parrots love baths and some really don't. However, it seems like any of my birds are happy to be in the shower when I take a bath. It doesn't mean that they get wet, but they're in the moisture and that is good for them. It's great that you took your cape to the vet and that the blood work came back fine. I do think that if a bird doesn't know how to take a bath, they need to be trained, which it sounds like you're doing. Since your parrot plucks at certain times of the year, I also thinks it's just hormonal. I don't know that anything can be done about that. Nevertheless, either training her to take mist baths or taking her in the shower to be in the moisture are really beneficial. Keep me updated 🙂
@@ParrotBliss She follows me to the shower. She sits on the shower organizer which is far enough away from the water. I figure she’s at least getting the humidity. I’m going to research how humid it is where Capes live in South Africa. It really makes me sad that all her feathers grow back and than she plucks again. The only bald spots are under her wings.
They naturally back in wet vegetation. If you get a punch of non toxic plastic plants and wet them, or even a cabbage and greens, the parrot will wiggle about on them to get wet and bath. Hope that helps. And, yes, they need to bath at least once every day! Finally, if it is only happening at breeding time, then give the bird a next box to make a nest, lay eggs (which you should replace with fake ones), so it gets a chance to brood the eggs and nest....which is what its hormones are telling it to do.
Number one reason for parrots feather plucking in STRESS. This can be from sexual frustration, boredom, being in a cage, not being able to fly to burn off energy, in sight of someone or a bird / pet they don't like, etc. Second is improper care from diet, lack of enough natural light, lack of humidity or bathing etc. In my view it should be illegal to keep parrots in cages. They need large outdoor enclosures or huge flight cages, and they should be kept in pairs, even same sex pairs, for company and to have opportunity to play and nesting.
Yes, stress is a major cause- and once the habit is created, it’s hard to break even if the stressor is removed. I hope to inspire people to take the best care possible; to give their birds time out of their cage and hopefully in an aviary.
