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Feather picking is a common syndrome
in Psitticine birds. There are many causes for
feather picking and therefore the diagnosis and treatment of this
disorder can be difficult. The reasons for feather
picking generally fall into one or more of three categories:
How can
we find out what is causing this problem?
When confronted with a feather
picker, we normally begin with an extensive history to try and determine
if there is a pattern to the picking. This is
followed by a thorough physical exam during which time we will assess
the general condition of the bird as well as the condition of the
feathers and skin. If we find a painful area on a
wing (perhaps caused by trauma or retained feather cysts) we may be able
to address the problem with splinting or surgery.
Next we need to check the bird for
the presence of microscopic bugs (mites), which may be causing the
problem. This is accomplished by scraping the skin
and examining the dander for the presence of mites under a microscope.
If this is positive, we will treat specifically for the mites and
the prognosis is quite good. Unfortunately, mite
infestations are not a very common reason for feather picking in the
larger psitticines.
From here, we must submit a number
of lab specimens to rule out the presence of various viruses (psitticine
beak and feather disease), bacterial infection (culture and
sensitivity), feather follicle infection (feather cytology), internal
metabolic disorders (biochemical profile and CBC), Chlamydial infection
(Psitticosis), and Giardia infections all of which have been associated
with feather picking.
If we find abnormalities on our
testing, we will attempt to treat whatever abnormalities are found.
If all the tests are normal, then we have to consider
psychological and hormonal/sexual disorders. This
involves detailed observations by the owner over time to try and
determine if there is a pattern to the picking.
Birds are intelligent social animals and they are easily stressed
psychologically. Frequently we will find birds
picking as a result of separation anxiety related to owners not paying
enough attention to them or leaving them unattended.
Sometimes feather picking can result from boredom and lack of
stimulation. Sometimes it can be related to the
presence of other birds or pets, new people in the house (including new
children). Occasionally, the individual isn’t
picking his/her own feathers but is being picked on by another bird in
the house. As you can imagine, trying to determine
if any of these factors is playing a roll in the problem can be very
difficult and often frustrating.
Finally, we have to consider the
possibility of the bird being sexually frustrated as a cause for feather
picking. This behavior may be associated with
masturbation behavior (birds mounting inanimate objects) or enhanced
nesting behavior, the loss of a mate etc.
What can be done to treat this
disorder?
As you can see, there are myriad
reasons for birds to pick at themselves. Our
foremost goal in treatment is to find a specific reason for the problem
and then treat it specifically. In general, we can
assume that all feather pickers are stressed. Therefore we should do our
utmost to ensure that they are eating a varied diet of appropriate feeds
along with daily vitamins (see avian nutrition handout).
We should make certain that they are being housed at the
appropriate temperature and that their cage is of the appropriate size.
It is important that the birds have adequate stimulation in their
environment including toys, feeds that require a bit of work to access,
mirrors, climbing devices etc. We must make sure
that they have adequate periods of darkness (8 hours minimum per day) to
ensure appropriate circadian rhythms in their bodies.
Once these general support issues
are dealt with, we are faced with a number of options to help your bird.
If the picking is so bad that the bird is bleeding or has caused
injury to themselves, we may need to place a restraint collar or
bandages on the bird for a period of time. Frequently, we will trim the
beak to make it smoother so it can’t do as much damage to the bird.
If there are wounds on the skin, antibiotics will probably be
prescribed until they have healed. Remember, a
restraint collar only prevents the picking; it does nothing to cure the
problem! If we have ruled out any medical problems,
we may try a combination of anti-anxiety drugs and behavior modification
to help the bird. These drugs (like Prozac and
Haldol) may be helpful, but unfortunately, they tend to work only while
they are constantly administered. Once the drugs
stop, most of the birds will return to the behavior if we have not
relieved the initial source of stress. In some
cases, we can try hormonal therapy that may help ease any sexual tension
that may be contributing to the feather picking. These hormones tend to
have a calming effect in general and may be helpful even if the problem
is not sexually related.
What is the prognosis for
feather picking birds?
The prognosis for this problem
varies with the cause of the problem. In general, there are rarely any
“quick fixes” for this problem. Feather picking is often a chronic
problem that we can control at times but may not cure.
Although it may be frustrating at times, if you can persevere and
have patience we can usually find some combination of therapies that may
help your bird.
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