Ask Lafeber

Feather plucking

What are possible causes of feather plucking in Eclectus and cockatoos? How we can cure that?

Hi Aamer,

Thank you for viewing the webinar from the Emirates!

Feather plucking, now called Feather Destructive Behavior, is a very complicated issue that affects all species. It can be psychological, medical, or a combination of both. There have been some advances, including a possible link with some cases to Avian Bornavirus. But research is still ongoing. A medical cause should always be considered first which would include skin biopsies, bloodwork, and viral testing. Some medical causes can be a skin infection, something viral, or poor nutrition. If a medical cause is diagnosed and treated, sometimes the bird still needs to be fitted with a collar until the feathers have grown back in. This is due to it having become a habit. We are in the process of trying to schedule a webinar on this topic.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda