Ask Lafeber

Feather plucking

How can I help my ringneck parrot to stop plucking her feathers. She is not malting. Please help

Hi,

Feather Destructive Behavior is typically a complicated disorder. It can be caused by a medical reason, or behavioral or both. The first step is to take your bird to an Avian Vet to rule out any medical issues. You should discuss any recent changes in your home, new people, new pets – anything that may have triggered this behavior. If the Vet cannot find a medical cause, then you should consult with a parrot behaviorist to try to determine the cause and how to work with the bird. We can recommend Lisa Bono with GreyParrotConsulting.com – her specialty is African Greys but she works with any species. Also Pamela Clark, pamelaclarkonline.com . Both are Certified Parrot Behavior Consultants.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda