Ask Lafeber

Julius ,Green winged Macaw

Hello,
Is there a solution to feather picking?
Thank you,
Maria

Hi Maria,

There is no quick fix for feather plucking or feather destructive behavior, but there are treatments. All treatments begin with having a complete exam with an Avian Vet which will include bloodwork and often skin samples or other tests. Plucking can begin with a medical cause and then become a habit. Or it can be a psychological cause which turns into a medical condition if left untreated. A bird can do permanent damage to itself and be unable to regrow feathers if allowed to pluck for too long, and some birds will even begin digging into their skin. So it sounds like a Vet check is in order and then you will have an idea of where to go from there.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda