Feather Damaging Behavior in Our Pet Birds

THE PROBLEM

AN INTRODUCTION
Birds that damage their own feathers are among the most common avian patients we see. The behavior can start very mild where a few feathers or a small patch is picked at or removed but can progress to the point where they pick their entire body naked and open wounds in their skin.

There may be a single cause or multiple causes that start the problem, and there are many factors that can perpetuate and complicate it. As a result, despite well-reasoned attempts to manage it, the problem almost always persists, and often takes a spiraling, cascading course. It is wise to set our expectations carefully - successful treatment is often a reduction in, but rarely elimination of, the feather picking behavior.

The initiating causes and perpetuating factors may be physical or behavioral, more likely a complicated combination of both. It is simplistic and seriously misleading to think that the problem is due to stress, boredom, hormones, or itch.

EXAMPLES OF PROGRESSION OF THE BEHAVIOR
There is no cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all scenario that leads to this problem, and consequently there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Looking first at possible causes, here are a few examples of situations, inciting causes, and perpetuating factors that we have seen over the years:

• The feather damaging occurs when the owner is not present.

  • Likely inciting causes: separation anxiety, boredom

  • Perpetuating factors: habit; lack of a rich environment; lack of foraging activities

• The feather damage occurs when the owner is present but not paying attention to the bird.

  • Likely inciting causes: attention-seeking

  • Perpetuating factors:habit; drama, other attention from the owner

• The bird interrupts normal behavior to damage feathers.

  • Likely inciting causes: obsessive-compulsive disorder; physical itchiness

  • Perpetuating factors:habit; drama, other attention from the owner

• In addition to damaging feathers, the bird exhibits other signs of fear and anxiety.

  • Likely inciting causes: generalized anxiety disorder

  • Perpetuating factors:the owner avoids the bird; habit; changes in the home

• Feather damaging starts at a young age, and/or in a handfed bird.

  • Likely inciting causes: problems with preening; poor socialization

  • Perpetuating factors:habit; drama, other attention from the owner

• Feather damaging involves mostly the long feathers of the wings and tail.

  • Likely inciting causes: anxiety disorders; poor-quality wing trim; trauma from a too-small cage

  • Perpetuating factors:habit; drama, other attention from the owner

• Feather damaging by a sexually mature bird that is receiving sexually suggestive attention from its owner.

  • Likely inciting causes: displacement activity - because the bird ultimately cannot mate with the owner

  • Perpetuating factors:habit; drama, other attention from the owner

PHYSICAL CAUSES
The inciting cause isn't always situational or behavioral in nature, there are a variety of possible physical causes:

• Dermatitis: infection (bacteria, virus, fungus); inflammation (allergy)

• Folliculitis: infection (bacteria, virus, fungus)

• Malnutrition: a seed-based diet results in dry flaky skin which predisposes the bird to infection and itch

• Environmental conditions: extremes of heat and humidity; cigarette smoke

• Painful internal illness: liver, pancreatic and kidney diseases, arthritis and other orthopedic problems, abscesses, cancer

• Reproductive activity: enlargements in the reproductive tract related to normal reproductive physiology are thought to sometimes result in abdominal discomfort and feather picking

• Parasites: external (lice, mites) and internal (Giardia); this is a very common suspicion among feather-picking bird owners and pet store employees, it is very rarely true

BEHAVIORAL CAUSES
Psychological causes are by far the most common cause though and include:

• Attention-seeking behavior: the bird uses picking to get the owner's attention

• Anxiety: many possible sources, both environmental (for example, changes in the household; changes outside of the house that the bird is aware of, for example increased wild bird activity) and intrinsic (for example, surging reproductive hormones)

• Obsessive/compulsive behavior

• Boredom: birds in the wild spend about 80% of daylight hours foraging for and consuming food, and the remaining 20% grooming and socializing; in our homes, with food readily available and often no one to socialize with, grooming is the only option remaining

DIAGNOSIS
It is not usually possible to definitively determine the cause of feather damaging behavior - this is certainly one of the most frustrating aspects of the problem for pet owners.

At YVC we believe it is still worth casting a wide diagnostic net in order to characterize the individual patient's problem in as much detail as possible.

We begin with:

• Detailed general history and behavioral history*

• Physical exam*

• Cytology: microscopic exam of skin and feather smears and scrapings*

We often add:

• Blood profile

• Whole body x-rays

Depending on the results of these tests we consider:

• Skin biopsy

• Tests for specific disease-causing agents

• Endoscopy

We strongly believe this thorough diagnostic approach is extremely valuable. The blood profile, x-rays and other tests sometimes require multiple visits to our office; sometimes the tests also require general anesthesia. What to expect from the first office visit for a feather damaging behavior problem: at YVC we can accomplish these first three items, marked with asterisks, in an extended office visit with no anesthesia. In many cases we can begin trial therapy without additional diagnostics.

MANAGEMENT OPTIONS

WHAT WE DO NOT USE, AND WHAT DOES NOT WORK

• We only use protective collars if self-mutilation (tearing of skin and other soft tissues) is occurring or seems very likely.

• Homeopathic remedies do not work.

• Herbal remedies are much more likely to either not work or be harmful than they are to be helpful.

DRUGS
We regularly make safe and effective use of various medications. The options include behavior-modifying drugs (tranquilizers, antianxiety medications), anti-inflammatories, antibiotics, analgesics, and hormones. Our choices are specifically tailored for the individual patient, and are based on a carefully established diagnosis. It's important to note that we (all veterinarians) are not allowed to dispense or prescribe medications for pets that we have not examined; photos and videos are often helpful but there must be an exam.

NUTRITION

• It is essential that the bird eat a complete and balanced diet. Seed-based diets must be stopped, and replaced with a diet appropriate for the specific species of bird. This usually means a pelleted diet (Harrisons Bird Food is best, Roudebush is another good option), Lafeber Avicakes, Lafeber Nutriberries, or a combination of two or all three of these options.

• A small amount of cooked whole egg (not just the white or yolk) every day provides balanced fatty acids that have the same anti-inflammatory and other health benefits that fish oils do for people.

• Most other nutritional supplements are of questionable value.

BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION
A very brief run-through of a very extensive topic:

• Environmental stressors are identified and, to as great an extent as is possible, eliminated.

• Basic training, using a reward-based system, is implemented. This is the bird version of the dog's "sit, down, stay, come" training. Once it is achieved it is used to guide more normal behaviors.

• Provide foraging activities, both with and without the owner present. This is perhaps the single most important strategy.

• Encourage normal feather care using frequent, gentle misting with water and providing multiple and varied bird bath and shower options. Provide the bird with chewing alternatives to its own feathers. The best ones are the simplest and least expensive: twigs and branches, rocks and stones.

• Develop normal social interactions with the bird. This usually means carefully breaking the tight bond with one person and replacing it with an equally tight bond with the bird's entire social circle.

• In our experience at YVC, sexual bonding between the owner and their pet bird is a particularly common factor in feather damaging behavior. Kissing, snuggling, stroking down the front and/or back of the pet encourages it to view the owner as potential mate. The displacement behavior of damaging feathers occurs when the bird cannot get the satisfactory breeding relationship it is seeking. The owner must discontinue these activities, and replace them with the acceptable activities described above.

PROGNOSIS AND EXPECTATIONS
Unfortunately, when the problem is partly or entirely behavioral, it is unlikely that feather damaging behavior can ever be completely stopped. The problem has a tendency to wax and wane, so periodic re-evaluations and adjustments in the management plan are usually needed.

Our goal is to minimize this problem behavior by maximizing our avian patient's over-all health and happiness. If the end result of our efforts is a healthier bird that is more comfortable in its environment and more social with all of its human companions, then whether or not it has all of its feathers becomes less significant.