In the vast majority of cases, however, a combination of causes is at work. Poor nutrition is frequently implicated. Chronic bacterial or fungal infection, such as Aspergillosis or Candida, is often present and has gone undetected. Metal toxicity may be present. Other contributing factors include environmental toxins, infrequent bathing, stress and anxiety, hormonal fluctuations, bacterial or fungal infections of the skin and/or feathers, reactions to specific foods, and more. This is one of the reasons why many cases of feather abuse are never corrected. If we look for just one cause, we run the risk of leaving undiscovered the other partial causes that are also contributing to the problem. Owners often look for the cause for the feather abuse. In reality, there are usually a few factors or problems that contribute to the behavior in any given case. The instances of feather abuse in which there is only one cause are in the minority. They include those in which one disease-related cause, such as Giardia, is present and treatment effects a complete resolution of the problem. At the other end of the spectrum are those cases in which the young bird has had a poor early start to life and now lives in a home wherein enough stress exists to finally push him into abusing his own feathers. Feather abuse or “feather picking” as it is often called, is a tough problem to solve, and resolution is frequently elusive. Further, there is no avian problem as capable of causing distress to the owner. It is a painful experience to watch a beloved parrot companion destroy his own feathers. Resolution of any feather picking case requires that a methodical and thorough approach be taken to the identification and correction of all contributing causes. Articles written about the problem of feather abuse in parrots always seem to begin with a description of the problem, using adjectives such as “frustrating,” “disconcerting,” “difficult,” and “challenging,” among others.
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