Blue fronted amazon parrot

by Sarah
(Northampton, UK)

My blue fronted amazon has lost the colour on his head and face. It is no long blue but more a greyish colour. Can anyone tell me why this has happened?

Comments for Blue fronted amazon parrot

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Jul 23, 2009
 Blue Fronted Amazon color change
by: The Vet

Most likely this is nutritionally related. You should be feeding your bird 80% pellets, preferably Harrison's, and 20% treats. If this is not his diet, then I suspect nutritional deficiencies first. There are other causes such as skin disease, feather disease, poor lighting, and upper respiratory infection. You should have your bird seen by an avian veterinarian immediately.
Jul 19, 2009
 Feather Color
by: Linda

Sarah, many things can effect feather color, and one of them is nutrition. Is your bird on a highly nutritous diet of organic pellets, organic fruit and veggies? If you have your bird on an all seed diet, or if you are giving table food as treats, your bird is getting too much fat and not enough vitamins and minerals. Tracie carries a couple of organic pellets out here as well as a very good birdy bread mix. Both of them are made from organic ingredients so you are sure your bird is getting what it needs. With the Harrison's , which I favor, there is no need for vitamin/mineral supplementation as they use a cold extrusion method to make their foods. Most dry foods including dog and cat food is extruded using a heat method, and even though the bag says 100% nutrition, more than half of the vitamins and minerals have been destroyed with the heat.

It would be a great idea to make an appointment with an Avian vet so they can see if your bird might have an infection or a parasite problem. Birds do get worms, especially those allowed outside. So go ahead and make an appointment with your vet and discuss your bird's history including his diet and home environment. Healthy birds have brightly colored shiny feathers except two times a year when they are molting. Then the old feathers will become dull until the new ones come in. Over here, it is late summer/early fall and spring when they begin to molt and grow in new feathers.

Thanks for writing, and let us know what vet had to say.

Linda

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