missing feathers on my parrotlets head

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missing feathers on my parrotlets head

by Lily
(House Springs)

i just purchased a normal pacific and Spectacled Parrotlet.the boy (spectacled) has missing feathers atop his head. i believe this may have happened during the transition from th animal fair, but there are no feathers in the carrier. Is there any kind of disease that starts with missing feathers ontop of their head? i hope not. if it does, i dont want it to get the other bird sick.

Comments for
missing feathers on my parrotlets head

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May 31, 2011

New bird missing feathers
by: The Avian Vet

Yes, there is a virus that can cause this. It is called Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease. Polyoma can also cause it. It could be as benign as the parents plucking his head. Buying birds at bird fairs is a bad idea because of the chance for disease spread. This bird needs to be seen by an avian veterinarian immediately.

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Dr B

May 30, 2011

missing feathers on my parrotlets head
by: Linda

Bird fairs are much like buying birds in pet stores. Anytime a lot of strange birds are brought together, infections, sometimes fatal, are a high probability. Take your new birds to be checked out by an avian vet and hope they do not have anything contageous. If they do, ask the avian vet about possibilities that your other birds are infected. If answer is high probability, then all your birds will need to be diagnosed and treated.

As Tracie said, the right time to take new birds to avian vet is before bringing them into a multiple bird household. All new birds need to be seen by an avian vet and all new birds need to be quarantined in a location outside of the primary living quarters, namely your home. If birds prove to be contegeous, then this quarantine needs to continue for at least a week or two after a clean bill of health is given to them by avian vet.Quarantine area needs to have clean air and light and be clean with no possible toxins either in air or general environment. A separate garage or workshop will work if there are no gasoline, glue or other toxic products in there as all of these have deadly fumes that kill surely and quickly.

Your other Parrotlet may be pulling out the feathers in your bird's head. Separate them, take them to avian vet and go from there.

Thanks for writing and hope all turns out well for all concerned,
Linda

May 30, 2011

Parrotlet missing feathers
by: Tracie

If the bird had feathers an hour earlier at the bird fair, then I don't think it is a disease that caused the feathers to disappear. However, the fact that you purchased a bird from a bird fair DOES mean your bird could still have an illness.

If that bird has not been vaccinated by an avian vet, then it could be sick. In fact, if your birds at home have not been vaccinated, then you can bring home disease from the bird fair or even outside on your clothing or shoes.

Bottom line, you always need to take new birds to an avian vet BEFORE allowing the new bird in the same air space as the other birds. Even having the bird in another room can be dangerous because the air conditioner will pull the air from one room into the other rooms.

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Dr B will answer this when he has time, this is just my opinion.

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