Since decreased appetite can also be a sign of medical disease, birds whose appetites change should be thoroughly examined by a veterinarian to make sure they aren’t hiding an underlying illness. While these behaviors may be harmless, they can be a sign that the bird is unhappy, and owners should pay attention to these actions before they progress to more destructive activities such as feather-picking or self-mutilation.īirds that are so stressed that they are depressed may eat less and ultimately may lose weight.
Often, birds perform these behaviors to stimulate themselves because they are bored. Some species, but especially cockatoos, manifest stress as stereotypical behaviors such as pacing, toe tapping, and head swinging. These birds must not only be examined by a veterinarian immediately, but also be started on anti-psychotic medication and/or fitted with an Elizabethan collar (the “cones” that dogs wear) to prevent them from doing further damage while the owner and veterinarian try to figure out what’s going on.
Cockatoo pet parrot skin#
Some very stressed or unhappy birds will go beyond feather-picking to chew on their skin or even dig deeper into muscle and bone, causing severe trauma. Feather-picking birds should have a thorough medical examination, including blood work, to help rule-out other causes of illness. Some birds will start picking as a result of an initiating cause, such as loud noise or the occurrence of construction in the house, and they will continue to pick even when that initiating stimulus is gone. It is imperative that any bird who suddenly vocalizes less be examined as soon as possible to make sure that there is no medical cause for this change in behavior.įeather picking is a very common outward manifestation of stress and boredom, particularly in larger species, such as Eclectus parrots, cockatoos, and African gray parrots, but this is also seen in smaller birds, including Quakers parrots and lovebirds. Birds that suddenly start to vocalize less may be stressed, unhappy, bored, or ill.
While screaming can indicate underlying stress or unhappiness in birds, so can decreased vocalization. Thus, any bird that suddenly starts screaming should be checked out by a veterinarian to ensure there is no medical basis for this behavior. Just as biting can be indicative of pain or discomfort, so can screaming. However, a sudden increase in screaming and screeching may indicate that a bird is stressed, unhappy, or bored. Normal parrots, depending on their species, make loud noise. Since biting also may be a sign of pain or discomfort in birds, a parrot that suddenly starts biting a lot should have a complete veterinary examination to ensure there is no underlying medical problem for this new behavior. Birds will frequently bite and lunge to try to protect themselves when they are afraid. While many bird owners misinterpret birds’ biting as an act of aggression, this behavior is often a sign of stress and fear. How can a bird owner tell that his or her bird is stressed or unhappy? Here are some common signs of stress and unhappiness in pet parrots: Birds can express unhappiness and stress in several different ways. Birds can certainly feel these emotions and hide them until these feelings become so extreme that they are manifested either physically or behaviorally. While it is often difficult for bird owners to tell whether their pet is sick, as birds commonly hide signs of illness, it is even harder for most bird owners to tell if their pets are unhappy or stressed. By Laurie Hess, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Avian Practice)
0 kommentar(er)
