Why Necropsy

A blue hen was sitting on 8 fertile eggs, the owner lifted the lid to find the hen dead. Upon necropsy (it was a hen of mine which I had sold) you will never guess what was found, there was a seed hull in the lung! It had started to fester and caused an infection which killed the bird.

When I feed my birds, I take 40 seed cups outside (one at a time) where I stand and blow off the hulls. I also use a sifter (flour sifter, or mesh sifter with handle will work as well, NOT a colander) and I pour the contents of the seed cup in it to take out the dust, I have always felt it could not be good for the bird to be inhaling the dust from under the seeds.

There are two important lessons here; first, obviously don't let hulls build up, blow off the hulls daily. This also allows you to see how much your birds are actually eating.. Secondly and most importantly, NECROPSY, NECROPSY AND NECROPSY. Had this responsible bird owner NOT taken the bird in, it would have been speculation and wonder, also the fear of whether the male was, 1. Infected with something from the hen or, 2. the male was sick and infected the hen. There is only one way to define your problem and that is with necropsy. This is a bizarre thing to have happened but strange things can and do happen and you always want to rule out illness; you can live with accidents such as this, but it is foolish to worry yourself sick when you have an available tool to rule out sickness.

If you are trying to decide whether to bury a fond pet or necropsy and the decision is tearing you up, let me tell you this: A lab I can send directly to has a little box that I can check if I want the body returned, you can also have a gross necropsy done and the doctor can close the body with a little surgical glue and you can pick up your animal for burial.

You may ask, "Why if my bird is a pet would I need a necropsy?" well, you may want another bird and you want to make sure you did not have an illness that could be transferred to the new bird, many illness are airborne....you NEED to know that.

Lastly there are illness that are zoonotics, you could get some of these.

Please, always consider Necropsy, it may not shed any light on what killed your bird but it may help you sleep better to know the cause.

Necropsy Procedures:

If you wake up one day and find your bird dead. Cry and then get down to business. Mix a mild soapy, dish detergent, solution. Take the bird immerse it in the water ruffle the feathers and then pat it dry just to remove the dripping water. Place the bird in a plastic zip lock bag and put in the refrigerator NOT THE FREEZER. Call you veterinarian. Ask where to send the bird or where to take the bird if you are fortunate enough to have one within driving distance.

If you drive to the vet take a six pack cooler put some ice in it place the bird in the bag in the cooler and transport it that way. The key is to keep it cool. 40 degrees is nice but not critical.

If the bird must be shipped do it early in the morning and ship it either USPS Next day air or Fed Ex. I personally ship USPS. If packed properly it will cost about $17.00 over night coast to coast.

In a plastic bag place an already frozen pack of water or frozen chemical. You can either buy these packs from your Vet, or maybe they will give you some to keep in your freezer, or you can make them. I prefer the Vets package it has something in it that keeps it frozen longer than just freezing water. I place the frozen pack in a zip lock bag. I now wrap the ice pack and the bird, still in it's own zip lock bag, in some newspaper, then into the USPS Priority box and go to the PO to mail it or send Fed Ex. Never ship to a P.O Box. Always use a street address. Prior to mailing call the Vets office or Lab where you are sending the bird. Make sure they know you are shipping the bird and when it is due to arrive ( normally within 24 hours is fine). Your veterinarian may prefer to contact the lab or another vet that is another option. I prefer do to it myself. Make sure you tell them who you are, what type of bird you are sending (species), when it died, what you know about the birds death, ( was it sick or was it sudden). If you were treating the bird make sure to list all medication when it began and when it ended. What the bird ate last. Anything that you think will help. Write it all down also and include it in the package with the bird. Make sure they have your phone number ask for a call if possible and definitely a written report to be mailed to you. You will have to take the report to a vet to be interpreted unless you are real adept at understanding medical terms.

I use the same clinic whenever I loose a bird. There are no exceptions here, everything must be necropsied. If a bird dies that I have sold to someone else I beg them to send it to my vet for necropsy. If you are a breeder I personally feel it is a must do part of your program. If you are a pet owner it may be harder for you to deal with this but if you have other birds you should try to set aside the emotional feelings and do what you can.

Some of the most common causes of death other than accidents are Aspergillosis, Candidiasis, Chlamydiosis, Pacheco's, Papillomavirus, PDD, Hypovitaminosis of A vitamin, Egg Binding, Egg Yolk peritonitis and Liver Disease and in Parrotlets Mega Bacteria. There are many other causes including virus and serious organ dysfunctions.

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Smuggling Intervention and Trade Compliance Program

Responding to a Changing Global Marketplace

With international trade agreements in place, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the World Trade Organization agreements, more international travel and trade are taking place than ever before, and cargo volumes are up. Annually, the United States imports more than $40 billion worth of agricultural commodities, and each day, more than 430,000 people travel to the United States to conduct business, tour historical sites, and visit friends and family.

Unfortunately, illegal agricultural imports and smuggled prohibited products have proliferated with the boom in global commerce and steady
stream of visitors arriving daily. Many of these restricted agricultural commodities place America at great risk. Foreign plant and animal pests and diseases may be introduced into the United States through banned agricultural products and unchecked foreign goods. These pests and diseases could devastate America’s crops, livestock, and environment; and eradicating a single pest could cost millions of dollars.

In response to the growing volume of smuggled and improperly imported agricultural products entering the United States, officials from the
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program created the Smuggling Intervention
and Trade Compliance (SITC) unit. The SITC program conducts risk-management and antismuggling activities to prevent the unlawful entry
and distribution of prohibited agricultural commodities and products that may harbor harmful exotic plant and animal pests, diseases, or
invasive species.

SITC’s Defense of America’s Bounty

SITC officers nationwide shut down illegal pathways and agricultural distribution points in many ways. The unit routinely works with U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents during agricultural
antismuggling and cooperative interdiction efforts at air, land, and sea ports-of-entry.

Besides port operations, teams of SITC officers conduct local domestic market surveys, canvassing markets and grocery stores around the
country to check for prohibited agricultural commodities. When SITC officers have evidence that a regulation has been violated, they turn
the case over to APHIS’ Investigative and Enforcement Services and USDA’s Office of Inspector General for prosecution. If warranted, APHIS will pursue civil and criminal penalties. The agency’s efforts have led to grand jury indictments and Federal sentencing, hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines, and seizures of prohibited agricultural products valued at several million dollars. If vendors aren’t aware they’re
selling prohibited items, the onsite SITC official will explain Federal regulations and begin the importation trace to find the illegal pathway.

Domestic market surveillance and port inspections are highly effective methods to deter smuggling, but there are times when the unit resorts to other measures. As needed, SITC officers and other PPQ employees conduct trade verification operations and stepped-up inspections of cargo, passenger vehicles, and mail packages to seal off the flow of goods into the United States. Working with each State’s department of agriculture and other Federal agencies such as CBP, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Food and Drug Administration, and USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, the SITC unit achieves compliance with regulations through comprehensive investigations, sound enforcement, and strong outreach efforts. The education and outreach campaigns target importers, market owners, transportation companies, retailers, and the general public.

How APHIS Facilitates Agricultural Imports

Over the years, Americans have come to count on a diverse array of agricultural products for their dinner table. In order to fulfill the everchanging tastes of Americans, the United States imports commodities from around the globe. Local grocery stores now carry everything from Mexican artichokes to Italian zucchini. Some foreign countries have agricultural pests and diseases that do not exist in this country. These
pests and diseases can cause devastating damage to U.S. agriculture if introduced. Consequently, PPQ strives to ensure that imported products are free of harmful pests and diseases. PPQ does this by regulating the importation of agricultural products with phytosanitary
(plant health) certificates, importation rules, and inspections.

A phytosanitary certificate is an official document issued by an exporting country, which certifies that the phytosanitary status of a shipment meets the phytosanitary standards of the United States. Anyone wishing to import certain plants and plant products into the United States is
required to have a phytosanitary certificate. PPQ employees advise importers on phytosanitary restrictions and provide information
(including regulations, policies, and procedures) on bringing agricultural commodities into the United States.

The intended purpose of a phytosanitary certificate is to expedite the entry of plants or plant products into the United States while protecting
American agriculture. Through its issuance of a phytosanitary certificate, an exporting country is verifying that the shipment has been inspected
and conforms to the phytosanitary import requirements of the United States. In addition, the phytosanitary certificate indicates that the
shipment is free of pests and diseases that do not exist in the United States. Importers may obtain information or import permits by contacting:

USDA–APHIS–PPQ
Permit Unit
4700 River Road, Unit 136
Riverdale, MD 20737
Telephone: (877) 770–5990
Fax: (301) 734–5786

APHIS’Veterinary Services (VS) regulates the importation of live animals, poultry, pet birds, and animal products, such as meats, cheeses,
casein, gelatins, certain animal hides and racks, and germplasm—both semen and embryos. VS carefully monitors all of these commodities in case they are infected with foreign animal diseases, such as avian influenza or foot-andmouth disease, that could threaten U.S. livestock
populations. For example, countries that have outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease are not allowed to export fresh, chilled, or frozen meats
to the United States. However, such meat products can be shipped into this country if they have been heat-processed or cured according to
APHIS standards. VS establishes similar requirements for countries where other animal diseases exist. Certain live animals, including
pet birds, imported from foreign countries may centers located in New York, Miami, or Los Angeles before entering the United States.

For permit applications and information about import requirements and user fees related to importing animals, birds, and animal products,
contact

USDA–APHIS–VS
National Center for Import/Export
4700 River Road, Unit 40
Riverdale, MD 20737–1231
Telephone: (301) 734–3277/8364
Fax: (301) 734–4704/8226

Other Threats

American agriculture is also threatened by alien noxious weeds. Each year, farmers and ranchers spend billions of dollars to control invasive
noxious weeds. Homeowners spend millions more each year trying to control these weeds. Yellow starthistle, exotic bur reed, giant salvinia,
tropical soda apple, and water spinach are just a few foreign weeds damaging our agricultural resources today.

Additional Information

If you have any questions about the SITC program or if you want to report smuggling activity, please e-mail your concerns to
sitc_mail@aphis.usda.gov or call the National Hotline at (800) 877–3835. For the local SITC unit near you, visit our Web site at
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/trade and follow the links.

What You Can Do

If you become aware of potential smuggling of prohibited exotic fruits, vegetables, or meat products, you can help by contacting your local SITC
office. USDA protects the confidentiality of all information sources.

Northeast SITC Work Unit:
Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont
USDA, APHIS, PPQ, SITC
1 Winners Circle, Suite 203
Albany, NY 12205–1121
(518) 459–9837

Metropolitan New York SITC Work Unit:
New York City, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Long Island, and Brooklyn
USDA, APHIS, PPQ, SITC
JFKIA, AMB Building 75,
Room 227A
Jamaica, NY 11430
(713) 553–0101

Mid-Atlantic SITC Work Unit:
Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia
USDA, APHIS, PPQ, SITC
1201 Corbin Street, Third Fl.
Elizabeth, NJ 07201
(973) 645–9837

Southeast Central SITC Work Unit:
Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee
USDA, APHIS, PPQ, SITC
1498 Klondike Road,
Suite 200
Conyers, GA 30094–5169
(770) 922–9894

North and Central Florida SITC Work Unit:
North and Central Florida
USDA, APHIS, PPQ, SITC
5796 Hoffner Avenue,
Suite 607
Orlando, FL 32882
(407) 658–7841

Southern Florida SITC Work Unit:
Southern Florida
USDA, APHIS, PPQ, SITC
2630 Northwest 66th Ave.
Building 701, Suite 207
Miami, FL 33159
(305) 526–2501

Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands SITC Work Unit:
Puerto Rico, Saint Thomas, Saint John, and Saint Croix
USDA, APHIS, PPQ, SITC
Caribbean Airport Facilities Building
150 Central Sector Road,
2d Floor, Office 2–A
Carolina, PR 00970
(787) 253–4239

Great Lakes SITC Work Unit:
Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky,
Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin
USDA, APHIS, PPQ, SITC
20500 Van Dyke Avenue,
Suite 201
Warren, MI 48093
(586) 582–9150

Pacific Northwest SITC Work Unit:
Alaska, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, and Washington
USDA, APHIS, PPQ, SITC
100 Peace Portal
Blaine, WA 98230
(360) 332–2684

Northern California and West Central California SITC Work Unit:
Northern California, Nevada, and Utah
USDA, APHIS, PPQ, SITC
1097 Sneath Lane
San Bruno, CA 94066
(650) 821–8664

Long Beach and Inland California SITC Work Unit:
California counties of Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mono, Riverside, San Bernardino, Tulare, and the eastern half of Los Angeles County
USDA, APHIS, PPQ, SITC
5600 Rickenbacker Road,
Box 7
Bell, CA 90201
(323) 881–6961

Los Angeles–Pacific SITC Work Unit:
American Samoa, Guam, and Hawaii; the California counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Ventura, and the western half of Los Angeles County
USDA, APHIS, PPQ, SITC
5600 Rickenbacker Road,
Box 7
Bell, CA 90201
(323) 881–6961

Southwest SITC Work Unit:
Arizona, New Mexico, southern California, and the Texas counties of Brewster, Culberson, El Paso, Jeff Davis, Hudspeth, Presidio, and Reeves
USDA, APHIS, PPQ, SITC
P.O. Box 434419
San Diego, CA 92143
(619) 662–7236

Texas SITC Work Unit:
Texas except Brewster, Culberson, El Paso, Jeff Davis, Hudspeth, Presidio, and Reeves Counties
USDA, APHIS, PPQ, SITC
11811 East Freeway,
Suite 560
Houston, TX 77029
(713) 393–1020

Midwest SITC Work Unit:
Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Wyoming
USDA, APHIS, PPQ, SITC
6910 Holmes Street,
Suite 150
Gladstone, MO 64118
(816) 468–4711

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=Managing Parrot Behavior :
Behaviour Problems and the Future of Companion Parrots
by Liz Wilson

Due to the increasing incidence of behavior problems in companion parrots, many psittacines are losing their homes. Problem behaviors manifest in a variety of ways. Despite being flock species in the wild, over-bonded "one person birds" won't allow interaction with anyone other than their favorite- even refusing the attentions of other family members. Over-dependent psittacids are unable to amuse themselves, requiring constant attention from their human caretakers. In complete control of their diet, food-rigid parrots are living on abysmal nutritional planes, eating only such things as junk food, corn and grapes. Sensitive adolescent parrots abruptly become phobic, often overnight- responding to their formerly beloved and trusted caretakers as if to deadly predators. High strung birds pluck incessantly, driving caretakers to distraction and making themselves look like something that should be cooked for dinner. Self-mutilating parrots appear to be attempting suicide. Previously gentle parrots abruptly won't allow caretakers access to their cages, so that reaching into the cage to feed entails serious personal risk. Biting and screaming are probably the most common complaints heard about companion birds; biting parrots terrorize families, attacking without provocation the humans can recognize. Screamers are getting caretakers threatened with evictions and/or divorces.

Despite all this, numbers of companion parrots are increasing rapidly- consequently, so are the numbers of parrots that are ending up in adoption and rescue organizations. It is important to understand that these aberrant behaviors can-at least to some degree- be modified. Education is the key to lessening these dilemmas.

Behavior Problems -General Etiologies

There are several reasons why behavior problems develop with companion parrots, and these must be addressed or no long-term resolution will be possible. Stop-gap measures, or what lay behaviorists call "quick fixes," do nothing to resolve the source of the problem, so they just postpone the inevitable result of the bird losing its home. What must be sought is a resolution of the problem, not a Band-Aid.

Physical or Management Etiologies

When the parrot does not have everything it needs for a happy, healthy life in captivity, problems will result. For example, when my own macaw had an annoying screaming episode a few years ago, investigation revealed (to my chagrin) that she'd knocked down her pellet bowl and was without food. Besides inadequate food and/or water, other management problems that can impact behavior would include: cage issues related to size, location, height and monotony (as in, boredom) and sleep deprivation.

Cage Size: Overly small caging is extremely common. One client kept her Moluccan cockatoo in a 20" x 20" cage, and could not understand why the bird self-mutilated. Part of a bird's medical history should include the brand and measurements of the bird's cage. I believe that birds should be housed in the largest possible cage with safe bar spacing, and feel that the absolute minimum cage size should be 11/2 times the bird's wingspan in width, depth, and height from the highest perch. This, of course, is judged after cage furniture (food and water cups, toys, etc.) is added to the cage space.

Cage Location: Depending on individual personality, cage location can be critical. If the bird is gregarious, being caged off in a room by itself often results in excessive screaming, as the bird calls for the rest of its flock. Nervous, high-strung parrots may become feather pluckers if caged in the middle of a high traffic area, especially if the cage shares a wall with a door. If so, the bird is constantly startled by people appearing without warning. Cage location is also an important factor with many screamers, especially if the bird's cage is against a window. With this type of placement, the bird has a full 360 degree view in which to watch for predators, and can therefore rarely relax. Relief can be virtually instantaneous if a hiding place is provided in the cage, or the cage is moved, at least partially, against a solid wall.

Cage Height: There is a definite correlation between altitude and attitude with captive parrots. Consequently, if a bird has an aggressive or dominant personality, this can be exacerbated if the cage allows it to sit above the human eye level in its environment. This is especially problematic with the so-called "cage-top playgyms" marketed with various types of cages. People often don't wish to give up their own living space, so tall but narrow cages and cage-top play areas are popular. Ironically, they also contribute to home-threatening behaviors. Aggressive or dominant psittacids can be lowered a couple of wayseither by lowering the cage, or by lowering the perches within the cage. Denying access to cage tops and removing the highest perches from tall climbing 'trees' can also help a great deal. If cage and playgym designs don't allow alteration, then (using Chris Davis' trick) one can raise the people. By placing a footstool or small ladder next to the cage, the owner thereby raises smaller humans to a position of higher rank.

If too high is potentially problematic with parrot behavior, so also is the opposite. A nervous, high-strung and/or phobic bird's condition can be worsened if its cage placement is too low. I also do not approve of the old technique of placing an aggressive parrot's cage on the floor. Being trapped on the ground must be terrifying to prey animals like psittacids, and the act of terrifying an animal has no place in behavior modification.

Height and Shouldering: As an addendum to the issue of height dominance, a common practice that can be especially dangerous is the ancient fashion of allowing parrots on shoulders. A popular custom over centuries of parrot custodianship, this practice probably didn't become especially dangerous until the advent of domestic-bred parrots. Wild caught parrots have a fundamental respect for humans as predators, whereas domestics have no such regard. As a result, domestics are capable of much greater violence towards people. Hence, allowing parrotsespecially adolescentsto shoulder is particularly dangerous, not just because of the superior altitude and therefore dominance of the bird. Shouldering parrots places the birds within easy access of extremely vulnerable (and valuable) parts of the owner's anatomy (eyes, ears, noses, lips, etc.), which are then subject to severe damage from the parrot's beak. This type of injury can permanently harm not only the human anatomy, but also the parrot-human bond. Damage can occur even if the bird didn't intend to bite but was startled into grabbing onto something to keep from falling. Knowing the parrot meant no malice does not decrease healing time. This is probably the only issue on which all experienced lay parrot behaviorists totally agree.^{1, 2, 3, 4}

Boredom: Just as boredom is a major source of behavior problems in adolescent humans, it is a major factor for many companion parrots. Home alone for hours while caretakers work, many parrots are expected to just sit there. Dr. James Harris described the generic wild parrot's day as being divided into quarters: one quarter of the day is spent interacting with one's mate and/or other flock members; two quarters are spent locating, procuring and eating food; one quarter is spent grooming.⁵ The average companion parrot in this country is alone all day, has few/no interesting toys and has a food cup under its nose. No wonder that many birds get into aberrant behaviors such as feather destruction and excessive screaming. After all, what else is there to do?

Ideally, parrots should be allowed relatively small numbers of stimulating toys, rotated on a weekly basis to keep life interesting. (This also allows them maximum space in which to play.) Debbie Foush described four categories of parrot toys: chew toys, climbing toys, foot toys and puzzle toys.⁶ One toy from each category would satisfy most parrots' need to play, investigate and destroy, and also leave the bird room to move around its cage. Food can be offered in new and challenging ways, such as stuffing an empty tissue box with greens, or hiding a nut within view but not easy reach inside a puzzle toy. These are extremely intelligent animals and intelligent animals need challenges in their lives. So parrot caretakers need to spend time figuring out ways to keep their birds occupied, especially during the long hours alone. Foraging behaviors are not only natural parrot behaviors, they are also important activities in terms of physical and psychological health.

Insufficient Exercise: Parrots are extremely animated creatures in the wild, often flying many miles between roosting and feeding sites. Consequently, they are designed to be activenot sit quietly in their cages all day. Veterinary ethologists estimate most canine behavior problems would be solved by the simple expedient of having owners run their dogs daily. The same is true with parrots, and owners who encourage daily wing-flapping exercises and frequent, drenching showers, rarely have parrots that have serious behavior problems.

Sleep Deprivation: Since parrots are equatorial birds, they would be getting 10-12 hours of darkness in the wild, year-round, and as is the case with people, sleep deprivation can be the origin for many forms of behavior problems in companion parrots. I recommend an absolute minimum of 8 hours of sleep a night for adult parrots, and 10-12 is better. Those hours are counted from the time the humans exit the vicinity of the bird's cage and that area is dark and quiet, until dawn the next day or the first person in the house awakenswhichever comes first.

Since parrots are flock animals, they generally enjoy being in the center of the home, and that often means they are housed in the same room with the television. Caretakers generally assume parrots are sleeping if their cages are covered, even if humans continue their use of the same area. This is fine, except that parrots, as prey animals, are not going to sleep deeply while someone is moving around in the vicinity. Consequently, the idea of 'sleep cages' is excellent. A small, often portable and spartanly equipped cage is set up in a room that isn't occupied at night, and the parrot is put to bed at a reasonable hour, as one would with a small child. First thing in the morning, the birds are moved back into their regular 'day' cages, in the center of human activity. Problems like biting and screaming often decrease dramatically as soon as birds get more sleep. Incidentally, the quiet period most parrots have in the afternoon does not counteract this deficiency. Sleeping in the daylight hours cannot be a safe activity for a prey animal, so parrots nap very lightly. As with humans, a light nap cannot compensate for the lack of deep sleep.

Owner Problems

An extremely common cause of parrot behavior problems is the owner, and owner problems manifest in a plethora of ways. Often, caretakers have unrealistic expectations about parrot ownership. Since most purchases are made on impulse, these people did no research and have no realistic conception of what a parrot is...and is not. Parrots are genetically wild animals, whether born in captivity or not. They have no conception of being "owned" or a "pet." Most humans are accustomed to dogs and assume all other animals see people as dogs do. Dogs perceive humans to be superior, god-like beings who are the center of the universewhich agrees with most of humanity's perspective. However, as far as I know, this is an opinion shared only by dogs and humans. Parrots certainly do not view humans in that manner, and this can be quite a shock to many people.

A parrot is a loud, boisterous, highly social creature with a talent for destruction and a gift for making huge messes. A parrot is NOT a little person with feathers, a dog with feathers or a surrogate child. Often caretakers have serious misconceptions of a parrot's normal
behavior. An important question to ask is, whose problem is it?⁷ Many psittacine behaviors are normal for parrots and therefore are not the parrot's problem at all. For example, chewing is a normal, natural parrot occupation. It is the owner who perceives the bird's chewing as a problem, therefore the bird's chewing is the owner's problem.

Other owner issues can include those who have difficult relationships with other humans, such as marital problems. Hostility is hardly veiled when an owner smirks while proudly stating something like, "I'm the only one who can touch my parrothe hates my husband!" I vividly recall one young woman who claimed her cockatoo was extremely well-behaved. Questioning other family members revealed that the bird routinely attacked and drew blood on her husband, and had repeatedly chased her mother out of the house. One must assume this owner has difficulties with repressed hostility. In this situation, the parrot is unquestionably getting rewarded for its aggression and there is little an outsider can do to alleviate this problem. The owner must want this aberrant behavior corrected, or nothing will change.

Control Issues: By far the most common source of psittacine behavior problems is a lack of control by the caretakers. They set no behavioral guidelines for baby parrots, allowing the birds to do anything they please. Then these same people get rid of their parrots as they mature because the bird isn't a good pet. Yet it is a fundamental concept that a parrotor any other companion animalwill not know how to be a good pet unless it is taught how to be a good pet.

When behavior problems develop with parrots, it is perhaps human nature that many people are concerned only with fixing the symptoms of a problem, without addressing the actual underlying cause, which is a lack of control on the part of the caretakers. Addressing only symptoms fixes nothing. Deadening the itch solves nothing long-termtrue resolution requires curing the rash.

Basic Training-Curing the Rash, Not Deadening the Itch

No matter what the behavior problem, resolution requires that humans establish themselves in a position of higher rank first. Once in that position, they can then make the adjustments necessary to resolve or decrease the occurrence of a negative behavior. Changing a parrot's actions requires a correlative change in that of the human. Successful behavior modification, therefore, requires the cooperative effort of all the people involved with the parrot.

From my experience, the easiest way to increase the humans' rank in the bird's eyes is for the human to assume a major decision-making role. The bird is no longer allowed to make such important decisions as whether or not to get off the human's shoulder, whether or not to come out of -or off of- the cage, etc.. Using the techniques of nurturing guidance, the owner teaches the bird to step onto and off of the human hand on the commands of 'Up' and 'Down.' The bird is patterned to respond to these commands during short, upbeat daily lessons that happen in 'neutral territory'-out of sight of any area in the environment that the bird considers to be under its dominion. True to the tenets of behavior modification, the lessons must end on a positive note.

The neutrality of the training location is critical to the success of the behavior modification training, especially with aggressive parrots. It is a rare parrot who will bite their human in truly neutral territory. Parrots are prey animals, and it is illogical that they would chose to alienate the only familiar being when placed in a completely unfamiliar surroundings. This explains why the terrors of the veterinary exam room can transform a normally homicidal psittacid into a sweetly gentle bird with the owner-at least temporarily.

Working in neutral territory, caretakers teach their parrots flawless responses to the commands, therefore establishing themselves in a position of higher rank. Once this is accomplished, the owner can start adjusting the parrot's behaviors that have become problematic. But once again, this training is not a step that can be circumvented.

The Most Common Behavior Problems

Biting and excessive screaming are the most prevalent complaints the lay behaviorists hear of especially in the springso this article will address each of these issues in depth.

Biting

Oddly enough, the term biting first needs to be clarified. Contrary to the belief of some inexperienced caretakers, biting does not include a human just being touched by a bird's beak. A good rule of thumb for estimating the true severity of a bite is encompassed by questions such
as, "Did you bleed?" A real bite is characterized by either bleeding or bruising, and "nipping" would be defined as pinching, sometimes with minor bleeding or bruising.

Biting Isn't "Natural" ??

It is important to understand that wild parrots rarely seem to use their beaks as weapons against other flock members. If necessary, the beak is used as a defense against predation, but not against other members of their own flock. In their natural environments, competition and/or conflict between parrots rarely appears to escalate to physical violence-instead, they vocalize or use body language by strutting, posturing, and fluffing feathers to make themselves look bigger. (This appears to be the psittacine equivalent to the popular street phrase, "Yo' mama.") Consequently, beaks are used for climbing, eating, playing and preening... not for fighting. In a dangerous situation, flight is the first choice of prey animals such as parrots-not warfare. However, for the captive parrot, flight is curtailed by either wing clipping or caging; therefore, biting becomes the primary solution if a bird finds itself in close proximity with something it perceives as a threat.

This means that biting may not be an instinctive flock behavior, so biting behaviors are not, in my experience, difficult problems to resolve. Biting is probably an example of what ethologists call a displacement behavior. Natural behaviors designed for survival in the rain forest are not generally possible in the average living room, so others take their place and these are displacement behaviors. These improvised responses are not all negative, incidentally. A positive example of displacement behavior would be a parrot's ability to bond to a human in the absence of other psittacids, and to accept the humans it lives with as members of its flock.

Why Is The Bird Biting?

The first question to ask when dealing with a biting parrot is why- under what circumstance is this happening? Generally speaking, birds bite for one of two reasons: survival or control. The category of "survival" would include a bird biting when it is terrified (i.e., when a smoke detector goes off and a shouldered parrot freaks out and bites off a chunk of a person's ear) or when it is hurt. (Vet hospital personnel have learned from experience that the old saying that "Animals can sense if you're trying to help them" is not a truism.) Other behaviors that would fall under the category of survival would include hormonal behavior, cage territoriality, and veterinary appointments. Under the category of control would include, for example, biting the owner's significant other, or biting the owner to keep them away from their significant other. Survival and control will be discussed in greater detail in subsequent paragraphs.

Hormonal Behavior

Hormonal behavior is related to reproduction, so aggressive behavior during nesting season is logically categorized under survival. An increase in aggression is common with many life forms when hormone levels are raging- human teenagers being a good example. However, if controls are established before puberty's onset, the frequency and severity of aggressive incidents are greatly reduced. A parrot in a dominant position will give orders and expect them to be followed, often enforcing its wishes with violence. Conversely, parrots in a submissive position within the human flock will look to the dominant flock members for direction, thereby decreasing aggressive incidents.

Learning a bird's body language will go a long way toward preventing problems during this time and the advice is simple: when a parrot is in full sexual display, the owner should not reach for it. Instead, it should be left alone until it settles down. Hormonal behavior is one of many reasons why experienced lay behaviorists strongly recommend parrot caretakers perch train their birds, in addition to hand training them. This eliminates the handling dangers if a bird becomes seasonally aggressive.

As an aside, despite common opinion, increased aggression is not always the hallmark of hormonal behavior. Indeed, some parrots become incredibly affectionate during this period, soliciting physical attention much more than at any other time of year.

Survival Situations - The Veterinary Hospital

A prime survival situation, as far as a parrot is concerned, is encountered in the office of the avian veterinarian. Many practitioners are extremely short on time, so they may neglect to properly introduce themselves to the psittacine patient. This negative situation is exacerbated by the veterinarian or veterinary technician swooping down from behind with a towel, to capture the unwary parrot.

As an avian technician who used to train veterinary students, I admit to personal guilt in this area, since I taught countless vets and veterinary students how to
capture in exactly this manner. Indeed, with imported or untamed parrots, this is still the capture technique of choice to protect both the bird and the handler.

However, a majority of the parrots currently seen in the US are domestically raised and do not perceive humans as predators. Hence, the Harpy Eagle Catch⁸ is not only unnecessary, it is detrimental. I have found that the stress of handling and restraint is greatly assuaged by what I call the Frontal Towel Approach.⁹ This technique is not only friendlier, it is also more realistic. Prey animals like parrots have their eyes on the sides of their heads, so their peripheral vision warns them of a forthcoming predatory attack; therefore, the Harpy Eagle Catch serves only to throw a parrot into a full fight or flight response as it is captured in the towel. Once this physical response is initiated, the resulting adrenaline rush causes the bird to fight the restraint frantically. An autonomic nervous system response is not a process that is easily shut down like a light switch.

The Frontal Towel Approach

In contrast, the Frontal Towel Approach does not elicit this kind of response. When placing a parrot under restraint, I do the following. Talking quietly, I step the parrot onto my hand and pin the feet, while smiling in a friendly and relaxed manner. While talking to the bird (not the owner), I catch one corner of the towel in the fingers of the hand on which the parrot is sitting, and wrap the towel around the parrot while it sits on my hand. Then, I gently put the bird under restraint. Even parrots that are terrified of towels can be captured in this manner. These birds generally flip backwards as the towel approaches, but since their feet are pinned, they cannot escape. The towel is then wrapped around the upside down bird, it is lowered to the table or floor, and restraint is commenced as usual. Consequently, a full autonomic response has not been initiated, and the bird settles down very quickly.

This capture technique can easily be done by the owner, who then hands the towel-wrapped parrot to the veterinarian or technician. If the veterinarian is not comfortable having the owner do this, then the veterinarian or technician can accomplish this in the same friendly, non-aggressive manner. It is absolutely unnecessary, in my opinion, for a tame parrot to be grabbed from behind or by first turning off the exam room lights. I have been using this frontal approach for over a decade, and have not yet been bitten using this technique - and thanks to this method, most birds seem dramatically less stressed by restraint.

How To Turn A Nice Parrot Into A Biter

If biting in parrots is a displacement, not an instinctive behavior, it is logical to assume that the behavior must be rewarded in some way or it would not continue. In other words, if it did not accomplish something positive in the parrot's experience, then the parrot would not continue to do it. It is vital to understand that companion parrots are actually rewarded for biting - by humans who simply do not understand how differently parrots can perceive things. The following are classic examples.

"The Teething Stage:" Young parrots often have no idea what their beaks can do, especially if they were raised isolated from other baby parrots. During "The Teething Stage," the baby parrot is learning to eat and explore with its beak, and an unfortunate scenario is often acted out. The youngster, in the process of investigating with its beak, encounters those fascinating things called fingers. If the human makes the mistake of using these extremities as toys in the baby's mouth, sooner or later the baby will bite down harder than the owner of the fingers might like. If the human responds to this accidental nip by yelling (as in, "Ow, NO BITE!!!"), then they have inadvertently taken the first step towards actually teaching their baby parrot to bite.

Contrary to human beliefs, parrots often enjoy it when humans shout at them. Parrots frequently scream simply for the fun of it so it is a fallacy to think they perceive that yelling is a reprimand. On the contrary, they may interpret it as positive feedback, since it is a drama reward.¹⁰ The groundwork has now been laid for the parrot (baby or adult) to bite again, because the behavior was inadvertently rewarded.

The Indecisive Pick Up: This scenario usually occurs when inexperienced caretakers are not clear in their signals to their parrots. For example, when offering a hand for the bird to step on, novice caretakers often aren't quite sure of themselves so their hand motion is uncertain. A young parrot is generally eager to climb on, but like a workman unsure of the stability of a ladder, it will reach with its mouth to steady the human perch, using its beak as a hand. Humans who are afraid of the beak, then pull their hands away. Confused but still eager for interaction, the baby will probably grab the hand with its beak the next time it is offered. Once again, the bird has now taken the first step in learning to bite a human for control.

Fear = Lost Control: When people pull away when parrots reach with their beaks, the birds begin to learn the use of lunging and biting as an effective technique with which to control the humans, and the birds will remain in control for as long as the humans remain afraid. Parrots can sense when someone is frightened and will take advantage of the situation every time. If people cannot get over their fear response, then they will probably never gain control of their parrots.

Bad Advice: There is a lot of outdated and incorrect advice being given about biting parrots. People are often told to grab the bird's beak and shake it and yell NO!! This doesn't work because ornithologists have now realized that grabbing a parrot's beak (what experts call "Beak Wrestling"), is considered to be play behavior between parrots. So once again, in the human effort to give negative feed-back to parrots, they have only succeeded in rewarding them.

It also doesn't usually work to punish by putting a parrot in its cage. By the time the door is closed, it has probably completely forgotten the connection between biting someone and being locked up. Obviously, the bird can't bite anyone again because it has been removed from human proximity, but it hasn't learned anything about not biting. In addition, since parrots often spend prolonged periods in their cages while caretakers work, it is not logical to use the cage as punishment.

Effective Response

In actuality, it is quite simple to discourage a parrot from biting. If the owner has already established a relationship of nurturing guidance with their bird, then the bird already perceives the person as higher in rank and it is already trained to step onto a hand when told "up". To reprimand the bird, the owner needs to do the following things immediately.

First, the owner should show displeasure by giving the bird an extremely dirty look. Parrots are extremely empathic creatures who watch facial expressions closely. A parrot will understand the owner's displeasure if the owner frowns sufficiently. Simultaneously, the owner should step the bird from one hand to the other several times while saying Up in a very firm and negative but not loud voice. This is a non-abusive technique to give the parrot negative feedback because parrots really understand this as a reprimand. This technique is called "Laddering" and it is an exercise in controlreminding the bird that it does not have sufficient rank in the flock for that kind of behavior to be tolerated. If the owner is firm and consistent, reminding the psittacid of this will put it back under control. Without the positive feedback that it inadvertently received before, and through the judicious use of the laddering exercise, the biting should be curtailed. For this reprimand to be most effective, it must be done the second the bird bites. The owner should not take the bird into a neutral room to perform this exercise - the time lag will negate the effectiveness, since the bird will probably not make the proper association. Under NO circumstances should the owner show any aggression at all, since aggression begets aggression and facilitates a lack of trust.

When dealing with a youngster in the Teething Stage, it is also quite simple. When a baby bites too hard, the owner should say No in a firm but quiet voice and give the baby a dirty look. The young parrot will understand that the human is unhappy and will try very hard not to do it again. When humans are interacting with baby parrots, it is also often useful to have a favorite small toy within reach. If the bird starts getting too excited and overly rough, the owner can introduce the toy as a distraction, thereby preventing a bite. The human should also immediately lower the parrot's excitement level by slowing and quieting the activity.

Excessive Screaming

Excessive screaming is a more complex problem and not as easily resolved. Parrots are not by nature quiet animals, as attested by those who have observed them in the wild. Nature has equipped them with prodigious voices, and they seem biologically driven to use them. "Normal" sound levels vary with species. Cockatoos are known to sound off with an ear-splitting racket twice daily, dawn and dusk, whereas the macaws seem more inclined to vocalize (loudly) off and on throughout the day. Some species are reputed to be "quiet," but this is completely relative. To be considered quiet in the parrot world, a species need only be quieter than the avian species that are considered to be noisy, which would be like saying a terrier is quieter than a beagle. As the saying goes, If you want a quiet pet, get a reptile.¹¹ However, screaming non-stop for hours at a time would obviously be considered excessive. Any individual who repeatedly engages in the same behavior over and over can be said to be obsessive.

Incidentally, the time of year can also be an important factor with excessive noise. The moment the days start to lengthen, many parrots respond by starting to scream much more than is "normal." This is strictly seasonal behavior, and if not inadvertently rewarded by the caretakers, the birds will settle back down on their own after a few weeks.

Time Limits and Problem Humans: The problem of unreasonable noise is often exacerbated by a limited time frame, since many people do not seek help until an ultimatum has been set by family members, neighbors, landlords or even the local police. It takes time to create behavior problems and it takes time to change them. Consequently, these issues are not fixed overnight, which is of course what the caretakers need. However, the judicious use of ear plugs can often prevent the dilemma from worsening while the caretakers are trying to improve the situation. Often, angry neighbors are mollified when they hear the caretakers are actively working on resolving the problem. From my experience, the primary obstacle to improvement in parrot behavior is the impatience of the caretakers.

Simply put, parrots who scream constantly are birds who have been rewarded for screaming. Giving birds what they want to silence them is easy to understand, since obsessive screamers can be a nightmare with which to live, and people reach a point where they will do almost anything to get the birds to stop. Consequently, they offer treats, let them out of their cages, etc., thereby rewarding the behavior. It is also no mystery why so many screaming parrots end up abused.

To change an unwanted behavior, the caretaker must be clear, consistent, and above all, patient. The caretaker must also change his/her behaviors that created or exacerbated the bird's behavior. If there are multiple humans in the household, there must be a group effort whereby all members have to be consistent in their approach to the bird. With biting problems, one member of the household refusing to work with the bird does not impact the rest. Regrettably, this isn't the case with the excessive screamer, because one person rewarding the bird for inordinate noise will undo any progress the others might make.

Step By Step: Dealing with screamers requires a step by step approach. As with all "behavior problems," a medical work-up should be done first, to make certain there is not a physical reason for the racket. Other fundamentals need to be reviewed, such as proper diet (meaning not what the caretakers feed, but what the bird actually consumes), hours of sleep, and cage placement. The normal noise level of the home must be reviewed as well. I remember one phone call from a woman complaining bitterly about her noisy parrot - but the conversation was almost obliterated by the background noise of a blaring television, barking dogs, and shrieking children. Noisy environments beget noisy parrots.

Redundant screamers are birds who are unable to amuse themselves in acceptable ways, so this problem can be perceived as a failure of independence. Consequently, the caretakers need find to lots and lots of acceptable activities for the parrots, such as chewing wood, beating up on wonderful toys, eating (and throwing) lots of interesting and delectable foods. The birds need to be encouraged to find other outlets for their energy. Caretakers who give their parrots frequent long, soaking showers and flapping exercise times often have substantially quieter birds.

The next step would entail having the caretakers train their parrots as explained previously, thereby establishing themselves in a position of higher rank. Parrots respond best to those they perceive as being higher in rank.

Keeping A Diary: It can be extremely useful to caretakers to see if there are patterns to obsessive screaming episodes, so all people living in the household should keep diaries for a couple of weeks. Whenever the bird has a screaming incident, they should note such things as:

a. time of day

b. day of the week

c. phase of the moon

d. mood of the people around the bird

e. the bird's apparent mood

f. what is happening at the time, and

g. any other information that might have a bearing on the parrot's behavior.

After 10-14 days of collecting information, the people get together and review the information, looking for patterns in the bird's excessive vocalizations. They should not to go over their notes or discuss the content prior to that time, so that artificial patterns are not created. If there are patterns to the screaming episodes, then they can change the pattern before the screaming starts, thus preventing the problem from even beginning. For example, most dominant birds scream when the caretakers have company. If so, caretakers can move the bird (in cage) to a quiet part of the house before the company arrives. Giving the bird a soaking shower prior to the move, then a new or different toy, lots of safe branches with bark for chewing, etc. will give the bird plenty to do in its isolation, and likely prevent the problem from beginning. Caretakers must stay ahead of this behavior, not wait until it begins. As an aside, getting complaining neighbors in this activity can be very positive, since they have now become a part of the problem resolution process.

Rewarding Good Behaviors and Ignoring The Bad: Human flock members need to start rewarding their birds for sounds they like, and ignore the sounds they don't like. Consequently, if a bird talks, people should answer it. If it whistles, they should whistle back. If it screams while people are in the same room, they should give the bird a dirty look and turn their backs on it. This is an example of using the bird's own body language to express feelings, since this is what parrots do when they are not pleased with something. If the racket continues, they should give the parrot another dirty look and leave the room.

The absolute worst thing the caretakers of a screamer can do is yell back, since that is a prime example of the drama reward. If the bird is screaming in another room, caretakers can do absolutely nothing. Any attempt at reprimand would be perceived as a reward, since the birds are getting the attention they crave. Instead, care-takers should wait until the birds stop squawking- even for a couple of seconds- before entering the room. They cannot enter the room while the birds are screaming without rewarding the behavior. If caretakers are consistent, their parrots will learn that screaming does the opposite that it used to do- but this will take time and people must be patient.

As always, under NO circumstance are people to use punishment or aggression. Aggression and punishment can destroy any potential for a trusting relationship with parrots and it doesn't work, anyway. Again, there must be full cooperation from everyone in the environment. Birds will not change their behaviors if even one person is yelling at them and therefore reinforcing their noise with drama.

So the process of rehabilitating screamers is not to 'unlearn' the behavior. Since the birds have been rewarded for their racket, they have learned that yelling is a successful activity. Instead, caretakers have to teach their birds that other behaviors are more successful. By replacing the screaming with new behaviors that become habits, the excessive squawking becomes extinguished.¹²

The Exceptions: Parrots appear to have an instinctive need to vocalize loudly when the human flock comes home, and this is not a behavior that can be eliminated. Instead, the human caretaker needs to respond to this call. Rather than ignoring the bird, the human should go directly to the bird and greet it. Ideally, the bird should be removed from its cage and physically acknowledged, then given a treat to eat and returned immediately to its cage. Caretakers can then go about their business, leaving the psittacid to munch at leisure.

The other exception is one that can cause far-reaching ramifications if the caretaker mishandles the situation. Very young parrots can go through a stage that aviculturist-behaviorist Phoebe Linden calls "Lost in the Woods." Ms. Linden feels this happens around the time parrots fledge¹³, and these babies often act extremely anxious and vocalize excessively. Ms. Linden says:

"A baby who feels 'lost in the woods' may call repetitively and plaintively, pace or weave back and forth as if they are going to jump from their perch, jump down from the perch, seem unsettled and nervous, and crave attention." ¹⁴

Ms. Linden feels a baby like this needs comfort and reassurance and caretakers should respond to the bird's crying. This stage should last less than a month, at which point the youngster should settle down again.

Conclusion

By establishing themselves in a position of higher rank through the patterning and constant use of simple commands, parrot caretakers place themselves in a position of authority with their companion birds, giving them clear guidelines for acceptable behaviors. Then as problem behaviors manifest, the people can use positive reinforcement to replace negative displacement behaviors with ones that are more acceptable in the human habitat.

With a clear understanding of what parrots are and are not, caretakers can get a better grasp of what can be expected from their psittacids in terms of behavior. By not inadvertently rewarding unwanted conduct with confusion and drama, annoying behaviors need not become established. Clear controls, consistency, patience and non-aggression will prove to be successful when dealing with common unacceptable behaviors we see in companion parrots.

This article was printed first in the proceedings for the annual conference of the Mid-Atlantic States Association of Avian Veterinarians, April, 1999.

1 Blanchard, S. "Problems With Parrots On Shoulders." The Pet Bird Report, Issue #25, 1995.

2 Athan, M.S. "The Importance Of Being Tall." Guide to a Well-behaved Parrot. Barrons, 1993, 64-66.

3 Davis, C. "New Techniques in Pet Avian Behavior Modification." Proceedings of Annual Conference, Association of Avian Veterinarians. 1989, pp. 183-189.

4 Wilson, L. "Behavior Problems in Adolescent Parrots: Guide to a Well-Adjusted Pet." Proceedings of Annual Conference, Association of Avian Veterinarians, 1995, pp. 415-418.

5 Harris, J. Behavior round table discussion, AAV Annual Conference, 1996.

6 Foush_, D. "Play Therapy." The Pet Bird Report, Issue # 23, pp. 30-32.

7 Doane, B. My Parrot, My Friend. Howell Book House, NY. 1994, pp. 110-155.

8 Blanchard, S. "Trust Building Towel Handling Techniques," The Pet Bird Report, Issue #14, pp. 36-37.

9 Wilson, L. "Phobic Psittacine Birds - An Increasing Phenomenon?" Proceedings of Annual Conference, Association of Avian Veterinarians, 1998, pp. 125-132.

10 Blanchard, S. "Games Parrots Play." Bird Talk, Nov. 1991, Vol. 9, No. 11.

11 Anonymous

12 Athan, M.S. Personal communications, 1999.

13 Fledging, the developmental stage prior to weaning, generally happens around 21/2-3 months of age for medium-sized birds [amazons, greys], and at 3-41/2 months for large macaws and cockatoos.

14 "Socializing Baby Parrots", The Pet Bird Report, Vol. 2, No. 6, pp. 12-15, 1992.

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Why Quarantine?

by Jean "The African Queen" Pattison

This is probably one of the most misunderstood necessities of owning birds. When one is quarantining a bird or birds it is to protect the old flock as well as the new. Each group of birds live in their own unique environment, and have built up immunities to the germs (good and bad) that they are exposed to daily. Regardless of where a new bird is purchased from, or how impeccable the husbandry or the reputation of the seller, quarantine should be regarded as a very necessary practice.

The new bird is crated and taken from its ecosystem and placed in a totally new environment with a multitude of germs (good and bad) that it has never been exposed to. During this move to the new location some stress will be experienced. This stress can be very minor or it can be a major upset, depending on the nature of the bird, the difference in environment and how the bird reacts to it. During this time of stress, the birds immune system may become suppressed, and the bird may not be in as good a physical shape as when it left it's home. If the bird is not quarantined, it will be bombarded by millions of new germs and the immune system will need to kick in and respond to all these new germs (good and bad). With a compromised immune system the bird will not be able to surmount a good response and may indeed fall victim to a germ that normally would not be pathogenic (disease causing) in this bird in a different situation.

The new bird now becomes ill and starts shedding vast amounts of this now (new to him) pathogenic germ, and also starts shedding germs in vast amounts that the bird brought with him from his old environment. We now have millions of pathogens in the environment that the resident birds are being exposed to. Some are new germs, and some are old that they had immunities to, but the shear volume is more than they can handle. Now we have old and new birds getting sick, and of course one believes this disease came with the newest arrival.

Obviously, if any of the birds involved had an existing pathogenic disease, the consequences would be much worse.

Had this arrival been quarantined properly, his stress level would not have been so great and his immune response would have been able to build up to the smaller amounts of germs it was exposed to. After a gradual time of small exposures, the immune system can build immunities at a much more normal pace, and not become compromised. This gradual transition into a new environment proves beneficial, and necessary to all the birds involved. Germs don't read one way signs.

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First Aid Kit List

Most of the following can be found at Drs. Foster and Smith

 

Plastic critter carrier for hospital run, enclosed completely with slits for breathing but will hold heat better than open bar/carriers.

 

Hot hands warmers..these non toxic packets last up to 18 hours..need to cover them well with heavy cloths as they do heat up..shake to activate (heat is usually needed immediately in cases of shock and blood loss)(a rubber glove filled with hot water and fastened securely will work also).

 

Have plenty of white, fluffy washcloths and several large towels in your emergency bag. (Please practice toweling on your bird..don't hold too tight, speak softly to them, offer treat..this will prepare them for handling by the vet and make a scary situation much easier).

 

Duffel Bag which will hold carrier securely and allow you to pack supplies..leave open

 

Cornstarch, styptic powder, silver nitrate stick to stop bleeding (use styptic and silver nitrate on beak and nails only)and/or Quik stop

 

These are all lifesavers: blunt tip scissors, nail clippers, nail file, blunt end tweezers, pen light, eye dropper, syringes, cotton swabs hydrogen peroxide, saline solution for eyes,basic bandages, gauze pads and gauze rolls, masking tape (won't stick to birds' feathers) vet wrap,

 

Pedialite or orange juice for quick energy/(check out ornalyte and others which are available to rehydrate quickly ). Pro Bac also gives an energy boost.

All of these supplies will fit in a tackle type box or medium size drawer...When seconds count you can be ready!

Heat, dark calm spot in carrier, and quick trip to vet or emergency clinic gives all of our fids the best chance to survive when illness is FIRST suspected.

Pull blood feathers completely and apply corn starch or quick stop to control bleeding...rush to vet if bleeding does not stop, apply pressure to control bleeding or wrap tightly

Don't panic, your bird will feel it...handle your bird as little as possible..or hold bird in cupped hands steadily...do not move in and out of carrier checking and creating more anxiety.

Remember..even ill, your bird could still escape.

Always remember, if you know your bird, you know when something is not right with them... Don't second guess it..Birds and all prey species survive in the wild by NEVER showing sickness..usually by the time you see exaggerated symptoms it may be too late!

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The Basics of Feather Picking

by Tammy Jenkins, DVM

Introduction

Feather picking is a problem that has plagued and intrigued me for the last ten years. I wanted to speak about it because I wanted you to know that we can help many - perhaps 70% of the birds that feather pick, but the journey is sometimes frustrating, time consuming and expensive.

I also wanted you to know that the sharpest people in avian medicine are spending a lot of time on this problem and that there are a number of exciting new approaches.

Finally, I wanted you to know how you should best spend your time and money in working up this problem. I wanted you to get enough background information so that you can help determine what approach might yield the most information about your bird. I also want you to learn to be an accurate observer because your at- home observations are usually the most critical part of the process.

This presentation is going to be given in the same way that I discuss feather picking with my clients. The first step is to acquaint the owner with the most common causes of feather picking. The second step is the history and the physical exam. Third, we collect some minimum date bits. The fourth phase is general management and record keeping recommendations. The last phase consists of specific test and trials, which might be used to diagnose and treat the feather picking.

The most common causes of feather picking are the following:

We will explore each of these in some detail when we consider specific tests and trials used to diagnose the specific cause of feather picking. These categories are introduced now to get us thinking about what may be involved in this problem.

The history is important because it gives us clues to the cause of the problem. Try not to draw premature conclusions from the data. Inaccurate premature conclusions may blind us to the true cause of the feather picking. Questions we would like answered include the following:

The physical examination involves visually inspection, palpating, and asculting the bird. The purpose of the exam is to describe the disease patterns and to use the information to help 1) determine the etiology or cause of the disease and 2) give us a baseline from which to follow the progress (positive or negative)

You as the owner will play an important role in charting progress. Often we will attempt a trial treatment and we will evaluate the success of the treatment based on physical signs. If the bird’s feathers become totally normal, we have a tremendous response to treatment. However, often we have only a partial response to treatment:

These observations will greatly help us to know if we are on the right tract with our therapy. For this reason we want you to be very involved in seeing what we see on the physical exam.

Basic observations made on the physical exam include the following:

III MINIMAL DIAGNOSTICS

As part of the initial exam, we minimally do the following diagnostics. These diagnostics are inexpensive, non-invasive, and often steer us towards an underlying cause.

A. CYTOLOGY

We make impression smears of the skin. These will pick up Hyperkeratosis, an inappropriate inflammatory response, abnormal bacteria, or an overgrowth of fungus. Depending on the findings, we may consider allergic, hormonal, or thyroid disease; in certain cases, the cytology may suggest general in imunosuppression and may prompt us to look for diseases like aspergillosis. Additionally, cytology may suggest specific types of treatment approaches.

B. FECAL CHECK FOR PARASITES

C. ORAL AND FECAL CULTURE

This is a very general screen of the overall health of the bird. In my mind, abnormal cultures usually reflect either immuno-suppression or abnormal gastrointestinal function (versus a super infection by a specific pathogen): Because many diseases of the bird lead to abnormal gastrointestinal function, cultures are helpful but non-specific indicators of the overall health of the bird.

IV GENERAL MANAGEMENT AND RECORD KFEPING RECCOMENDATIONS

The following recommendations are general steps that will help with almost all types of feather picking. We can get started with these steps while we are trying to make an exact diagnosis of what is causing the feather picking. The record keeping recommendation will help us start to journal our progress and may eventually provide the

Owners are encouraged to take the following steps:

A. DAILY BATHING

Bathing helps birds on many levels. Bathing removes bacteria, molds, and general allergens from the feathers and reduces their presentation to the immune system. Bathing also makes the feathers less sticky and less Rely to retain their particles. It is still debated whether fungus such as malassezia or aspergillosis are primary pathogens of the skin or whether they are able to get a foothold due to inflammation brought on by an allergic or hormonal response. Nevertheless, cleaning the skin reduces the ability of these organisms to get a foothold and colonize the epidermis. Finally, bathing often helps birds with separation anxiety by giving them something to do during the critical first 30 minutes after the owner leaves the bird.

B. CORRECT DIETARY DEFICIENCIES

C. ELIMINATE BROAD ALLERGIC IRRITANTS

Do not expose birds to perfumes, cigarette smoke, incense, cleaning products, or aromatics of any sort. Owners may need to wash their hands before handling birds.

D. IMPROVE ACCESS TO UVA AND UVB LIGHT

This is likely important for calcium uptake and may be necessary for appropriate thyroid metabolism. We may need to manage flicker associated with neon lights.

E. IGNORE FEATHER PICKING

Admonishing a bird not to pick has never cured a single feather picking bird and can teach a bird to use feather picking as an attention getting device.

F. TREAT ALL WOUNDS

Treatment will depend on the extent and character of the wounds. Never apply salves to bird's feathers.

G. KEEP DAILY RECORDS

Set up a journal that is easy to use. The purpose of the journal is two-fold. First by recording events associated with feather picking, we may get clues as to the cause. Record data such as the amount of feather picking, the time of day, activities surrounding the feather picking and food eaten that day. Over a period of time patterns may become evident.

The other purpose of the journal is to determine if there is a response to therapy. Frequently, helpful treatments are discarded because they do not totally stop feather picking. Recording incremental changes like a decrease in the amount of feathers mutilated may help decide what is needed for a total cure.

V. SPECIFIC TESTS AND TRLALS

The next phase of the process is to determine what tests or trials might be useful in defining or solving the problem. We use findings from the physical exam, the history, and the labs to direct us to the most likely cause of the feather picking, and then do tests to confirm or dispute our hypothesis.

Before elaborating on the specific tests and trials I would like to make a few brief comments about tests and trials. First, the lack of abnormal findings does not by default mean the problem is behavioral. It may mean that we as yet do not know how to test for the condition. Second, therapeutic trials can be a valuable diagnostic mode. A therapeutic trial means trying a drug and looking at response to treatment. This type of test is particularly valuable where an objective test has not been developed (e.g. allergies) or where it is difficult to develop (behavioral problems). This modality requires careful owner observation and the ability to differentiate partial response from no response. The weakness of this approach is that a positive response might be due to something other than the drug. Further, we sometimes attribute the curative effects of the drug to the wrong cause. An example of this is a positive response to metronidazole. Response may mean that the underlying problem was giardia, but it may also mean that the underlying cause was an overgrowth of bacteria or inflammatory bowel disease.

My final comment about tests is that some tests are more diagnostic than other tests. High levels of zinc generally correspond well with zinc intoxication, however other test results like aspergillosis serology can often be difficult to interpret. Understanding that tests may not be absolute does not mean that we should give up. In fact, this understanding of limitations of certain modalities will help to give us a better long lasting solution.

The following material looks at how we work up feather picking based on what we think is the most likely cause. We will look at infectious disease, allergies, endocrine/reproductive disease, toxins, parasites, hypothyroidism, primary skin infection, dietary deficiencies, systemic disease, and behavioral problems. We will discuss when

We suspect each type of cause and which tests we do to rule in or rule out that particular etiology. Sometimes it seems clear which path to pursue; sometimes we simply start to systematically work through the most likely causes.

A. INFECTIOUS DISEASE

Infectious causes of feather picking include PBFD, PDD, and Aspergillosis

1. Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD). The species most susceptible to PBFD are Old World birds. We suspect PBFD when we have abnormal feather development. Often feather development becomes increasingly abnormal with each molt. These birds usually do not aggressively pick feathers and are usually not pruritic (itchy). Lovebirds may have few or no feather lesions. The PBFD PCR identifies the organism in the blood and is a sensitive and specific test of this disease.

2. Proventricular Dilation Disease (PDD). PDD affects all avian species. Signs include weight loss, vomiting, passing whole seed in the droppings, and neurological deficits. Additionally, many birds with PDD pick their feathers. The cause of this is suspected to be either neurological or due to inadequate absorption of essential nutrients or fatty acids. Currently a specific test for this disease is being trialed at the University of Georgia. This test looks for the presence of viral DNA in blood and feces and looks at antibody response. While this test is in trial, we continue to screen for this disease with radiographs and crop biopsies.

3. Aspergillosis. Systemic aspergillosis has also been implicated as a cause of feather picking. We suspect aspergillosis in birds with respiratory abnormalities or when a screening complete blood count (CBC) shows a high count and monocytosis, and protein electrophoresis shows abnormal globulin patterns. Aspergillosis can be an illusive disease to definitively diagnose. Specific tests include antigen or antibody levels. X-ray or endoscopy can confirm some fungal granulomas. Positive antigen or antibody results may indicate exposure, infection, or even an allergic reaction to the organism. Negative test results do not rule out infection as a negative bird may have an infection with a

walled off granuloma or because it is not mounting an immune response. Treatment involves oral itraconazole, intratracheal arnphotericin B and/or nebulization with chlortrimizole.

B. ALLERGILES

In general, allergic animals respond to certain environmental proteins as if they were pathogens. These animals mount an inappropriate immune response to inhalants (molds, pollens, and dust), to certain foods or drugs, and/or to contact materials (wool, cotton). Some animals also seem to be sensitive to certain aromatics. It is this inappropriate immune

response that results in the signs we call allergies. In dogs, these signs result in inflamed itchy skin often with secondary bacterial or yeast infections. The gastrointestinal (GI)

tract may also respond to certain allergens. In cats, we may see itchy skin or we may see an asthmatic or GI response. I suspect Old World psittacines may manifest allergies with

itchy inflamed skin, while New World psittacines especially amazons and pionus may be more prone to respiratory signs.

In general, I suspect that allergies may be a problem if the bird seems very pruritic. These birds often scream or vocalize when they pick and often pick the leggings.

Allergies are also suspected if the problem seems strongly seasonal, although some allergic animals pick year round, especially if they are allergic to food, dust, or dust

mites. Allergies are also considered if the bird has hot spots or a super active epidermis especially if overgrowth of bacteria or fungus is present. Finally, in my practice certain species, especially African Grays seem to be pruritic, have seasonal episodes of hot spots, and respond well to allergy medication.

We diagnose allergies in the following 4 ways: response to therapy, elimination trials, biopsies, and inter-dermal skin tests,

1. Response to Therapy means we try certain anti-allergy drugs and see if they reduce feather picking. Currently, I have best results with an antihistamine called hydroxyzine

in combination with omega 3 and 6 fatty acids (these are anti-inflammatories). I am also investigating an antihistamine/ anti-seratonin drug called cyproheptadine. Typically, a trial lasts 4 to 8 weeks. If we get consistent positive reproducible results, we can generally believe that allergies are involved in the feather picking. A lack of response may mean that the bird is not allergic or it may mean that is simply did not respond to that particular anti-inflammatory and that another drug might work. We are currently investigating whether histamines, seratonin, or lymphocytes mediate this response.

When we understand this, we may be able to develop better drug trials. Additionally, different pathways in different species may mediate the response.

2. Elimination trials involve the elimination of potentially allergenic foods or substances from the diet or environment. A true elimination diet has limited protein sources (usually two). We try this diet for several months and look at the response. We can gradually add new foods and see if they trigger a reaction. An elimination diet requires a diligent

owner and a cooperative bird. Several of my clients have methodically proceeded with elimination trials and have had excellent results. Foods often suspected of being

allergenic include corn, wheat, and most processed foods. Interestingly, in human studies nuts including sunflower are not typically implicated as being highly allergenic.

Elimination trials can also include elimination or reduced exposure to environmental irritants such as aromatics, cigarette smoke, or feather dust from other birds in the household.

3. Skin Biopsies are sometimes taken to see what kinds of cells are involved in a lesion. When the pathologist concludes that the response is lymphocytic/plasmocytic, we make a tentative diagnosis of a hypersensitivity or allergic response.

4. Intra dermal skin testing has been the standard to definitively diagnose inhalant allergies in dogs and people. This method involves injecting the allergen into the dermis of the skin and looking for a wheal to form indicating a hypersensitivity to the substance. After determining which agents cause a reaction, we make up an injectable suspension containing the agents (allergens). The patient receives injections from this suspension on a regular basis. This changes how the body responds to the allergens and reduces or eliminates the allergic signs.

We are just now investigating if this technique will work in birds. Dr Tully of Louisiana State University and Drs. Gill and MacWhirter of Australia have both attempted to allergy test birds. I have tested 18 birds; my findings to date are more in harmony with the Australian veterinarians. This year we will a refine our work. The purpose is to determine if this is a viable tool for diagnosing allergies (I think it likely is) and to determine if allergy shots will work as a treatment tool. My findings suggest that birds may have a type 4 or delayed hypersensitivity reaction. This type of response is mediated by lymphocytes. If this is true, it will help us select what therapy may best mute the response.

Some interesting notes in my study; the group consisted of 18 Old World psittacines (cockatoos, African grays, and cockatiels). All 18 responded to aspergillosis. Half of the birds (9) responded to dust and 8 responded to dust mites. this is another good reason to encourage daily bathing,

C. ENDOCRINE/REPRODUCTIVE DISEASE

A likely significant cause of feather picking centers around endocrine or reproductive disease. Spaying and neutering birds and hormonal injections seem in many cases to cause a cessation of symptoms. 1 Typically, birds do not breed based on a monthly

rhythm; instead they breed because a variety of stimuli are present. The importance of the specific stimuli vary depending on the species but can include a nesting site, adequate food, appropriate temperature, an increase or decrease in daylight hours, and ascendancy in the flock. Many of our birds, instead of cycling in and out of breeding condition, are constantly in breeding condition. This seems in some species to lead to picking. Other conditions such as follicular cysts may lead birds to be constantly in the prophase of breeding and may be associated with mutilation.

We suspect hormonal involvement when picking coexists with breedy type of behavior, with some seasonal picking, when birds pick their leggings, and with certain cases of mutilation. Specific tests that can be helpful include estradiol and androstenedione (University of Tennessee Endocrine lab). Breeding readiness and follicular cysts can also be suggested by radiographs and confirmed by endoscopy.

It is wise to consider that some treatments that seem to be effective may be working in ways we don't understand. For instance, antihistamines may not be treating allergies, but might instead simply be calming birds. Likewise, hormonal preparations may be working by decreasing estrogen or testosterone, or may in fact work by increasing endogenous steroids and thus be treating allergies. At this point, our understanding of the physiology is still under development.

Drugs that have seemingly been helpful in reducing feather picking associated with reproductive behavior include the following:

1. Depo-Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate) is synthetic progesterone sometimes used for birth control in humans. This drug is not used much anymore in birds because of its many side effects.

2. HCG (human chorionic gonadatropin) is widely used and seems to have little in the way of side effects. Practitioners report variable results with HCG. In my hands, it is most effective with male cockatoos.

3. Lupron (a synthetic analog of gonadatropin-releasing hormone) works by obliterating blood levels of estrogen or testosterone for weeks to months. This drug is currently in its trial stages and shows some promise for mutilators.

Other drugs which may have some effects on reproductive behavior, and which may help feather picking associated with endocrine activity include a zona pellucida vaccine currently being investigated by Dr. Richie and cyproheptadine (an anti-seratonin drug) which may make some birds less likely to breed because they perceive that there are inadequate food supplies. Fluoxetine (Prozac), which has prolactin effects, has not been useful in my hands for feather picking. However, in combination with HCG, it has worked to stop chronic egg laying in cockatiels. Perhaps Prozac may be useful when used in combination with some other drug.

In addition to actual drug therapies, it may be useful to decrease the environmental triggers for reproductive behavior. Where appropriate remove perceived nesting areas, decrease daylight hours, feed a limited diet consisting of dry food only, and minimize if possible masturbation by the bird. It is also appropriate to use behavioral training to demote the bird to a lower status level.

D. TOXINS

The primary toxin associated with feather picking is zinc. We suspect zinc as a potential cause if there is environmental exposure to this heavy metal or if the bird shows neurological or gastrointestinal signs (esp. GI stasis and a mildly enlarged Proventriculus). A blood test will give us accurate blood levels of zinc. Various chealators including CaEdta and DMSA are effective at removing excess zinc from the body.

E. PARASITES

In psittacines, the ectoparasites (external parasite) primarily associated with feather picking are biting lice. These lice are approximately 1/4inch long and are easily visualized by owners. In every case where I have diagnosed lice, the owner had seen the parasite and was coming to me for confirmation. Endoparasites (internal parasites) can also cause feather picking. The most common endoparasite associated with feather picking is giardia. The mechanism by which this causes feather picking is unclear, it may be an allergic response or it may be due to malabsorbtion of certain essential nutrients. We screen all birds for giardia, but do not consider this parasite to be a major cause of feather picking.

F. HYPOTHYROIDISM

For a number of years we have suspected that birds might suffer from hypothyroidism. In dogs, the same individuals that have skin allergies are more likely to be hypothyroid as the same immune process causes each of these diseases. Additionally, hypothyroidism makes the skin more likely to develop secondary bacterial and fungal infections. We screen for hypothyroidism if skin cytology reveals persistent bacterial and fungal overgrowth, if the bird has overall poor feather quality, if the bird is obese, or if the bird seems to have a delayed molt.

In birds, the T4 test to confirm hypothyroidism has not been especially sensitive. In the distant past, almost all avian tests reported undetectably low levels of circulating thyroxin This did not mean that all birds were hypothyroid. It meant we did not have a reliable test. In the last few years, the University of Man3i has increased the sensitivity of its test, so with caution, we can use clinically their readings. New on the horizon is a new test methodology offered by Auburn University, which promises to be even more sensitive. Additionally, we may be able to confirm these T4 tests by doing a TSH stimulation test.

Birds that are actually hypothyroid can be treated with oral thyroid supplements. We typically periodically recheck thyroid levels while on the supplement to be sure that replacement levels are adequate. Further, we do not wish to have replacement levels that are too high. Birds that are hyperthyroid suffer a variety of ills including possible cardiac disease.

G. PRIMARY SKIN INFECTION

Feather folliculitis and/or skin inflammation is usually secondary to other processes (viral, allergic, hormonal, hyperthyroidism). However, it may occasionally be a primary infection. Skin cytology and biopsies (feather follicles and skin) may be helpful in determining if the problem is a fungal overgrowth, bacterial infection, or a generalized inflammatory response.

H. DIETARY DEFICENCIES

We suspect that dietary deficiencies may be causial if the owner describes a diet with significant inadequacies or if the feathers or epithelium suggest gross deficiencies. Although dietary problems are less common than in the past, some feather picking still stems from an inadequate diet. Additionally, there may be some species-specific nutritional needs that are not being met (e.g. increased selenium needs for African species). We also find that many birds that pick seem to have low calcium levels. It is a reasonable idea to be sure that all feather-picking birds have adequate UV light sources and perhaps some extra emphasis on calcium rich foods in the diet. Some investigators think that extra methionine might also be helpful.

1. SYSTEMIC DISEASE

Systemic disease is usually not a primary cause of feather picking. However, in my practice I can specifically recall a macaw with cystic kidneys, and African gray with heart disease, and a pionus with an aspergillosis granuloma who picked feathers in a tightly localized region directly over the diseased organs. While this is not common, if the bird seems systematically ill (decreased vocalization, lethargic, fluffed) or has systemic signs (heart murmur, polyuric, polydypsic, etc.), it is important to systematically look at the bird's organ function. Tests that are usually helpful for this are the CBC, chemistry profile, and x-rays. Endoscopy may also be helpful.

J. BEHAVIOR

I have long had a strong bias against behavior as the cause for feather picking. This is due to two factors. First, it seemed that veterinarians were doing a poor job of eliminating other disorders before they concluded that the problem was behavioral. Typically a feather picking work-up consisted of a CBC, chemistry profile, giardia check, and gram stain. If no disorder was discovered, it was concluded that the problem was behavioral. However, as we have seen, those specific tests rarely uncover much about feather picking and there have been few specific tests that diagnose allergic or hormonal disorders. Thus, concluding that the problem is behavioral based on negative findings on a chemistry profile is at best premature. At worst, it might keep us from finding the real cause of the problem.

The second reason that I chafed at a behavioral diagnosis was that we couldn't, in a thoughtful reproducible way, determine how to help those birds whose feather picking was truly caused by behavioral issues. However, Dr Kenneth Welle with some truly original work, has adapted to birds Karen Overall's behavioral scheme for dogs and cats. What is excellent about this work is that by categorizing behavior we can select the most appropriate therapies, tailor behavioral modification strategies, and quantify results.

To detail what this means, I will use a client's cat as and example. The cat has an insatiable need for the owners attention, sprays when he is anxious, follows the owner constantly when she is at home, and wails at her bedroom door for 1/2 hour ever night. We hypothesized that this cat had separation anxiety, chose a drug (clorniprarnine) that is effective for this problem, and instituted behavioral modification strategies to reward independent behavior and ignore anxious behavior. We set up a timetable for how long to continue the trial and used discreet criteria (time cat was willing to spend alone, amount of spraying, length of time cat wailed at the door) to measure progress. This is what we hope to do with birds with this approach.

The following analytical scheme picks out certain behaviors (signs) which point to a specific type of disorder (the behavioral diagnosis). Making a specific behavioral diagnosis helps us to clarify the underlying causes and develop well-targeted solutions. This list should expand, as we become more sophisticated with these concepts.

1. Feather picking occurs when owner is not present. Separation anxiety is the disorder most commonly associated with this sign. Separation anxiety is an important issue for animals whose early life centers around a flock. Birds that have been re-homed or improperly socialized are especially at risk. Behavioral modification strategies center around rewarding independent play, teaching self-calming strategies, and not rewarding anxious behavior. Since most animals with separation anxiety act out most in the first half hour after the owner leaves, you may wish to bathe the bird just before leaving, leave him a special toy, or meal feed -giving the meal just as you leave. Drugs often useful on treating separation anxiety are clomipramine and Fluoxetine (Prozac).

2. Feather picking occurs when owner is present but is not paying attention to the bird. Attention seeking behavior is the disorder most commonly associated with this sign. Owners frequently reinforce the feather picking by immediately speaking to the bird and telling him not to pick. Appropriate behavioral modification would be to ignore the behavior, act Re you simply do not notice, or actually leave the room when the bird is picking. If the feather picking is an attention-seeking device, count on the behavior to significantly worsen when you first begin to ignore the behavior. The bird will conclude that you simply did not see and may amplify the behavior, Count on 200-300 episodes of ignoring the behavior before the bird gives up. In addition to ignoring behavior you do not want, you should reward independent behavior and teach the bird other appropriate means to demand attention (tricks, vocalizations, etc). Neutral room work to reinforce commands or to teach tricks is often useful. Such work teaches the bird how to earn good attention. Further, five to ten minutes of your undivided attention is enough to satisfy many birds. At this time, there is not a drug that is specific for attention-seeking behavior.

3. The bird interrupts other behaviors to feather pick. Obsessive/compulsive disorder (OCD) is the behavioral disorder most commonly associated with this sign. OCD in animals manifests itself by stereotypic behavior such as cribbing in horses, incessant tail chasing in dogs, wool chewing in cats, and certain kinds of feather picking in birds. Some researchers feel that stereotypic behavior distracts the animal from its anxieties; others feel that it is simply a visual manifestation of anxiety. Another school of thought is that stereotypic behaviors are self-stimulator and result in endorphin release. Finally, some researchers feel that it is a manifestation of aberrant neuronal activity and may be hereditary.

Drugs that have been used to deal with OCD include the tricyclic antidepressants (esp. clomipramine), the ssri's (esp. Fluoxetine or Prozac), haloperidal and naltrexane

Both pruritic birds and OCD birds will interrupt satisfying behavior to pick. Before we can decide that a bird has OCD, we need to rule out pruritic conditions like allergies.

4. The feather picking bird exhibits signs of excessive fear or stress. Fear, phobias, or panic may be displaced and translated into picking behavior. Recall that fear can be an adaptive appropriate response. Birds’ high level of vigilance and instant flight response is highly protective. In a wild situation, the bird will dissipate fear-induced adrenaline by flying for a quarter of a mile. In our lives, these birds may displace this energy by picking their feathers. A large part of our socialization efforts are intended to get the bird to tolerate stimuli that in the wild should provoke fear.

To behaviorally treat these birds we must remember not to reward the feather picking with attention. We should remove objects that generate fear and/or gradually habituate them to these objects or circumstances. We should teach the birds self-calming techniques. Teaching birds to fly may also help to build confidence. Patterning a variety of behaviors also prepares the bird to deal with life with assurance. Finally, give them environmental prompts such as a raised cage or a partially covered cage that enhance security.

Drugs that may have some application in treating fearful of phobic behavior include diazepam, haloperidal, clomipramine, and Fluoxetine.

A bird stressed by a medical problem may occasionally be mistaken for a fearful or phobic bird. It is a good idea to rule out systemic illness in these birds.