| The
bare chest on this Blue & Gold Macaw is a classic example of
"plucking". The bird will strip it's entire body of feathers to the
point that the follicles are damaged beyond ever producing feathers again. In
the vast majority of cases, this is a behavioral problem brought on by boredom
and neglect. Once this has begun, it can be very difficult to reverse and often
requires the assistance of a behavioral consultant (yes, a birdy shrink!). |
Left untreated, plucking can
continue to it's most severe state, self-mutilation, as seen in the case of
this Sulpher-Crested Cockatoo. This damage was not inflicted by accident or
physical abuse. It was self-inflicted by a bird that was so neglected and
unhappy that it literally began to pick itself to pieces. Self-mutilation is
far more common than one might think. A case like this will take thousands
of dollars and many months to heal if it is recoverable at all. This
suffering is the work of a sorry, pathetic human being who bought himself a
pretty "room decoration" on impulse. At least he had the guts to surrender this
poor baby to a rescue for treatment instead of just letting her die of her
wounds, as many do. For the record, this bird has
made an amazing recovery thanks to the love, dedication, and hard work of
Gene and Marietta Avery of the Priceless Parrot Preserve in Ridge, NY.
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