Are you worried about a budgie feather loss on head?
As an owner, you want to make sure that your pet is always doing okay. This is why when you notice that something is off with it, you check for other symptoms involved. Then, if it appears to be a medical emergency, you do all that you can to have your pet checked by an avian vet.
Now, birds lose feathers for many reasons. It can be because of molting which may both be abnormal or normal, or stress, as well as excessive preening done by a parent bird or their cage mate. Sometimes, bacterial or viral infections can also cause these episodes of losing their feathers.
With all these things in mind, let us take a look at the common reasons for a budgie feather loss on head and whether you should be alarmed or not. Here we go.
Cause Of Budgie Feather Loss On Head
Feather loss can result from various causes. For the most part, this may be caused by molting, which is something that birds experience once a year. However, birds in captivity may molt irregularly since the day hours are obscure.
You will know that your pet is ready to molt when you notice some symptoms such as anxiety and stress. This is why feathers fall out one after another, and this involves feathers on the head. It can take some time for the new feathers to grow in, which leaves a bald spot on the area where the feathers were lost.
If this is the situation that your pet is going through, then all you need is to be patient and comforting towards your pet. Provide good nutrition and supplement your pet well, which can assist in the growth of new and healthy feathers.
Now, there are also instances when your pet may be going through some stress. With humans, hair fall is likely due to stress – and the same holds true with birds. If your pet budgie is stressed, then it may lose feathers as it begins to pluck its feathers. They may be experiencing some difficulties with a cage mate, or perhaps it is not receiving the amount of physical and mental stimulation that it needs.
With this in mind, you need to simply support your pet that is going through so much stress. This may involve doing the best you can to minimize the environmental or physical stressor that is causing this feather-plucking behavior.
You need to identify what is causing the stress in your pet, which triggers such behavior. Then, you can take action appropriately. When you are comforting your pet, avoid patting it on the back as this tends to exacerbate the issue by releasing sex hormones. You can stroke its head instead and speak softly to it.
Now, if you have a younger budgie with feather loss on the head, it may also be due to excessive preening done by the parent. These new parent birds tend to over preen their young, which they sometimes do as they are very keen to quickly lay another clutch of eggs. This explains the bare neck and back, as well as their heads, which bird parents quickly reach.
As for older budgies, they may also have a bald spot on their heads because their partners are prone to over-preening them. What you can do to address this situation is by separating these birds. This will prevent them from preening each other too much.
Additionally, you may want to provide some activities or toys that will help with distracting them and minimize the over preening behavior.
However, if the cause of a budgie feather loss on head is not because of stress, molting, or over preening, then it may be linked with a bacterial or viral infection.
There are certain bacteria and viruses that can result in feather loss in birds. As an example, circovirus is one of the causes of feather loss, particularly on the head and in other parts of the body. Moreover, this is common in some “runner” budgies that experience feather damage and loss.
Another type of virus is the polyomavirus, which is also linked with feather loss. There may also be some skin infections in your pet, which are due to yeasts or bacteria. Thus, feather damage can occur and leave bare or bald patches of skin.
Unfortunately, if there is too much – and permanent – damage done to the follicle, it is not possible for a bird to regrow its feathers. This is why you need to have your pet checked by a vet right away at the first sight of an issue with the feathers. You need to keep in mind that early intervention goes a long way since some conditions may not be treatable and feather loss may not be reversed easily.
Read More: Why Does My Cockatiel Sit On My Head? Fascinating Reasons Why!
Additional Information To Know
When your pet is losing feathers only in a particular area, this is usually caused by infection or irritation. This is why a certain spot is only affected and not impacting the rest. These infections result in a bald spot on their skin.
Moreover, a vitamin deficiency can also result in a budgie feather loss on head. For example, vitamin A is crucial for your pet’s feather health. This is why if your budgie is not receiving ample vitamin A from its diet, you need to supplement it or incorporate vitamin A-rich foods in its diet daily.
By minimizing stress, providing a balanced diet, giving ample mental and physical stimulation, and making sure that your pet is not an outcome of over-preening, you can minimize or even eliminate this issue on losing feathers on the head. And most of all, these can all support the overall health and wellness of your budgie for years to come!
