Know this about feather destroying birds: Even if we get some birds to reduce or stop picking, plucking, barbering/cutting their feathers, or stop self-mutilating they will need controlled environments for the remainder of their lives.

Similar to humans who have exhausted adrenal glands these birds are now uber-sensitive to any type of trauma. Emotional and behavioral stimuli is NOT THE reason for feather destruction, aka the “Mutilation Syndrome.” Rather, psychological stimuli triggers the underlying root cause; neurotransmitters will now always have difficulty regenerating at the speed they need for healthy repletion. The replenishment of neurotransmitters may always be biologically and somewhat pathologically compromised due to the scarred digestive tract and its inability to produce 100% healthy gut mucosa and therefore totally healthy gut flora.

No matter how much healing has taken place in the digestive tract, due to an overly-exhausted endocrine system, and specifically the adrenal glands it is best to keep our feather-destroying birds in a calm and controlled environment even after destruction of feathers has stopped. Allowing psychological episodes where our birds are easily triggered, i.e. a new “flock environment”, loud voices or music, chaotic activities or a constant influx of strangers coming and going will most likely set off a whole new episode of feather destruction even long after our birds have stopped their engagement in feather destruction.

As caregivers of a feather-destroying bird, or a former feather-destroying bird we must now understand we are caring for a permanently altered, permanently challenged bird. This bird is not like other birds and we must make accommodations suited for a bird that has its very own challenges in life. These birds require understanding, compassion and caregivers who are extremely sensitive to their unique sensitive natures.