Scarlet Macaw concerns - Please advise

Hey guys


A relative is giving away this scarlet macaw and I'm about to adopt it. it looks like a young chick based on it's eye's color? What do you think?



I noticed that there are some bald areas on it's head, neck,The back of it's neck, etc as you can see in the attached pictures and hopefully it's clear.


It's on the top & back of it's head so it's impossible for the bird to pluck it? The rest looks fine as far as I can see.



I've concerns of it being a disease? a bacterial or virus infection?Like Beak & Feathers disease or so? or any others?



A vet said that it's mostly due to bad diet/nutrition issues?



I just want to double check and hear experts thoughts on this before bringing it to my home, I just don't want to bring an infected bird near my young kids and other birds I'm just worried about any possible health issues with that bird.

**A short film for the bird: [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuMqF4_CBwM&feature=youtu.be"]video 1571934778 - YouTube[/ame]



Please advise.



Thank you in advance & have a great one

Well that's a first that i have seen , if not caused by another bird plucking the head........
Here is a link for what it's worth , it's not written by a vet..
https://www.beautyofbirds.com/featherdisorders.html

And from Identifying whether your bird has the Beak and Feather Disease (Psittacine Beak and Feather - PBFD)


Feather Plucker or PBFD? Young chicks are not likely to pluck; so this would not apply to chicks. However, if an adult bird develops bald spots, you might consider either possibility. You can distinguish between PBFD and normal feather plucking by looking at where the feathers are being lost. If they are missing from the head and crest - an area they cannot get to with their beak to pluck - then it is likely to be Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease.

A Bird Suffering from PBFD ...

is likely to show the characteristic abnormal feather and beak growth
might have feathers that look like stubbles and are obviously deformed
is likely to have short ‘clubbed’ feathers
may develop curly feathers
may have feather shafts that often break, or you might see narrowing or pinching of the shafts (this condition worsens with each molt and your bird will usually become progressively balder due to inactivity of its feather follicles).
may have a beak that is deformed, especially the upper beak, and often overgrown; the beak usually splits or breaks.

No one here will be able to give you a definitive answer. We are passionate about birds but are not veterinarians. A visit to an avian vet is going to be your best option here. Make sure they do a blood panel and can get you answers. I'm not familiar with Egypt, do they have certified avian vets there at all?

Would be great to get to the bottom of the issue and help this bird turn around. If it ends up being from a poor diet, that can be worked on while around other birds, but any diseases the vet diagnoses will mean quarantine away from your other birds.

Being your relative, can you ask them some more specific questions about the macaw? What they feed it, when they got it, etc. Get as much background info as you can before taking it in.

WOW. I would say could definitely be bad nutrition- that poor bird is the wrong color!


My Freedom(B&G) was the wrong color, dull horrible feathers, etc when she was found locked in a dog crate in a dead lady's back bedroom. We are her third home since she was found. Previous owner got her on pellets, which we have continued with the addition of freah foods and cooked foods. She still has a couple of wrong colored feathers and a bald spot on the back of her head...



Yes, yours could have a disease, but it could also just be being fed very incorrectly. The vet that said it was diet, was that a CAV?

Hey Laurasea



Thank you for your reply


1- I've filmed a short video that may show it better:


[ame="https://youtu.be/uuMqF4_CBwM"]video 1571934778 - YouTube[/ame]


2- Yeah, He told me that he once noticed another bird was plucking it's head and he separated them since that and he says the feathers are growing back slowly.


But why would a bird pluck others bird's feathers? Is this a physiological or dominance issues? Is that a possible sign for the other bird to start plucking it's own feathers too in the future?


3- And for this bird in question, do you suspect a feathers disease/viral/bacterial infection or so please?


I will read that article. Thank you very much

It's not uncommon for birds to pluck -- sometimes it happens while in the nest (mom or dad do it), other birds do it, it just happens in the bird world sometimes from parakeet to macaw it just happens.

Not sure why your relative did not separate the one that plucked the bird with this one, they should have never been allowed to pluck if it was indeed a plucking issue. Some birds just don't develop the right healthy mindset to leave others alone.

Hey


@itzjbean It was mainly on a poor sunflower and seeds diet, but now she is on fresh food (vegs & fruits) and pellets diet. He said there was another parrot that once seen plucking this one's feathers and separated them but it looks like that since then, growing back slowly.


Most Vets here are specialized in dogs & cats...It's very rare to find an avian vet, if any, so asking for a blood test would be somehow impossible to find other than the government central labs and they can easily quarantine the bird away and you may never see it again... So I preferred asking here first for experienced owners if they ever saw something like that before. Thanks once again

bug_n_flock said:

WOW. I would say could definitely be bad nutrition- that poor bird is the wrong color!


My Freedom(B&G) was the wrong color, dull horrible feathers, etc when she was found locked in a dog crate in a dead lady's back bedroom. We are her third home since she was found. Previous owner got her on pellets, which we have continued with the addition of freah foods and cooked foods. She still has a couple of wrong colored feathers and a bald spot on the back of her head...



Yes, yours could have a disease, but it could also just be being fed very incorrectly. The vet that said it was diet, was that a CAV?

Click to expand...

Hey


Thank you for your input on the wrong coloring ummm


So, From the attached pics and video, do you think this is mostly due to plucking, poor diet or a disease?


And do you think that wrong coloring and bald spots will last there forever regardless of the healthy food, etc?

itzjbean said:

It's not uncommon for birds to pluck -- sometimes it happens while in the nest (mom or dad do it), other birds do it, it just happens in the bird world sometimes from parakeet to macaw it just happens.

Not sure why your relative did not separate the one that plucked the bird with this one, they should have never been allowed to pluck if it was indeed a plucking issue. Some birds just don't develop the right healthy mindset to leave others alone.

Click to expand...

So, from the look of it, in the attached pics & video, do you *think* it's just a plucking? poor diet? or it looks really weird and may be a sign of a serious possible disease? Thank again

bug_n_flock said:

WOW. I would say could definitely be bad nutrition- that poor bird is the wrong color!


My Freedom(B&G) was the wrong color, dull horrible feathers, etc when she was found locked in a dog crate in a dead lady's back bedroom. We are her third home since she was found. Previous owner got her on pellets, which we have continued with the addition of freah foods and cooked foods. She still has a couple of wrong colored feathers and a bald spot on the back of her head...



Yes, yours could have a disease, but it could also just be being fed very incorrectly. The vet that said it was diet, was that a CAV?

Click to expand...

Another pic showing it's back, how bad is it do you think?


http://www.parrotforums.com/attachm...019_567851010624175_6748456003651502080_n.jpg

The person trying to sell you or give the bird is going to say anything, ( not be truthful)
There are reasons that are possible for this bald head, but I feel it is most likely PBFD. There is higher number of cases in Macaws...
If you had access to certified avain veterinarian like we do in the United States, the first thing they would do is test for PBFD.


I can't be sure, no one can be sure without blood tests. But I can tell you this bird or any other bird being kept in the house with it would never come to my house without testing....
Loss of pigment in feathers is listed as one if the symptoms in this link
https://m.petmd.com/bird/conditions/skin/c_bd_Psittacine_beak_and_feather_disease

If you don’t have access to a vet that knows what they are doing you can use lab services directly. Like avianbiotech. I think there’s a UK based lab that does the same kind of services too. With avianbiotech you just order a sample kit which is free, collect some blood from the bird on the blood card (clipped nail is what we use, just cut a little too short basically) and fill out the form and send it all back results are pretty quick.

https://www.animalgenetics.us/Avian/Cost-Dollar.asp

Laurasea said:

Well that's a first that i have seen , if not caused by another bird plucking the head........

Click to expand...

Ive seen birds use their feet to pluck feathers from the head and neck before. It’s some weird dedication haha

I've delt in rescues some pretty dedicated pluckers and mutilation, none did head. My plucker does use her feet to do neck area...
The bald head, then patchy appearance, with discoloration... Worrying...
Also bird looks thin
Plucking, usually chest, neck , upper back, upper wings , and between the legs. Not over all slightly patchy..( usually)
Could it be nutritional, sure I guess, or fungal..
But if this is a young bird, and with a head like that , I'd just be real worried... If it was me

Hey guys


more updates:


1- I've ordered the avian biotech testing kit and still waiting for it to arrive and i will try to send the feathers & blood samples asap.


2- recent shots taken today that may help if someone can shed some light on it.


Thank you

i noticed there are few new feathers growing back as you can see in the above pics compared to the initial post few days ago...more info here showing wings feathers and colors to be a bit brighter today, is it getting better since it's on a much better diet now? Any thoughts are appreciated.


Have a great one

Ooph. Yeah, on closer inspection those feathers don't look good. They look miniaturized almost. Glad you ordered that test kit. It could still be nutritional, but I'm also leaning more towards disease now. Still worth testing to be sure.



Poor bird

I can see that the feathers on the head are broken not plucked ... That goes with PBFD....but could be nutritional, or fungal...
It's just so hard to say..
Good for you for getting better diet and care, and doing testing. Or love for this to be a fixable problem, I'm rooting for you guys!

Hey guys



More good updates, I've found a certified avian vet, They said that the pattern isn't typical of PBFD, it is typical of cagemate damage. The vet also said the feathers are nipped off close to the skin, they haven't fallen out or twisted off an abnormal shaft. The vet said that the damaged feathers should be replaced and getting better after the next adult molt in a couple of months or so.


If you have any comments or opinion lemme know please, otherwise wish us luck with that journey...The bird is on a pelleted + fresh vegs & fruits + sunflower + Nuts diet..Trying to offer balanced diet of everything.



Thank you once again guys

Well that's weird...the feathers are broken , miniaturized, and I didn't see any normal looking pins coming in. ......

But I was wanting good news, and we aren't there in person....... But that really .skes me go huh????