darn the pictures didn't copy but you can Google this sweet girl, still getting to live her best life despite her disease and zero feathers...
Naked Lovebird Is Teaching Humans To Love Themselves As Nature Made Them
BY LAURA CASELEY
Instagram / rhea_thenakedbirdie
Rhea the lovebird has Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD), which causes her feathers to fall out and leave her in the nude. This is a virus, and not related to anxiety-related feather pulling.
While the disease can also affect the beak and claws, hers are fine. However, because she has no feathers, she can’t fly.
But she makes do.
Instagram / rhea_thenakedbirdie
She can always hitch a ride on Isabella Eisenmann, who adopted her in July.
Eisenmann, 23, says that at first, people made negative remarks about Rhea, but that only inspired Eisenmann to make Rhea even more public.
“I didn’t really care, and wanted to make people understand that different is beautiful,” she says.
Instagram / rhea_thenakedbirdie
And Rhea doesn’t care either. She doesn’t let her condition stop her from making new friends.
Instagram / rhea_thenakedbirdie
Or from being curious about all the interesting things out there.
Eisenmann has also been contacted by other bird owners whose birds have PBFD.
“Reading their stories and knowing there are other people out there that also gave birdies a second chance gave me hope,” she says.
Instagram / rhea_thenakedbirdie
And no matter what, Rhea always seems to like what she sees in the mirror.
Because she doesn’t have feathers, Rhea can’t fly. “But she’s so stubborn she keeps trying,” Eisenmann says. “She’s not afraid of anything.”
Instagram / rhea_thenakedbirdie
Of course, not having feathers means Rhea gets cold very easily, but Eisenmann says that friends and fans have sent her many tiny sweaters to help Rhea stay comfortable in the cold Boston weather.
Instagram / rhea_thenakedbirdie
Eisenmann is also careful to keep her apartment warm, too.
Instagram / rhea_thenakedbirdie
And a variety of sweaters means that Rhea can experiment with all kinds of styles, including this one, which somewhat mimics the natural feather coloring of a lovebird.
Instagram / rhea_thenakedbirdie
And she can show off some team spirit, too.
Instagram / rhea_thenakedbirdie
At night, Rhea likes to sleep under a thick blanket to keep the chills away.
Instagram / rhea_thenakedbirdie
And of course, Eisenmann is always available to provide some extra warmth.
Instagram / rhea_thenakedbirdie
“Her bubbly attitude and happiness for life amaze me and everybody who meets her,” Eisenmann says. “It’s like she has no idea she’s sick.”
There’s no cure for PBFD, but Eisenmann is grateful for anyone who has offered Rhea a tiny sweater, a toy, or even just a kind word.
Check her out in action in the video below, and please SHARE if you think Rhea is beautiful just the way she is!
Naked Lovebird Is Teaching Humans To Love Themselves As Nature Made Them
BY LAURA CASELEY
Instagram / rhea_thenakedbirdie
Rhea the lovebird has Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD), which causes her feathers to fall out and leave her in the nude. This is a virus, and not related to anxiety-related feather pulling.
While the disease can also affect the beak and claws, hers are fine. However, because she has no feathers, she can’t fly.
But she makes do.
Instagram / rhea_thenakedbirdie
She can always hitch a ride on Isabella Eisenmann, who adopted her in July.
Eisenmann, 23, says that at first, people made negative remarks about Rhea, but that only inspired Eisenmann to make Rhea even more public.
“I didn’t really care, and wanted to make people understand that different is beautiful,” she says.
Instagram / rhea_thenakedbirdie
And Rhea doesn’t care either. She doesn’t let her condition stop her from making new friends.
Instagram / rhea_thenakedbirdie
Or from being curious about all the interesting things out there.
Eisenmann has also been contacted by other bird owners whose birds have PBFD.
“Reading their stories and knowing there are other people out there that also gave birdies a second chance gave me hope,” she says.
Instagram / rhea_thenakedbirdie
And no matter what, Rhea always seems to like what she sees in the mirror.
Because she doesn’t have feathers, Rhea can’t fly. “But she’s so stubborn she keeps trying,” Eisenmann says. “She’s not afraid of anything.”
Instagram / rhea_thenakedbirdie
Of course, not having feathers means Rhea gets cold very easily, but Eisenmann says that friends and fans have sent her many tiny sweaters to help Rhea stay comfortable in the cold Boston weather.
Instagram / rhea_thenakedbirdie
Eisenmann is also careful to keep her apartment warm, too.
Instagram / rhea_thenakedbirdie
And a variety of sweaters means that Rhea can experiment with all kinds of styles, including this one, which somewhat mimics the natural feather coloring of a lovebird.
Instagram / rhea_thenakedbirdie
And she can show off some team spirit, too.
Instagram / rhea_thenakedbirdie
At night, Rhea likes to sleep under a thick blanket to keep the chills away.
Instagram / rhea_thenakedbirdie
And of course, Eisenmann is always available to provide some extra warmth.
Instagram / rhea_thenakedbirdie
“Her bubbly attitude and happiness for life amaze me and everybody who meets her,” Eisenmann says. “It’s like she has no idea she’s sick.”
There’s no cure for PBFD, but Eisenmann is grateful for anyone who has offered Rhea a tiny sweater, a toy, or even just a kind word.
Check her out in action in the video below, and please SHARE if you think Rhea is beautiful just the way she is!
