Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease????

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Sunny_girl
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2011 2:46 pm

Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease????

Post by Sunny_girl »

HELP please...

Sunny (10 months old) started loosing feathers on his/her face about 4-5 months ago and they haven't grown back... I researched this on the net and started freaking out that she (we call Sunny a 'girl') may have 'Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease' because she is really bald between her beak and her eyes (both sides).

I took her to a 'vet' that ended up using a crystal to "sense" what was wrong with Sunny and then I was discouraged ($120 later).

I hoped that it was a normal moult but after reading pretty much everything on this board about moults, I'm really worried. :(

Can REAL vets determine the cause in a more reliable way? Would it be better to see an avian vet?

I'm so worried for by baby girl... She seems fine and nothing has changed in her behaviour or habits but I know what birds can be like... My 15 year old cockatiel just died one day with no warning :(

I'll try to upload some pics when my boyfriend's phone is charged up...
Molossus2
Posts: 353
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2011 4:01 am

Re: Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease????

Post by Molossus2 »

Psittacine beak and feather disease is easily diagnosed. Blood samples should be extracted and sent for lab testing. This is a dangerous disease and requires extreme control measures. Pm me your pics and I will assist if you so require.
Sunny_girl
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2011 2:46 pm

Re: Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease????

Post by Sunny_girl »

Thank you Molossus2, I would love some assistance but I'm not quite sure how to send pics on here...?
Molossus2
Posts: 353
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2011 4:01 am

Re: Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease????

Post by Molossus2 »

E mail me pics. Is there an avian vet you could consult? Are the feathers falling off to expose the skin of the bird? Some things you need to do immediately...
Isolate the birds showing these signs.
Do not use the same feed containers for other birds.
Wash your hands with viru kill or something as effective before handling other birds.
This is an airborne virus and you cannot be too careful here.
Baby birds should not be exposed to birds showing these symptoms.
Hope this helps.
Sunny_girl
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2011 2:46 pm

Re: Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease????

Post by Sunny_girl »

I have some good news... Since my last post I have noticed that the feathers that I was concerned about are growing back on Sunny's face... :) I also noticed that she was loosing lots of feathers but now there are lost of new ones coming through and they all look perfectly healthy! :)

I think that she was probably just going through a bad moult but should I still get it checked out because it took SO long for them to grow back..?

Thanks Molossus for your assistance. Sorry I didn't put up any pics, I couldn't figure out how to do it. :(
Molossus2
Posts: 353
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2011 4:01 am

Re: Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease????

Post by Molossus2 »

Is the feathering on the rest of her body normal or does she molt here too?
Sunny_girl
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2011 2:46 pm

Re: Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease????

Post by Sunny_girl »

There is no feather loss at all on her body. She had 2 small patches of no feathers near her beak but these are growing back.

I can see/feel her new feathers coming out on her neck, head, face and "shoulders" and they all look fine... :)
Molossus2
Posts: 353
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2011 4:01 am

Re: Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease????

Post by Molossus2 »

From the info given your bird does not show symptoms of pbfd. If feather loss occurs on the head area then the ears become exposed thru the loss of down feathers. Only pin like sparse regrowth is evident. Continued loss of feather spreads and this excel drafts during the molt. At this time when the main tail feather falls regrowth is poor or absent.
From the info given I say alls well with Sunny.
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