New Member worried sick about my bird

[JadeUK]

hi everyone,
i hope someone could help me, i have had my bird for around 2yrs now i am his 3rd home due to the first two homes being incapable. I am not sure how old he is but i love him to bits anyway. About a year ago i noticed he had started plucking his feathers on his chest and wings and his neck is now completely bald. I took him to the vet who gave him drops for mites, i waited a couple of months and still no improvement I purchased a new bigger cage for him thinking it may be stress, he seemed a lot chirpier & he grew a lot but still was not improving. i took him back to the vet same thing just gave him drops. I am a first time owner of an irn and i am starting to think its something i am doing wrong for that poor bird he is red raw he wont let me touch him and he is extremely violent to me. Am i feeding him right with bird seeds, treats, nuts and apple what am i doing wrong ? please help me. I am desperate.

[Skyes_crew]

There are several reasons for feather plucking. Based on the information you provided I would say its probably diet related. iRN's need dark green leafy vegetables, orange vegetables, protein, grains and fruit. The diet should consist of 80% veggies and 20% fruit. Seed should be limited, especially sunflower seeds as they are fattening. The majority of your birds diet should come in the form of veggies and fruit. There are vast articles on the web outlining the diets of ringnecks.

If your bird is an indoor bird and lives in a clean environment, then mites are rare. Do you have a board certified avian vet in your area? I would suggest a liver panel for your bird. Also, what kind of light is your bird in? Natural or artificial. Birds see at different wavelengths than humans and there may be 'flickering' perceived from a fluorescent bulb that drives them to frustration - which leads them to plucking.

If the plucking is behavioral related, try spending more time engaging your birds mind. Talk to him, sing to him, teach him tricks. Anything to get his mind off plucking.

One other thing. Do you have a bedtime routine? Do you cover your bird at night? Sleep deprivation can be a cause for plucking. You could try having a separate smaller cage for bedtime in a quiet location.

I hope some of this helps you. I know it can be frustrating. But asking for help is a definite step in the right direction.