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Amazon with thinning feathers

Nikomania

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I wanted to reach out here to see if there's a vitamin deficiency associated with thinning feathers. My panama amazon has thinning around his legs and breast bone area. He's not plucking. It's uniform thinning.

He's not the best eater in the world, even though he's served a plethora of fresh fruit and veggies daily. He usually heads for the banana and select seeds, which is why I'm leaning towards a deficiency.

Would love to hear from you all as to what you think it could be from. TY!
 

Clueless

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No clue. Sorry.
 

Birdbabe

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Protein issues? Try some scrambled eggs...dare I say it...some small diced chicken meat a couple times a week. ..plain yogurt?or you can sprinkle KNOX unflavored gelatin on the banana,,these are protein .. in small amounts, but may help.
 

Nikomania

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So you're thinking that low protein intake could be the cause? What about sunlight deficiency? He hates to go outside into the aviary. Way too nervous out there.
 

Mizzely

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Anything that would make feathers brittle and break off could do it. D3 (sunlight or vitamins), protein (too much or too little, actually), calcium, too much phosphorus, vitamin A....

low humidity?

feather mites?
 

Nikomania

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Nothing's brittle, but the feathers are sparse. We're in So Cal, so there's definitely low humidity. He gets spritzed 2-3 times a week.
He eats nuts daily.
 

Mizzely

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Well I was just thinking if it's thinning that they may be breaking off as they grow in giving that appearance. Otherwise I don't know of anything that would prevent them from growing aside from follicle damage. Regardless, feathers need those building blocks I mentioned to grow and be healthy.

If he's eating nuts, bananas and seeds and not much else it definitely would be diet I'd try to tackle first!
 

Nikomania

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It's a tough battle indeed. He always has a large variety of fresh fruits and veggies available, plus seeds, nuts, pellets, etc. He only picks out certain items and leaves most of the good stuff untouched.
 

Mizzely

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Maybe try to not offer as much? I know with Jingo if I offer him a day long buffet he only eats "desert" but if I give him a couple small meals he is more likely to eat what he is given!

I've also had luck with Ripley eating Harrison's mash by mixing seeds with it and moistening it with baby foods.

Quiko makes a multivitamin that mixes well into water also if all else fails!
 

Nikomania

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Great recommendations! TY! Never thought to use baby food as a disguise!
 

Macawnutz

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Any ugly feather issues here have been solved with RPO. Thick shiny feathers on all my birds and while they have a great diet overall, I truly feel it's the RPO. Two birds here won't eat RPO... they both have less quality feathers. LOL
 

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Porter is a picky eater and for a while his feathers would come in sparsely
I started making his favorite bird bread everyday and I add all his veggies to that (today's veggies are hatch chillis, squash and sweetpotato)
And he only gets THREE things to eat with every meal. His bread, his nuts and one kind of fruit or vegetable he likes. Plus snacks through out the day.
I change up the bird bread recipe every time and change up his fruit every meal and weekly.

Thus though he doesn't get a well rounded meal every day... he gets different nutrients through the week. Its worked thus far and his feathers have come in shiny and glossy.
 

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I think all birds can benefit from full spectrum lighting. I had a Blue Crowned conure that had feather issues like you are describing and that seemed to be the cure. Right away she sat under it with her wings spread it to absorb it. Unfortunately windows made during the past 3-4 decades block the UV rays, and then the birds don't get the vitamin D needed to fully process calcium. Of course the windows do help keep our homes comfortable and energy bills down, so most of us prefer them for that reason.

Obviously a diet that is nutritious (pellets, Nutriberries). My vet calls bananas "sugar logs" and told me to feed plantains instead, but still sparingly. Apples seem to have the lowest amount of sugar of the fruits. Scrambled eggs are a healthy food to feed parrots, particularly if you cook them in canola oil for the extra omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, and yes, you can hide other goodies in them (omelet). My amazon and greys like chicken, turkey and lean pork as well. Zons don't need as much protein as some species do but they need some.
 

Nikomania

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Any ugly feather issues here have been solved with RPO. Thick shiny feathers on all my birds and while they have a great diet overall, I truly feel it's the RPO. Two birds here won't eat RPO... they both have less quality feathers. LOL
I completely forgot about RPO! I could put some in his water, unless it has an off taste. Or on his banana.
Porter is a picky eater and for a while his feathers would come in sparsely
I started making his favorite bird bread everyday and I add all his veggies to that (today's veggies are hatch chillis, squash and sweetpotato)
And he only gets THREE things to eat with every meal. His bread, his nuts and one kind of fruit or vegetable he likes. Plus snacks through out the day.
I change up the bird bread recipe every time and change up his fruit every meal and weekly.

Thus though he doesn't get a well rounded meal every day... he gets different nutrients through the week. Its worked thus far and his feathers have come in shiny and glossy.

I also make birdie bread, packed with everything they wouldn't normally eat. Unfortunately he won't touch it, either. He's quite a frustratingly picky eater.

I'm now contemplating not leaving his seed mix out all day, but rather remove it once the veggies have been served each morning, and then put it back in his cage in the evening.

I truly appreciate all the suggestions/recommendations! TY!
 

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Like @Macawnutz , I'm a great advocate of RPO (Red Palm Oil). My Jasper (and hank when he was alive) always have great feathers, and lots of them, when they are on RPO. Another item that is high protein and easy to digest is Tofu. A tablespoon once or twice a week will supple enough protein for them. Both of the birds loved Tofu and would pick it out first.
 

Nikomania

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Never ever gave my fids tofu. Gosh! I think I may been depriving my flock all these years!
 

Mizzely

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For determined seed eaters I let them have their seeds once or twice a day for 10 to 15 mins. Or I make them forage for it! Everything else I want them to eat is "free"
 

Porter

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You might have to bribe him with the birdie bread.
What is his favorite color?

It might sound baaad but sometimes a little honey and food coloring... or... well Porter loves Agave nectar and fruit juice!
 
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