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Mutations and plucking

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allison

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I know there are studies that found that mutation parrotlets are more sensitive to diet. I feed holistic for the most part, so I don't think that Harper's plucking is caused by the diet, but I'm wondering if mutation parrotlets (or any mutation bird for that matter) are more likely to pluck? My vet said that most parrotlets pluck at some point, so her being a mutation might have nothing to do with it, but has anyone found that mutations pluck more than natural colored birds? :confused:
 
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itzmered

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I don't know anything about mutations plucking but why did your Vet feel that most parrotlets pluck at some point?
 

allison

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She just said that a majority of the parrotlets she sees start plucking when they reach sexual maturity. She said that the owner can do everything right, and they still pluck.
 

itzmered

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That's interesting I wonder how many people here with parrotlets have experienced that.
 

allison

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Yeah, it could be completely coincidental too I think, because they might be bringing the bird in because of the plucking. I didn't ask too many questions about it.
 

atvchick95

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I only have green, they're mature but Don't have a clue to their age other than "breeding age" and they haven't plucked.. of course I've only had them several months, but the lady I got them from Never mentioned them plucking.
 

allison

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I just did a quick search and found this article. She says that stress and hormones cause many parrotlets to pluck.
Feather Picking
 

atvchick95

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that makes sense, wonder if it has anything to do with their size? since they're so small maybe they really can't handle stress (no matter how small or big it may be) as well as their bigger counterparts?
 

allison

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I think that some species are more susceptible to being stressed also. IE: most budgies I know of do get stressed, but get over it quickly and go back to their normal selves whereas stress may bother parrotlets more.
 

Sharpie

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I think parrotlet plucking probably has far more to do with parrotlet personality than size or anything else. It's all about how they handle mental (and occasionally physical) stress and it seems like they're just more sensitive to it than some other birds, both bigger and similar in size to them.
 
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