Why is my 20-year-old parrot less active and itching so much?

Thanks for reaching out about Sparky. Could he being going through his first molt and the white flecks are keratin from the new feathers? Continue to provide good nutrition as protein, vitamins and other nutrients are essential for health, growth and a good immune system. Seeds are not a complete diet and an avian pellet plus some table foods are recommended. A veterinary visit is recommended for an initial exam and consultation for diet/husbandry. Good luck.

The use of aloe vera on birds is controversial. Depending on who you ask, you may get a yes or no. Personally, I use only plain water to bathe my birds (African Greys). The itching may be due to mites (which you mayor may not be able to see), bacterial infection, viral infection or nutritional deficiency. By your description, it sounds as if Naomi may be bored, stressed or both. At her age, allowing flight would not be recommended. It looks like you may have an Indian ringneck or Alexandrine parrot based on the partial image. These birds typically aren't weaned until closer to 10 weeks of age. Weaning is a very stressful time for a chick and can also be a cause for her behavior.

Thanks for reaching out about CoCo and including photos. Not all Psittacine Feather Disorders are due to itching or allergies, and could be viral (Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease, Avipolyomavirus), metabolic disorders (liver, kidney), ingested toxins (zinc, lead, plants), and other problems. Dietary correction is needed to include proteins (beans, legumes), vegetables, and should have no/minimal seeds. Vitamin in the water are not a long term solution as you have no control of how much they get. A avian-experienced avian veterinarian might be able to give further expertise. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Bangaram and including a photo. Psittacine Feather Destructive Behavior is common in parrots, but the difficulty is acquiring a cause. Stress/behavior is common a nd can consist of breeding, nutritional or environmental stressors. Diseases can also lead to pulling feathers including infectious diseases (viral, bacterial), metabolic disorders (liver, renal), skin diseases and others. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and try to determine a cause. Diet and husbandry practices need to be reviewed with a veterinarian experienced with birds. Some diagnostic tests will probably be recommended and necessary to come to a conclusion. There is no topical medication that is going to cure or even stabilize this condition. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Marco. The lack of eating and sleeping more is an indication of illness. Free-roaming birds will often ingest items not meant for consumption and possibly toxic. There are other infectious diseases that might be possible also, transmitted from parents or other chicks (polyoma virus, Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease). A veterinary visit should be scheduled soon, as early recognition might improve outcome. Keeping Marco in a cage when not 100% supervised is highly recommended. At the present providing additional heat support might help a little. Most avian veterinarians try to place ill birds in heated incubators at 80-85 F. Good luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I think if this continues to be an issue, he should be evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Decreased energy is a very non-specific sign that can be linked to a variety of conditions so it is not possible to know exactly what is going on without an examination and likely diagnostics. Best of luck!

He may have mites or a bacterial infection. There is also a serious viral infection that can cause similar symptoms. Have your bird examined by your veterinarian or an experienced avian vet as soon as you can get an appointment. If your bird is caged with others, separate him until a diagnosis is made in case his condition is infectious.