Does it Hurt a Bird When You Pull Its Feathers?

Yes, it does hurt when a bird's feathers are pulled; however, it does not hurt when a bird loses a feather by a natural molting cycle. It is unnatural for a bird to pull out blood feathers, which have an active and live blood flow, but it can happen. There are several factors that contribute to good plumage health in parrots, and if a parrot is pulling out its feathers it does feel pain and can bleed from it.

  1. Blood Feathers

    • Live feathers are called blood feathers because they have a live blood supply that flows into the shaft of the feather. Blood feathers can be damaged or broken and they will bleed. Pulling a blood feather is a mild pinch pain, but it may be necessary if a broken blood feather does not stop bleeding with proper care (powdered with clean cornstarch and covered with a clean cotton ball). Before pulling a blood feather, contact an avian veterinarian to help talk you through the process.

    Molting Feathers

    • When a bird loses a feather through molting, the blood supply has been slowly cut off by an incoming new feather and it simply falls out. The molting process occurs naturally during certain times of the year, depending on the species, and may be affected by diet and lighting changes in the birds environment. When birds molt, they will preen a bit more than normal, and may require misting or bathing more often to keep the follicles soft and flexible for incoming feathers.

    Feather Health

    • Factors that influence feather health are diet, grooming routine and stress. A quality pelleted diet along with fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains daily is necessary for basic plumage health. Daily misting and full baths offered twice a week result in a clean and vibrant plumage. Natural lighting, 12 hours of undisturbed rest each night and habitat enrichment toys promotes vitamin uptake, circulation and exercise. Also, by keeping birds healthily active, it reduces the chance of behavior disorders such as feather plucking.

    Considerations

    • A skilled veternarian should be the only one to pull blood feathers for sexing tests.

      Accidents happen, so keep an avian emergency first-aid kit for the broken feathers that can occur at some point within the bird's life. An annual veterinarian visit for blood work along with an annual follow-up visit can head off any feather diseases or behavior disorders such as depression or aggression that lead to feather plucking. Additionally, while some online bird sexing companies request a blood feather for the DNA analysis, it is best to simply make an appointment with a veterinarian rather than risk causing the bird unnecessary blood loss as a result of inexperienced handling.