FINCHforum

A couple of weeks ago I noticed Raff had started going a bit bald around the back of his neck, and me being the perennial worrier took him to the vet who said don't worry "it will grow back". Now the bald patch is getting worse and covers almost all the back of his neck with little sign of new growth. Now, this could just be a molt, I know but Raff has started a bad habit by sitting and scraping in the food trays, it's always looking for the most comfortable place to sit.

Still eating, still flying and playing with me though.

???

What kind of bird is Raff? Could others be pecking at him?

If it's a gouldian...get used to it...a common fault with them and it often makes no difference re diet etc.They sometimes moult back to normal...but many times not.

I remember Raff. He's a Java right? A tame one! Sorry he's having troubles. Maybe mites? That would be my first thought. Sounds like he's pretty itchy, so maybe it's just low humidity?

poohbear wrote:If it's a gouldian...get used to it...a common fault with them and it often makes no difference re diet etc.They sometimes moult back to normal...but many times not.

So happy to see you back on here giving your help and advice Paul!!!

I agree with Franny...... could it be mites?

My gouldian went bald months ago and hasn't grown any of her feathers back. She looks pitiful, but appears very healthy.

Aye, it's a tame Java kept indoors all the time. Riff however does not have the same problem even though he shares the same cage as Raff so if it were mites I would expect both of them to have the same symptoms, puzzling, especially because of the fact that Raff is full of beans still. Riff fights with Raff a lot but he never goes to the extent of plucking feathers (I am with then all day so I know) maybe a bit of beak fencing and some whinging, nothing more than that.

I still think it could be mites... My sister and I had two shih tzus, and when we got fleas, my sister's dog scratched herself raw/bald, while my dog would occassionally jump and bite back at a flea when it bit her. But she was not alergic to them, so the bites didn't seriously bother her. (What a job that was, getting rid of the fleas!)

So could just be that Raff is more sensitive to the bites than Riff. So once bitten, the spot stays itchy and he worries it until raw. Anyway, if they haven't been treated for mites recently, I would think that a spray of Pestex or something similar wouldn't go amiss.