title: Nonmedical factors associated with feather picking in pet psittacine birds.
abstract: A nested case-control study was performed to determine nonmedical risk factors associated with feather picking in psittacine birds. Forty-two case birds, reported by their owners to pick their feathers, and 126 unaffected birds were compared. The odds of feather picking were higher in 2 species categories, African grey parrots (Psitticus erithacus, adjusted odds ratio [ORadj = 8.4, P < .001) and cockatoos (Cacatua species, ORadj = 12.7, P < .001). The odds of feather picking also were higher for birds that were out of their cages more than 8 hours per day (ORadj = 7.4, P < .001) and for birds that had been taken in by the owner as a "rescue" (ORadj = 4.7, P < .01). The odds of feather picking decreased by almost 90% (ORadj = 0.1, P < .005) for birds that interacted with people at least 4 hours a day. These findings identify characteristics that practitioners may want to include when asking bird owners about behavioral history and may be useful in focusing future research regarding this behavior.
authors.forename: Lori A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Gaskins
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hungerford
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005241:Feathers / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D057805:Pets; D011563:Psittaciformes; D012307:Risk Factors