# ringneck doves self plucking



## faith&hope (Dec 5, 2017)

I recently adopted a pair of ringneck doves from the MSPCA in Boston. Both doves have bald necks in the front from self plucking, which are visible when they stretch up. I've been reading up on it here and elsewhere online and am still not sure what I am dealing with but both birds are self plucking and one bird also seems to pluck the other somewhat. I have to call MSPCA back to follow up, but I was told that the doves had been there two months but had arrived together, as a pair, about 2 years old. The MSPCA believed they were both female because they are not producing eggs but apparently females produce eggs regardless and there have been no eggs (at least I think this is the case but will check back); the birds have only been with me a couple of days. I love them but am wondering if they aren't a pair of males??? The larger one was strutting and warbling, sort of marching behind the other and I have seen the larger one nudge the smaller off of a branch in their cage. One of the things I read about the self plucking is that it can come from sexual frustration and then I was thinking, no eggs yet, what if they are two males??? They roost together at night and are not fighting, just occasional jockeying for position by the larger one mainly. Any advice would be appreciated. Their names are Faith & Hope btw.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Could you pls post a photo so we can see if they are just molting or if something else is happening?


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## faith&hope (Dec 5, 2017)

Okay I will post a photo tomorrow. They are tucked away for the night. Thanks!!!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Have you actually seen them pluck themselves? When 2 females are together you would still get eggs if they pair up.


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## faith&hope (Dec 5, 2017)

*faith&hope*

most of these photos are of one bird, but both birds are afflicted. I'm sorry about the sideways photos:


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

You are sure there are no mites or anything like that? Weird that they are both like that.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Looks like something is wrong. Mites, lice, ?


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

Hi, many factors could cause feathers plucking/self plucking like stress, boredom, cage overcrowding, sexual frustration (as you said), social isolation, lack of hygiene, absence of bath time, poor diet/vitamins deficiency, parasites, etc.

In France it's really easy to find a product like the one in the pictures.
It's good to help the regrowth of feathers in any case of feathers problem (my vet gave me it when I rescued a pigeon and a dove covered by glue) and it's helpful in situations of feathers plucking: it helps to maintain the right balance between mineral salts and some amino acids and helps to stop the plucking in situation of nutritional imbalance. You could look for something similar. 

Talking about external parasite, it exists a mite (deplumant mite), which causes the loss of feathers in the crop area, under the wings and on the neck. It lives in the bird's skin (in the follicle of the feathers) causing itch. Usually this problem doesn't touch the feathers of the wings and tail.
That happens especially in spring and summer. The problem seems to disappear in autumn/winter but, without any treatment, it appears again the next spring.

To treat mite and other bugs (lice, fleas, etc) you can use a product - a spray or a dust - containing permethrin. You can use it directly on your doves (just be careful at their head/face: eyes, beak and nostrils): on the back of the neck, under the wings and on their back. 

I have never tried it but I read about a natural remedy against deplumant mite: mix 1/3 of eucalyptus globulus oil with 2/3 of common table oil (like sunflower). Put it in a bottle spray and spray your birds in the area attacked by parasites and all around that area. Repeat the treatment every 2 days for a week to destroy also eggs or larva. A new treatment could be maybe needed the following year. You can find the eucalyptus oil in a pharmacy or parapharmacy. 

It's important to give to Hope and Faith (nice names and lovely birds too even if bald  ) a good dove mix, minerals, grit, calcium and vitamins (vit D3 is really important because without it they can't absorb the calcium they get: in the wild they take it from the sun). 

Keep us updated.


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