How to Stop Feather Plucking in Lovebirds
To stop feather plucking in your lovebird, feed it pellets made for lovebirds, along with fruits and vegetables, to give it the nutrients it needs. Additionally, try to reduce your pet's stress by spending at least 30 minutes a day with it, and by giving it toys to play with when you're not around. You should also make sure it gets lots of light during the day, and a dark, quiet place to sleep at night. If the plucking continues, get your lovebird checked out by a vet, since it can be caused by medical conditions like malnutrition or parasites.
Take your lovebird to the vet. If your lovebird has started plucking out its feathers in an obsessive way that leaves bald spots, you need to take it to an avian veterinarian as soon as possible. Feather plucking can be caused by a medical condition or by stress. Your vet can help you figure out the cause and how to treat it. If you treat the feather plucking early, it may not turn into a habit. This is why it's important to seek medical treatment immediately. Medical conditions that can cause feather plucking include cysts, parasites, allergies, infections, malnutrition, and liver disease. Your vet may perform a skin biopsy, viral testing, radiographs, or other tests to diagnose your bird's condition. Assess your bird’s diet. Giving your bird an unbalanced diet can lead to malnutrition. When a bird doesn't get enough calcium, zinc, selenium, manganese, and magnesium, it can lead to brittle feathers and itchy skin. Feed your lovebirds pellets made specifically for that breed so they can get all of their nutrient needs met. In addition to pellets, feed your bird leafy greens, fruits, and vegetables so they make up 25 percent of its diet. Make sure you are not giving your bird an all-seed diet because this is not healthy. Birds may also develop food allergies that lead to feather plucking. Talk to your vet about this, and start phasing out certain foods to see if it helps. Start by phasing out grains and gluten-based foods. Ensure that your lovebird gets enough sleep. Birds need sleep just like humans, and lack of sleep can lead to stress. Birds are also routine animals, so disruptions to their sleep cycles can upset them. Make sure your lovebird is getting 10 to 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep. If your bird isn't getting enough rest, place their cage in a dark, quiet room. Make sure your bird is going to sleep at the same time each night. Consider prescription medication. If changes in your lovebirds' routine or diet doesn't help them, you can ask your vet about prescription medication. Some birds who have severe cases of feather plucking take behavior-modifying drugs. This treatment is only effective if behavior therapy is also part of the treatment plan. Your vet may prescribe a psychotropic medication like amitriptyline or clomipramine. Place a collar on the bird. If your lovebirds' feather plucking gets so bad that they are being destructive, damaging their skin, or causing bleeding, then you and your vet may consider a collar. Collars are a last resort and are not used to treat the underlying problems. Collars help protect the bird from injuring itself until the behavior calms down. Collars can cause stress to your bird by limiting their mobility and their ability to preen. They also may limit your bird's access to food. Identify any causes of stress for your bird. Stress is one of the major causes of feather plucking. Try to figure out what has changed recently for your bird that might have led to the behavior. Any change in the household can affect your bird. For example, if you got a new pet, it may upset your bird because the new pet is taking your attention away from it. Moving their cage and changing their diet may also lead to an upset bird. Spend adequate time with your lovebird each day. Lovebirds need daily interaction with their humans. Lovebirds who don't receive enough attention from their owners can get lonely and depressed, which can lead to feather plucking. Spend at least 30 minutes every day with your lovebird outside of the cage. Provide enough stimulus to keep your lovebird entertained. Lovebirds may resort to feather plucking if they are bored. Your birds need mental stimulation and exercise every day. Place enrichment toys — foraging toys, noisy toys, exercise toys, etc — into their cage so they have plenty to entertain them. Rotate toys out every week so that your birds are constantly engaging with something new. Leave any favorite toys in the cage because taking it out may cause stress. Hide food and treats around the cage for your bird to hunt and search for. Make sure your bird has enough light. Birds need access to sunlight every day. Birds who don't receive the proper amount of sunlight can become depressed, lonely, and stressed out, which can lead to feather plucking. Make sure your bird's cage is not placed in a dark room that gets no sunlight during the day. Birds need natural sun rays that haven't been filtered by glass windows. When possible, open the windows so your bird can get natural sunlight. Just make sure there are shady spots in the cage so the bird can get out of the direct sun when it is hot. Avoid putting your bird near open or drafty windows when it's cold outside. Sunlight also provides vitamin D. A deficiency of this vitamin has been linked to feather plucking. Mist your bird daily. Misting your lovebird every day can help it relax. In the wild, birds often experience rain that bathes them and mists their feathers. Take a spray bottle and spray mist above the cage to simulate rain falling. Don't use shampoos, soaps, or hair dryers on your bird. 
Take your lovebird to the vet. Assess your bird’s diet. Ensure that your lovebird gets enough sleep. Consider prescription medication. Place a collar on the bird. Identify any causes of stress for your bird. Spend adequate time with your lovebird each day. Provide enough stimulus to keep your lovebird entertained. Make sure your bird has enough light. Mist your bird daily. 