C.N.C. Problems related to stress or anxiety in pet birds may manifest in psychological and behavioral ways or in physical symptoms, such as self-mutilation of feathers or infection.
Stress can cause many ailments, as there is a link between emotional and physical illness.
All birds carry yeast, bacterial and viral cells but, under healthy conditions, they remain in small numbers and harmless. However, at stressful times, when the immune system is weakened, these opportunistic microorganisms may proliferate and birds then become more vulnerable to the development of an infection. These microorganisms are the result of disease, NOT the cause of it. When a bird experiences stress, either physically or emotionally, its metabolic response is to activate the sympathetic nervous system. Some of the physiological changes that take place are increased sugar and fats into the bloodstream, the production of more adrenaline, cortisol, and glucagon into the blood, a decrease in digestive function, increased blood pressure, heartbeat, breathing rate, muscle tension and, thus, the creation of more energy.