Can Birds get ADHD?

[Brodie]

Does anyone know if birds can get disorders like this? I'm just curious, or is it just us? I've tried googling it and couldn't find anything lol

 

[newtobirds]

OCD is quite common.

It would probably be very difficult to agree on symptoms for ADHD in parrots as their whole approach to life is naturally a little ADHD. It would be hard to know when it became maladaptive.

Are you seeing syptoms/behaviors that are of concern?

 

[Brodie]

No it's not that! Haha
Me and my boyfriend were watching my cockatiel playing with his fav toy and were joking about him having ADHD coz he gets a bit hypo when it plays with it lol. And I said I wonder if birds can actually develops these disorders. So thought I'd ask!

 

[wenz2712]

I swear all Amazons have ADHD tendencies LOL

 

[plax]

OCD is quite common.

It would probably be very difficult to agree on symptoms for ADHD in parrots as their whole approach to life is naturally a little ADHD. It would be hard to know when it became maladaptive.

Well said; I agree. However, I think comparing behaviors among a particular species could serve as a starting point.

 

[Oedipussrex]

they do have brains and chemical pathways so i dont see why they wouldnt. I looked it up in my university database though and it doesnt seem like much study has been done. These are the only two relevant papers i could find with a quick search. (you may only be able to see the abstract, our uni pays for us to have access and only some are publicly available...)

"Stereotypes in caged parrots, Schitzophrenia and autism: evidence for a common mechanism"
http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.flinders.edu.au/science/article/pii/S0166432803001153

"Overview of avian neurology and neurological diseases"
http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.flinders.edu.au/science/article/pii/S1055937X96800041

 

[Brodie]

Autism in birds? Really? Interesting..

 

[ConureCrazy]

They have a tendency to be bipolar....

 

[MikeyTN]

they do have brains and chemical pathways so i dont see why they wouldnt. I looked it up in my university database though and it doesnt seem like much study has been done. These are the only two relevant papers i could find with a quick search. (you may only be able to see the abstract, our uni pays for us to have access and only some are publicly available...)

"Stereotypes in caged parrots, Schitzophrenia and autism: evidence for a common mechanism"
http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.flinders.edu.au/science/article/pii/S0166432803001153

"Overview of avian neurology and neurological diseases"
http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.flinders.edu.au/science/article/pii/S1055937X96800041

Unfortunately we're not able to view either one of them. It would be very interesting to see what was stated.

Personally I do believe birds can have those issues but most out in the wild do not survive very long, but in captivity we keep them alive and love them no matter what.

 

[Oedipussrex]

they do have brains and chemical pathways so i dont see why they wouldnt. I looked it up in my university database though and it doesnt seem like much study has been done. These are the only two relevant papers i could find with a quick search. (you may only be able to see the abstract, our uni pays for us to have access and only some are publicly available...)

"Stereotypes in caged parrots, Schitzophrenia and autism: evidence for a common mechanism"
http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.flinders.edu.au/science/article/pii/S0166432803001153

"Overview of avian neurology and neurological diseases"
http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.flinders.edu.au/science/article/pii/S1055937X96800041

Unfortunately we're not able to view either one of them. It would be very interesting to see what was stated.

Personally I do believe birds can have those issues but most out in the wild do not survive very long, but in captivity we keep them alive and love them no matter what.

awww i just tried the links, guess you have to log in. They're weird adobe files that make sure you cant copy paste the typing as well, and i dont think i understand neuroscience enough to paraphrase lol

 

[JerseyWendy]

I swear, all 3 of mine are pure GENIUSES. :54:

They can all manipulate without me being aware of it - well, most of the time anyways.

 

[Nakiska]

They have a tendency to be bipolar....

Oh my gosh, this made me totally laugh out loud!!

Needed that! Thank you!

Toni

 

[KatherineI]

If birds can be depressed, have anxiety disorders, etc, I don't see why they couldn't have ADD or ADHD, although, remember this; Birds have the mental abilities and maturity of a toddler-preschooler. Most children that age are too young to be diagnosed with ADD or ADHD as their behaviors naturally appear to favor those disorders because they haven't developed well enough to control impulses and such.

I have a daughter with ADD

They have a tendency to be bipolar....

I swear my Loki is Bipolar!!

 

[ConureCrazy]

They have a tendency to be bipolar....

Oh my gosh, this made me totally laugh out loud!!

Needed that! Thank you!

Toni

Hehe welcome! But it's true; cuddling and then, BAM!, they want to eat your hand.