Only the budgerigar owners know how much joy and positive these bright, curious and smart birds can bring to life. And what is the host’s surprise when, with proper maintenance, care and balanced nutrition, the bird begins to lose its plumage. For the first time, molting in budgerigars is of particular concern, because often beginning naturalists perceive this phenomenon as a disease of a young bird.
What's going on with my pet
If you notice that there is fluff at the bottom of the cage, your pet's feathers, and sometimes even exfoliated skin flakes, and on its body the amount of plumage has significantly decreased and some areas even appeared without it, do not panic. Your bird is healthy, it just started a natural process in life - a molt in budgies. The normal process of changing the cover of your pet is characterized by a symmetrical loss (in pairs from different sides) of feathers, so the bird retains the ability to fly.
The appearance of small black dots on the head of a parrot is another sign of molting. On closer inspection, you will see small tubes, which will soon unfold in feathers. During this period, small irritations may occur on the skin of the bird, parrots often inflict microtraumas on themselves, removing old feathers and fluff. The bird may look lethargic due to sleep disturbance due to itching accompanying molting. But, in addition to visual signs, there are changes in the body of a parrot. The molting process is characterized by an accelerated metabolism, and your pet may lack minerals and vitamins.
Juvenile molting. Your parrot is growing up
The first change of plumage in life is the most intense. In the process, the bird loses a significant part of the plumage. The first molt occurs in budgies, which is also called juvenile, when the pet reaches the age of 3-4 months. This phenomenon serves as a kind of indicator that your chick is turning into an adult bird. A wavy parrot, which will take 4-8 weeks to molt, can lose a significant part of its covers, and soft feathers are replaced by more durable and suitable for flying.
The first change of plumage, however, like all subsequent ones, is not tied to the season, so it can start at any time of the year. Veterinarian ornithologists do not recommend the use of vitamins and minerals in birds under the age of one. But this does not apply to the case when molting in budgies is difficult. If your bird becomes less mobile, irritable or even aggressive, you can add water-soluble vitamins to your diet. During this period, it is necessary to exclude the pet from staying in rooms with dry air and make sure that the pet has the opportunity to take baths.
How often is molting
In healthy birds, like their relatives in the wild, the process of plumage change occurs 2-3 times a year. Natural shedding of budgies with quality care for them occurs almost imperceptibly and does no harm to your pets. At this time, parrots maintain a good appetite, their inherent curiosity and mobility.
Unfortunately, the parrot can also experience molt shock - loss of plumage due to stress. Unlike the natural process, the bird will lose feathers quickly and very unevenly. Feathers fall out in whole bundles, and on the body are visible areas of completely bare skin. During this period, your pet's thermoregulation is impaired, so it is important to control the temperature in the room with the cage. It is necessary not to overheat, but not to overcool the bird.
How to help a pet
Due to the accelerated metabolism, food for budgerigars during molting should be rich in trace elements and vitamins. Make sure that there is always chalk or eggshell in the trough of your pet. The use of low-fat cottage cheese by the bird, a natural source of calcium, has proven itself well. Sprouted wheat or oats, apple, pumpkin, spinach, carrots will eliminate the deficiency of vitamins. In addition, a wide range of pet stores sell special balanced feeds and water-soluble vitamins. With their help, the process of molting in your pet will be much easier.
Loss of plumage in diseases
Unlike the normal physiological process, French molting is a rather serious and formidable disease of the bird. Pathology got its name because of the place where it was first recorded. Abnormal pen development is the main diagnostic sign of this disease. At the place where the feather used to be, after it falls out, you can notice a dried blood spot, and the last millimeters of the feather, which are in close proximity to the skin, are filled with red liquid. French molting can occur both in a chronic, protracted form, and acutely, resulting in the death of a bird.
Loss of plumage can be observed with parasitic, fungal diseases, ticks and hormonal failures. In these cases, consultation with a veterinarian ornithologist is required.