More 1st Molt questions

[StephGee]

Hi All.

My Herbie is 3 months old and is going though his first molt. He's losing feathers like crazy. He's not plucking. He's eating and sleeping normally and is acting normal (for the most part). He either wants tons of light scritches and cuddling, or none at all. We're trying to give him what he wants that way.

I have noticed the pin feathers on his head. They are close to breaking through, but not quite. He won't let me touch his chest, so I'm thinking those must be really close.

So, a few questions:

1) Approximately how long does the 1st molt last?

2) Anything particular he should be eating especially at this time?

3) I was going to take him for a well bird vet appt. the week before Christmas, but we had a massive snowstorm that day and I canceled it. It was not safe to have him in the car for over an hour that day! I was going to reschedule, but now I'm wondering if I should wait until after the molt? Thoughts?

Thanks everyone!

[StephGee]

No one has any thoughts for me? Did I do or say something to offend someone?

[unpoquito]

Hi, my parrotlets have gone through 2 molts in the past 6 months, and just the other day I noticed new pins on their heads. From what I've heard parrotlets can molt twice a year, 3 times a year, or continuously. I'm not sure that there's really a set answer to your question.

[lily]

People are probably busy with the holidays. You didn't say anything wrong!

I don't remember how long the first molt lasts, but it is not quick. It is the most massive molt of the bird's life because it has just grown bigger and has to make a lot of feathers. I'm guessing my bird's first molt lasted well over a month.

Orange vegetables, like sweet potatoes, are great to feed during a molt. Also dark leafy greens. Check Chapala's posts on diet for other ideas. Vitamin A-rich foods will help the bird make beautifully colored feathers as well as help the bird's general health. If you can get organic greens, they are full of calcium, which will help the bird's nerves, too.

Molts are stressful, especially the first one. Your bird may need extra sleep and will need a good soaking with water every day to keep the pinfeathers soft. Trouble is, most baby birds HATE bathing. Explore the posts on baths for ideas. I ended up spritzing my bird with distilled water as well as taking her into the shower with me. Her breeder told me that she needed to get wet to the skin every day dudring the molt. That's easier said than done! If you can increase the humidity in the room, it will help, too. Even wet towels hanging on a drying rack could help if you don't have a humidifier. If you use a humidifier, wash it each time you refill it so that molds don't grow inside.

The reason your bird sometimes wants scritches and sometimes doesn't is because the pinfeathers are itchy, but if they are bumped the wrong way, they hurt. I imagine molting is a little like having poison ivy-- all itchy and worse if you mess too much with it. Some birds like to be scritched side to side on the head while they are molting because the usual back-to-front scritch makes the pinfeathers hurt. It sounds like you are already "tuned in" to how your bird is feeling, and I'm sure the bird appreciates your caring and reassurance.

As for the trip to the vet's, your bird sure picked a bad time of year to molt! I agree that it is risky and stressful to take a molting baby out this time of year. Perhaps you can just call the vet and ask if a healty baby check can wait.

[jodeg]

I don't think anyone's offended! Probably just busy!

Kermit is going through his first molt, and it seems to be taking quite a while -- lots of feathers here and there and pins on his head. Also, his blue "eye shadow" is getting more blue with the new feathers. When I let them out to be together for playtime (they're housed in separate HQ flight cages), Kiwi preens his head and neck for him. He seems to love it!

Kiwi is one year old today, and I don't think I've ever actually seen her molt, mainly because she started plucking the end of July and in spite of any and all of my efforts, is still doing it. She has a down covered body, and when new green feathers start coming it, they must really annoy her, because she plucks them out after a couple of days. Since she's pretty well plucked, there's nothing much there to molt!!! I love her anyway!

Molting can be very stressful for him, but it sounds like Herbie is doing just fine!

[StephGee]

Thank you guys!

A month or more, huh? Poor baby. He's one week in now. Tons of pin feathers and they've come through the skin. He still wants scritches, so I'm giving them light, More just "fluffing" the feathers on his head without actually touching his skin. He seems to really like that and will let me do it for about 20 minutes before he's tired of it. I let him cuddle when he wants and then put him in his cage when he gets really nippy.

He's been in his new HQ flight cage for about 3 weeks now and loves it.

I'll wait till the molt's done and then make his well bird appt. after that.

He's bathing daily in his 2nd water dish. He's got two and he drinks from one and bathes in the other. I've tried misting him, but he hates it. Hubby is afraid to try taking him in the shower. I've tried some sink baths, but Herbie seems to not like that. So I figure so long as I see him bathe in the water dish, we're all good. He gets fresh water 2ce daily.

He's eating really good. I'm going to make him a sweet potato tomorrow. Today he couldn't get enough dried apple, carrots and kewi. Really hogged down on the apple. He wouldn't touch the cilantro I put in there. Turned his beak right up at it and he usually at least tries everything I give him.

He's sleeping a little longer than normal, but not much... maybe an hour more a day. Poor baby. Other than that, he's just as playful and active as normal. And by playful I mean a small, blue, blur of toy playing destruction. :)

Thanks for the thoughts!