Molting Questions

[driven]

Just have a couple questions about molting.

1) How long does it typically last?

2) How often do they go through this?


Thanks!

[LovelySydney]

Molting can last a few weeks to months. A lot of birds go through a 'progressive molt' which means that little by little they molt all over their body. it can start on the head and then move to the feathers or vice versa. This gives them enough time to grow feathers and have enough flight feathers to fly. It is most common for parrots to molt twice a year. Some people say more but that might be because it seems their parrot is constantly molting, when its really just one long progressive molt.


Hope that helped, I'm just learning about molting myself!!

[unpoquito]

Twice a year is the norm, but some do it continually - with pin feathers coming in all the time. When it's continual (progressive like mentioned above), the pins are not as noticable or as drastic as the twice a year molt. Interestingly enough, only one of my birds is going through a molt right now.

[chapala]

I think it does vary between different birds. I've had Cello not quite a year and a half. He had a minor molt, then a BIG one last fall that lasted (guessing here) a little more than a month. Full of pins! Nothing since. So I'm not sure whether to expect another minor molt this spring, or if he will just have another big one in the fall. We'll see!

[StephGee]

Herbie hatched 9/23/08. He had his first molt between 12/08 and 2/09. It was very long.

He's now molting again. Vet said that he had his "baby" molt and now he's establishing his regular molt schedule. She said that there should be more time between molts in the future.

[ParrotletsRock]

Archie is in a big molt right now...he is about 6 months old.