Budgerigar moult. Disease or natural process?

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Only the owners of budgerigars know how much joy and positiveness these bright, curious and intelligent birds can bring to life. And what is the surprise of the owner when, with decent maintenance, care and balanced nutrition, the bird begins to lose plumage. For the first time, molting in budgerigars is especially alarming, because often beginner naturalists perceive this phenomenon as a disease of a young bird.

What's happening to my pet

If you notice that at the bottom of the cage lies fluff, feathers of your pet, and sometimes even exfoliated skin scales, and on his body the amount of plumage has significantly decreased and even some areas have appeared without it, do not panic. Your bird is he althy, the natural process in life has just begun - molting in budgerigars. The normal process of coat change in your pet is characterized by 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 parrot's head is another sign of molting. AtOn closer inspection, you will see small tubes that will soon unfold into feathers. During this period, minor irritations may occur on the skin of the bird, parrots often inflict microtraumas on themselves, removing old feathers and fluff. The bird may appear lethargic due to disturbed sleep due to the itching that accompanies the molt. But, in addition to visual signs, there are changes in the body of the parrot. The shedding 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 its plumage. The first molt occurs in budgerigars, 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 budgerigar that will moult for 4-8 weeks may lose much of its integument, and soft feathers will be replaced by stronger and more suitable for flying.

The first change of plumage, however, like all subsequent ones, is not tied to the season, so it can begin at any time of the year. Veterinary ornithologists do not recommend the use of vitamins and trace elements by birds under one year of age. But this does not apply to the case when the molting of budgerigars is difficult. If your bird becomes less active, irritable, or even aggressive, you canadd water-soluble vitamins to your diet. During this period, you need 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 does shedding

In he althy birds, like their relatives in the wild, the process of changing plumage occurs 2-3 times a year. The natural molting of budgerigars with quality care for them occurs almost imperceptibly and does no harm to your pets. At this time, parrots retain a good appetite, their inherent curiosity and mobility.

Unfortunately, a parrot can also experience a shock molt - loss of plumage due to stress. Unlike the natural process, the bird will shed feathers quickly and very unevenly. Feathers fall out in whole bunches, and areas of completely bare skin are visible on the body. During this period, your pet has impaired thermoregulation, so it is important to control the temperature in the room with the cage. It is necessary not to overheat, but also 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 you always have chalk or eggshells in your pet's feeder. The use of low-fat cottage cheese, a natural source of calcium, has proven itself well. Sprouted wheat or oats, apple, pumpkin, spinach, carrots will eliminate vitamin deficiency. In addition, pet supply stores sell a wide range of special balanced feeds and water-soluble vitamins. With their help, your pet's shedding process will be much easier.

Loss of plumage due to disease

Unlike the usual physiological process, French molt is a rather serious and formidable bird disease. The pathology got its name because of the place where it was first recorded. Abnormal feather development is the main diagnostic sign of this disease. In the place where the feather used to be, after it falls out, you can see 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 proceed both in a chronic, protracted form, and acutely, ending in the death of a bird.

Loss of plumage can also be observed with parasitic, fungal diseases, ticks and hormonal disruptions. In these cases, you will need to consult a veterinary ornithologist.