I think Jasper is starting to molt

katie_fleming

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Oct 30, 2012
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Jasper (6yr old Solomon Island Eclectus Parrot)
Last week when I was changing the paper in Jasper's cage I saw a couple small feathers. They were about half an inch long, green at the end, and turned to a grey colour at the other end (where it meets his body).

They also had white pins at the end, so not like the other time when his tail feathers were broken.

Between then and now I've noticed a couple more, but tonight there were about 5 or 6 at the bottom of his cage. Same as above.

Is this the beginning of a molt?

And, he's unfortunately been nipping a lot, but it's weird. He'll grab onto my finger with his beak (doesn't hurt, just has his mouth around it) then he begins to squeeze. Then REALLY squeezes. It hurts like @%$%$

I say NO firmly, and he'll usually let go. But the last couple of days have been worse. He doesn't let go and he just goes harder. He hasn't broken the skin, but it still hurts like hell.

Tonight I had to physically open his beak to get my finger out. I'm pretty mad. lol

I'm guessing if he's molting this is why he's being like this? Because he's still happy, singing, training each day, and wants to be around me.

Any help would be appreciated, my fingers could sure use it :(
 

camo

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Hey Katie,

I found Gizmo would get a little more irritated when he is loosing feathers, he wanted a shower a lot more too (I think it made him feel better). For him it wasn't a case of loose feathers, then grow feathers, he would loose and grow at the same time, so by the time I noticed him loosing feathers, I could see new ones comming when he was wet under the shower.

I'm sure others will chime in soon with some expert info.

Cheers,

Cameron
 

weco

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Like egg laying with hens, molting/moulting taxes the bird's body, so foods with good calcium levels should be offered, as well as more opportunities to bathe, get spritzed/sprayed, to lessen their itching & prickliness.....the added moisture also helps them shed the stiff sheaths surrounding their new feathers.....

Good luck.....
 

Anansi

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Walt's advice is spot on. Broccoli, dandelion, kale, mustard greens and eggshells are examples of foods rich in calcium. If it's a heavy molt I try to add to their protein as well. Just to help build up their reserves.

And yes, Jasper's nippiness is likely due to the molt. It can put them into something of a crotchety mood. If he continues to nip despite the increase in showers and such, I'd say to adjust your handling of him so that you're not getting pinched as much, and to give him timeouts whenever he doesn't listen to you when you tell him "no". He looks like he really enjoys being with you, so it should prove effective. (Might take a few times, though. Some can be more stubborn than others.) Eventually, they get the picture.

Bixby loved being petted. But sometimes, when he was molting, there were certain areas that would be uncomfortable due to the sensitive pin feathers. Bixby learned to gently grasp my finger with his beak and remove my hand from any trouble areas. So believe me, they do catch on.
 
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katie_fleming

katie_fleming

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Jasper (6yr old Solomon Island Eclectus Parrot)
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Sounds good, thanks! It seems really really slow, just one or two a day right now but we'll see how it progresses.

BTW what are mustard greens??
 

camo

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Gizmo - Male Eclectus Parrot

Pebbles - Female Eclectus Parrot
Hi,

Given the title, and the fact that Pebbles is in the middle of a molt, I took some photo's of her after her shower, to show the new feathers coming through (just to show anyone who hasn't seen them before). Dry you can't see them, she just looks a bit thin on feathers, but after she is wet, at the moment she looks like a cross breed with a porcupine:D.

A good shower must be helpful, as at the moment Pebbles would gladly stay under the shower all day, she sits their with wings spread and wags her tail. When she is not molting she is happy to sit in a crouched position, no spreading of the wings, give a bit of a scratch, and then climb up my arm to say I'm finished.

I apologise for the quality of the images, it was hard to get close and get a good shot, as Pebbles see's the phone as just another toy to be chewed, but I think these shots show the new growth well. For those that don't have an Eclectus, or have never seen one fully wet, please note that Pebbles is a very pretty bird, but photographing her after a shower and half way through a molt is not the best time to show off her beauty:rolleyes:







Cheers,

Cameron
 
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weco

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BTW what are mustard greens??

They are just that, the green parts of a mustard plant...they're served in salads, like dandelion greens and/or cooked up like collard greens or spinach.....
 

Ann333

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--PUMPKIN - male YS GCC. Hatched Halloween Day 2014. Came home Jan. 4, 2015. Started talking in July '15!

-BUTTERNUT- female TYS GCC Hatched in late Jan. 2016 and came home March 14, 2016
I'm just going to lurk around this thread for info! Pumpkins losing feathers as well and has pin feathers all over his little face.
 
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katie_fleming

katie_fleming

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Jasper (6yr old Solomon Island Eclectus Parrot)
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Thanks! I'll check out the grocery store and see if they have any.

Thank you for the photos as well. Those pin feathers, do you have to help preen them for her? Or can they mostly do it themselves? I'm going to give Jasper another shower today or tomorrow and I'll have a closer look at him!
 
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katie_fleming

katie_fleming

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Jasper (6yr old Solomon Island Eclectus Parrot)
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Well, I've just about had it with all the bites. When Jasper climbs up onto my hand the first thing he does is grab a finger. And bites down HARD. I say gentle and he doesn't let go anymore. I say "NO" firmly and it seems like he bites down harder.

If he's already on something I turn my back after saying no and ignore him. He goes right back to it.

Only progress was last night before bed he grabbed my finger and that was it.

This morning he's done a number on my fingers/thumb. Hasn't drawn blood or anything but it still HURTS.

I have no idea what to do....it doesn't even seem like he's molting anymore. So far he's only lost 1 tail feather and a bunch of little ones, but I haven't seen much in two days.

:(
 

Anansi

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I know your pain, Katie. Just remember that it's the consistency that's going to get through to him. You may have to do quite a few time outs before it really sinks in.

In the meantime, you may want to carry a distractor around with you. Anything that is safely chewable and easily carried in your hand will do the trick. A small baby toy. A clothespin. And just interpose it between his beak and your skin when he goes for a hearty nibble. He'll likely get caught up with chewing on that and forget about munching on you.

I also used the wobble technique to great effect with Bixby. (Though it was next to useless with Maya. Sometimes you have to keep throwing things at the wall and see what sticks... uhmm... figuratively, of course. Lol!)
 
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katie_fleming

katie_fleming

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Jasper (6yr old Solomon Island Eclectus Parrot)
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Sounds good, thank you. He seems to become fixated on biting down, the toy is good to at least block him when he tries that. I tried the wobble thing but he seems to be extremely stable. Ugh. lol

Tonight was better, he let go when I said 'no' except one time. We're getting there.

He also lost his second wing feather today. This might be a dumb question, but the idea of the molt is every single feather will be replaced, right? How do I know when it's time for a wing clip again?
 

EdwardH

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In a healthy molt, the bird will lose corresponding feathers on each wing, one or two at a time but these are pushed out by the growing replacements so they never loose balance or look like they're going bald! On the chest and back they can loose quite a few but as previously stated they should have the pin feathers already replacing them though it will take a few weeks for the sheath to fall or be preened off. My male ecky would get a shower EVERY day except for the middle of winter during which he would only get a shower every other day. If you have central heating in your place the atmosphere will be very dry for an ecky which is a tropical bird - shower every day is the simple solution.
Part of the biting may also be the bird telling you that it doesn't like what you are doing (or what it thinks you are about to do). You continue so it bites harder and harder until you get the message. Just a thought. I had this issue in the early days because I read that you had to force the bird to step up so that it knew who was boss. It didn't take more than a few bites for me to realise that jade would step up very happily if he wanted to or if there was an incentive! No more force - no more bites:54:
 
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katie_fleming

katie_fleming

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Oct 30, 2012
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Montreal, Canada
Parrots
Jasper (6yr old Solomon Island Eclectus Parrot)
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Thank you for the info! I have been misting him everyday and showers once a week (he doesn't seem to want more showers than that right now).

I'm not forcing him to do anything, this literally started with the molt. He's perfectly happy, runs over and hops right up onto me but then he starts to bite down on my fingers. He's never done this before the molt started, so I hope he molts quickly :p My fingers can't take it lol
 

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