Question about molting

So I was wondering how often eclectus parrots molt every year, I couldn't find an answer but I found an article about year round care and I wanted to know it's legitimacy. Mainly this part

Bathing is essential during moulting as well as all year round for your Eclectus. It aids in the relief of itchy pin feathers breaking through the skin. Some. A diluted aloe spray can also benefit in hydrating the feathers and skin when moulting however it is easy to over do it with aloe sprays. While they do benefit while moulting, too much can cause their skin to dry out, causing itching, irritating skin. So an aloe spray about once a week is enough while bathing or showering in plain water daily.

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Can an aloe spray really be helpful? I'm kind of confused because it says it can be hydrating but it can also dry out the skin. I live in a really dry climate (Colorado) so I'm trying to find more ways to keep him hydrated and such. I try to have a humidifier running at all times in my room but it seems to scare Lincoln as of now for some reason because he get's extremely chatty whenever it is on so I try not to keep it on too often out of fear of scaring him too much.

Vitamin D3 is vital for the Eclectus. They can absorb this through the sun by being outside. They do not absorb vitamin D3 automatically by being out in the sun. They will only absorb it when they begin to preen their feathers.

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Any alternatives to going outside with the bird? It's really cold this time of year and I don't think it'd be safe to take him out for longer than a few minutes. I do have him near my window which has the curtain open all day long but I've always read that that's not really helpful if it's just through a window. And again, it's too cold outside so I don't feel comfortable opening my window.

You can also increase the protein in their diet to encourage and start an over due moult. It isn't particularly healthy for a parrot to have an over due moult.

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Some other causes of delay moulting are stress, malnutrition, infectious diseases and parasites.

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How can you tell if your parrot is experiencing an overdue molt? Do parrots follow a yearly molt pattern so you can know when they're suppose to molt? How can it affect a parrot if they have an overdue molt? Why exactly is it bad other than being overdue?

Hi,

Eclectus molt their larger feathers, ie wing feathers and tail feathers, once a year. Well, mine does. They can molt their smaller body feathers all year round.
I live in Australia, and my eclectus usually starts molting his tail and wing feathers in late August. Even now, he has new primary wing feathers growing. It can be a long process.
If you are already aware of your bird's molting pattern, then you should be aware of whether it's having a delayed molt. Alternatively, the seasons can also affect the timing of their molt. Several years ago in Australia, it was reported that a lot of birds were experiencing heavy molts. That year, my family and I also found that our birds were having extended molts, with their molts lasting from spring and into the following winter.
I should also mention that a young eclectus will molt at a different period to what will become its normal molting pattern. Mine had his first molt prior to turning one, which was in April. The following year, his molting started at the end of August.
I give Oscar a shower every day, if only because he really likes it and calls out for one, even on the coldest day.
I don't give him an aloe spray, simply because none of the stores where I live sell it, but it is widely held as being beneficial.
Birds' feathers contain protein. When they molt, they can feel deprived of protein. Most information recommends supplementing this with increased protein in their diet, but too much protein has been linked to toe tapping in eclectus. Just keep an eye on it, but definitely try to increase protein.
Some people buy special UV lights for indoor birds to make up for the lack of natural light.

I haven't had Lincoln for long and I don't know much about his history so I don't know when his last molt was, hence why I ask if there's a way to tell if they're experiencing a delayed molt.

I'll look up the protein levels in the food I give him now to see if I should add protein to his diet or not. He had a toe tapping problem for a bit but it cleared up once I got him to start eating his fruits and veggies instead of the gross pellets the lady who had him before me had been feeding him, so I don't want to increase protein and have him start toe tapping again.

Anyone know where I could buy a parrot safe UV light? I assume the standard reptile ones aren't safe because it has an exposed bulb... but I don't even know if those bulbs get hot.

Here is one suggestion for you

Avian Full Spectrum Lighting: Lighting Fixtures for Birds

Re protein, incorporating small amounts on a regular basis of things like brown rice, quinoa, enriched pasta, legumes, Anansi has mentioned that he feeds Jolly and Maya Volkmans Fancy Soak and Simmer for a majority of their legumes and grains.

plumsmum2005 said:

Here is one suggestion for you

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Anansi has mentioned that he feeds Jolly and Maya Volkmans Fancy Soak and Simmer for a majority of their legumes and grains.

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I use this also and very happy a little pricey but worth it. I use this once a week and fresh stuff most other days. I also feed the super eclectus feed from Avian Science mixed in daily with super hook bill feed from Volkmans.

molting does not seem to be a problem he is but it does not seem to bother him at all. all of my birds are going through this now,got to be the time of year I guess.

Owlet said:

So I was wondering how often eclectus parrots molt every year...

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My birds have maybe 2 big molts a year, with smaller, more subtle molts peppered throughout the other months.

Owlet said:

Can an aloe spray really be helpful? I'm kind of confused because it says it can be hydrating but it can also dry out the skin. I live in a really dry climate (Colorado) so I'm trying to find more ways to keep him hydrated and such. I try to have a humidifier running at all times in my room but it seems to scare Lincoln as of now for some reason because he get's extremely chatty whenever it is on so I try not to keep it on too often out of fear of scaring him too much.

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Like many things in life, too much of a good thing can be bad. A little aloe here and there can be beneficial, but overdoing it will have a negative effect. Personally, I just use plain water. I find the additives largely unnecessary, especially if you keep a frequent and consistent schedule.

Owlet said:

...Any alternatives to going outside with the bird? It's really cold this time of year and I don't think it'd be safe to take him out for longer than a few minutes. I do have him near my window which has the curtain open all day long but I've always read that that's not really helpful if it's just through a window. And again, it's too cold outside so I don't feel comfortable opening my window.

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You read correctly. The benefits of sunshine are indeed nullified by the uv filtering effect of our windows. And you're right to avoid exposing your ekkie to cold winter air. As Plumsmum mentioned, some people use full spectrum lighting as an alternative source of Vitamin D3 for their birds. There is some debate as to the efficacy of such lighting, but I really don't know one way or the other. I've never tried it myself, but the way I see it, it can't hurt to try it out.

Owlet said:

...How can you tell if your parrot is experiencing an overdue molt? Do parrots follow a yearly molt pattern so you can know when they're suppose to molt? How can it affect a parrot if they have an overdue molt? Why exactly is it bad other than being overdue?

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Keatz covered this rather well. You pick upon their molt pattern by observing them over the course of a year or so. As for the effect on a parrot if they have an overdue molt, well, aside from feathers that will look damaged and faded, and flight or tail feathers that are taking their sweet time being replaced, I'd say the biggest issue in my mind would be what it signifies. As your source pointed out, it can be caused by malnutrition, stress, disease, etc. To me, it would be more of a warning sign than anything else.

As for the protein, don't go crazy adding extra to their diet in the hopes of triggering a molt. If the diet wasn't right for a long time before you got him, chances are just the shift to a proper diet, along with regular baths/showers and such, will trigger a molt soon enough. Sometimes you can increase protein and calcium a bit during a hard molt, but for the most part you want to focus on providing a consistently balanced diet for them with their fresh foods.