Molting?

Wingnut

Member
Feb 25, 2016
85
9
South Carolina, USA
Parrots
Kiwi The Lovebird
Hey everyone! I started to notice the past week that my Lovebird, Kiwi, has been losing down and smaller feathers around her feet and belly. I was curious if this looks like normal molting, or something I should be concerned about? She does seem less energetic as well. I may call the doctor tomorrow just to take a look at her.
 

Attachments

  • 20190421_143056.jpg
    20190421_143056.jpg
    87 KB · Views: 88

noodles123

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2018
8,145
472
Parrots
Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
To me---that looks more like a brood patch...Tis' the season. I could be wrong, but I wouldn't hold her like that. Pet only on the head and remove access to any shadowy spaces in or around her cage. Molts usually are symmetrical and don't involve large bare patches of skin. She could be plucking, but due to the location of the bare skin (and the season) I am (again) voting hormones (how old is she?)....assuming you have head her blood-work done and her health is fine. Birds who are about to lay eggs will sometimes create these areas to facilitate better transfer of body heat between themselves and their eggs. Google egg-binding as well (just in case)...make sure she is in good health before you jump to conclusions though--sometimes birds who are in pain will pluck at the site of the irritation. If she is laying eggs (fertile or non) make sure she has access to cuttle bone and green vegetables (due to the nutrient drain).
 
Last edited:

EllenD

New member
Aug 20, 2016
3,979
65
State College, PA
Parrots
Senegal Parrot named "Kane"; Yellow-Sided Green Cheek Conure named "Bowie"; Blue Quaker Parrot named "Lita Ford"; Cockatiel named "Duff"; 8 American/English Budgie Hybrids; Ringneck Dove named "Dylan"
I totally agree with Noodles, that is absolutely NOT from a molt, but rather from either a "Brood-Patch", as Noodles suggested above, or just from general plucking...But again, it's in the right location for it to be related to sex-hormones...However, we can't see the rest of her feathering on her wings, back, around her neck, etc., so if you see any ragged-ends on any of her feathers elsewhere, or any other areas of the same type of plucked-appearance that is only on one side and not both, then that's a good indication that it's plucking and not hormones.

As Noodles stated above, it is breeding-season (my Senegal just won't stop insisting that I eat his vomit, and my female Cockatiel keeps putting her butt on my neck and chirping...gotta love it), and there are a lot of different things that you could be doing or giving to her/allowing her to have or do that is causing her behavior....I don't know if you normally handle her like that, but you shouldn't touch her anywhere near her legs, lower belly, tail, and yeah, near her vent, right where your fingers seem to be in the photo, lol...You should only pet them on the head, neck, face, and under their chin. That's really about it, especially during Spring and Fall, the two normal breeding-seasons...

****Extremely important is if there is ANYTHING in her cage that creates a small, dark place that she can get inside of or underneath, such as a Nest of any kind, a Bed of any kind, Tents, "Cuddle/Snuggle/Happy Huts" (which kill thousands of pet birds every year anyway, so they need to be thrown-away for numerous reasons), Hammocks, or any types of Boxes in-general...Also, nothing in the bottom of her cage that could be considered or used as "Nesting Material", such as wood chips, any type of Animal-Bedding like Crushed Walnut-Shells, Corn-Cob Bedding, Shredded Paper, or any Towels, Blankets, Pillows, etc...You should only use SHEETS of Newspaper, Butcher-Paper, or proper Bird-Cage Liners in the bottom of her cage, and they should always be UNDERNEATH THE GRATE in the bottom of her cage so she can't get to them and use them as nesting-material or get underneath them...Also, never let her get underneath of the furniture, behind pillows on the couch or bed, underneath covers/blankets, etc. when she is outside of her cage, as this does the same thing as having a Happy-Hut, a Bed, a Tent, etc. inside of her cage...

And also, no feeding her any Warm, Mushy Foods, such as Oatmeal, Grits, Mashed Potatoes, and definitely no Baby-Bird Handfeeding-Formula EVER, unless she becomes quite ill and the Avian Vet prescribes it to her...

All of these things trigger their sex-hormones to go nuts, which they already are right now during this time of the year, and in a female bird this can cause them to start plucking in that particular area in-order to make a "Brood-Patch", which female birds do naturally whenever they are laying eggs/raising chicks...And for male birds it also still can cause Feather-Destructive Behavior, which it can in females as well...So it's not necessarily true that what your bird did was make a Brood-Patch, but that's the general area one would be in...If you see any other signs of plucking/barbering of her feathers on her wings, her back, the back of her neck, her shoulder-caps, etc., like ragged-ends on all of the feathers in an area, then that's plucking, which could be due to hormones, but is typically due to something such as boredom, stress, frustration, or a medical/health issue such as a Systemic or External Yeast/Fungal Infection, Bacterial Infections, and then this brings me to the not so good part of this discussion...

I don't know when she has had her last Wellness-Exam with a Certified Avian Vet or Avian Specialist Vet (No "Exotics" Vets for this unless they are also a CAV), but they can also pluck themselves the way your bird has due to them producing Follicles and/or Infertile Eggs (meaning she is going to lay an infertile egg soon, and you need to watch for any signs of her "straining" to push the egg out, like she has to poop but can't, because if you see that then she may be egg-bound, which requires immediate medical intervention right on the spot), and they also pluck their bellies in that area when they are experiencing pain, nausea, and other health issues and illnesses...SOOOOO, that leaves me with the question about her last Wellness-Exam that included full Fecal-Testing and full, routine Blood-Work, which she should be having at least once every year, and which you'll need to keep a close eye on her and if you notice any other signs/symptoms of illness or pain, she stops eating/drinking, any vomiting, loose/watery droppings, she starts sleeping more than normal or stops moving around much, stops playing like she normally does, etc., then you need to get her in to an Avian Vet ASAP for Fecal-Testing and Blood-Work...

She may lay an egg, she may not, either way see if you are doing anything or giving her anything that could be causing hormonal-behavior and remove it/stop it (especially anything inside of her cage like a "Hut" or any other type of "box" or "tent"), and try to make sure that she has lots and lots of different types of toys inside of her cage at any given time, ones for chewing, ones for shredding, ones for foraging, etc., and also make sure that she is getting ample out-of-cage-time every day, at least 4-5 hours a day, every day...And also make sure that she's getting at least 10-12 hours of solid sleep every night as well, as that's another common cause of hormonal-behavior...
 
OP
Wingnut

Wingnut

Member
Feb 25, 2016
85
9
South Carolina, USA
Parrots
Kiwi The Lovebird
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #4
Thank you guys for the replies!

I have to admit she has been acting differently as well. Some things Ive noticed are biting me more (like really nasty too, to the point she doesnt let go - drawing blood), and aggression towards toys. She will sit on her perch and for no reason goto the bottom of the cage and attack a toy viciously. Sometimes she likes sitting on the bottom of the cage singing and bobbing her head. Also I have noticed her straining to poop on occassion, usually only in the morning though; but shes done this since she was very young. I am going to call and make an appointment tomorrow with the avian vet just to make sure she is ok....but her behavior is definitely not the same.

I have never owned a lovebird before, so im new to their antics (which are pretty funny to be honest). The loss of all feathers AND down in the upper belly and on her legs has me concerned though. Im kind of leaning towards "hormones" because of the behaviors, but again Im not sure. I will let you all know how she is!

Edit: I wanted to add here that my family and I havent been sleeping well for the past couple of weeks. Also my work has kept me up very late some nights until 2am even. She may not be getting quality sleep...as I noticed the loss of feathers when my family started to lack sleep.
 
Last edited:

Most Reactions

Latest posts

Top