Molting behavior

sherylb

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Jul 21, 2018
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I have a 1 1/2 yr quaker, female. I think she is starting to molt, she has some of the small little feathers coming out. Since Christmas she has not been herself at all. Fluffled, eats but not alot, sleepy, quiet. I took her to the vet, gram stain was negative and we are waiting on psittococis results but vet doesn't think she has that. she is just not feeling well. She has lost some weight but she is starting to eat better than the past few days. Vet put her on antibiotic just in case the other test comes back with something. Just wonder if Molting can cause this behavior??
 

Laurasea

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Aug 2, 2018
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I'm so sorry you have a sick baby! I'm so glad you took her to the vet. Was this an avain vet specialist? What antibiotic did they put her on?
You can feed a teaspoon of live culture yogurt to help provide probiotic. Small amount if yogurt is on the parrot safe list, and I've used it to help my birds.

While molting is a stress on the birds body it doesn't cause the symptom you are describing. I'm afraid she is sick with something. Also by a year and half she should have probably had 2 to three molts already. It can be indicative of poor diet or hidden poor health if she hasn't molted before this.....what does she eat? I offer more protein during molts like scrambled eggs, boiled chicken, s few walnut. My quakers craved more protein during molts. Not saying that that has anything to do with her being sick. Just saying it will help support her during molts.

Also providing more warmth helps support sick birds. I recommend the sweeter heater small size as found on Amazon. It's a radiant heat panal. It provides a lot of heat so hang it off to the side and low on the cage so they can move away from it. But also put a perch in front of it do they can sit by it if they want. Or just increase the temp in your home while she is sick.

Feeding veggies that hsveits if vitamin A helps support health. I think hot red chilli peppers are very good as they have lots of vitamin A and the capcium is also thought to help health.
 
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sherylb

sherylb

Active member
Jul 21, 2018
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Kiwi the Quaker
Jack the IRN
Finley the BF Amazon
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She eats veggies and Tops pellets. She likes broccoli and edamame, corn , peas and I give her spinach too.... she has got lots of pin feathers and she loses the little down like feathers and lately it’s been more but has hasn’t lost a lot .
 

Laurasea

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Tops is great! I'd feed pore protein, and more veggies with vitamin A. Mist her and offer baths to help with pin feathers bit you don't want to chill her if she is sick
What antibiotic did they give you? Do give her the yogurt , mine lick it right from my fingers.

I don't like endamame! Soy in my opinion is terrible. I grew up next to soy feilds, nothing ate them. They are a supper cheap crop to produce , because nothing eats it not even insects, and grows like a weed. It also contains phytoestrogen..... Feed fresh green beans or peas instead.

Try some cooked sweet potato, or pumpkin, or butternut squash, or cooked carrots to get more vitamin A into her. Red , yellow, or orange bell pepper, and hit chili peppers seeds and all. Most parrots adore them
 

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