Constantly molting?

echoskybound

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Mar 30, 2011
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Wheatley - 4 year old Green Cheek Conure
I'm beginning to feel like my green cheek conure is just constantly molting. Not that he has any bald spots or he's missing any major feathers, but he ALWAYS has lots of pin feathers around his head, all year round. He doesn't pluck, he grooms and bathes regularly. His flight/tail feathers seem to be on a normal molting schedule, it's just around his head and neck.

I'm wondering if this isn't out of the ordinary, or if this is a sign of a deficiency. Should I consult a vet on this, or is this normal?

Thanks for your responses :]
 

MonicaMc

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I know someone who has a B&G macaw who has replaced his tail feathers SIX TIMES in two years.

My BG Korbel over molts. In fact I have been saving his molted feathers and taking a picture once a month. I would estimate 5-10 feathers a day. ( he barbers his chest a bit ) but other than that has no bald spots. He is almost two years old and has replaced his tail feathers almost 6 times. ( yes the full set )

Korbel has been to the vet more times than he is months old and he is always in perfect health. In fact even when I know something is wrong they can't find it.


It's abnormal for birds to molt more than once or twice a month. I don't know what an avian vet can do if that is the case.



Does Wheatley allow you to preen those pin feathers?
 
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echoskybound

echoskybound

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Wheatley - 4 year old Green Cheek Conure
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Does Wheatley allow you to preen those pin feathers?

He does allow me to preen them, since he gets so many on the back of his head and neck, I help him preen them frequently. This doesn't seem to happen on his back or chest, which is odd - only around his neck (maybe that's simply because he can reach those)
 

MonicaMc

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Mitred Conure - Charlie 1994;
Cockatiel - Casey 2001;
Wild Caught ARN - Sylphie 2013
Birds out in the wild typically have a buddy or mate who'll preen their heads for them. Within captivity and kept singly in a cage, well, it's harder for them to remove the shafts around their head.
 

cassiepengo

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from what ive heard, thats not good. but your fid is not showing any signs of discomfort or anything, so maybe its okay? if you dont wanna visit your vet, try google ;)
but im guessing its okay if he dusnt have a problem?
 

cnyguy

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A friend of mine has several parrots, among them a Severe Macaw who molts year-round. He's in good health and his avian vet said that the continual molt isn't common, but it isn't a problem. Since not all parrots follow the same schedule for molting, your parrot may be like my friend's Macaw and simply molts all year long.
 

RavensGryf

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Robin molts at least a small amount all year round. Although right now he's going through a "real" molt.
 
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echoskybound

echoskybound

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Wheatley - 4 year old Green Cheek Conure
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from what ive heard, thats not good. but your fid is not showing any signs of discomfort or anything, so maybe its okay?

That's what I assumed too. I wonder if it's just normal molting, but he can't preen the feathers around his head... he doesn't seem to have this issue on his back, belly, under his wings, etc. He's due for an annual checkup anyway, so maybe I'll bring the issue up with the vet.

Another thing I noticed is that he never gets his head wet when he bathes. I wonder if dryness around his head causes the sheaths to hang on a little longer.
 

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