Molting relief?!

[Lovelyloribeth]

I think I know why chichi is so bitey and irritable. He's molting. Duh! He's got some thick pin feathers around his eyes and head and a few big ones on his back/ top of wings. If I'm careful where I pet him he's good to go. He just is sure to let me know when I've caught one and it's hurtin him.

I've read that baths and misting are really the only relief. Since the pet store crap is well, crap! What else can I do to help him?? He's always fluffing and preening and trying to jump in my glass of water! Poor guy!!

 

[DebsFlock]

Molting is natural and I haven't noticed it affects Scooter's mood dramatically. I try to help him with the mature pinfeathers, by breaking the sheath with my fingernails. Of course if you get one that isn't ready, they will squwak at you and maybe nip a little, but they do that to each other all the time. Scooter will do that and then immediately pick up his foot and scratch, showing me exactly where he wants me to work!

Offering a bath is certainly a good thing, but they can't really break the sheaths on the head feathers themselves very easily, so if he's comfortable enough with you, you could try preening him a bit!

 

[Lovelyloribeth]

Yeah when I rub his head he tips it far down and ruffles up for me...I'm thinking he wants me to. I just wasn't sure out. I heard just rubbing them between fingers work. I don't have nails.

 

[DebsFlock]

I don't have much in the way of nails either, but I can bend my fingers enough to a tiny bit of contact between the thumbnail and another nail. But sometime rubbing/rolling is enough. Just be gentle and figure out what he likes!

 

[Lovelyloribeth]

I did it! He was purring after! It was a big one on his back. It like shattered I guess? It was everywhere.

 

[WharfRat]

Misting helps as well

 

[MollyGreenCheeks]

You don't need to buy any of the bird spray crap. Just get a small bottle that has a good ability to mist. Fill it with hot to warm water and mist away from about 10 - 12 inches. By the time the water leaves the bottle and lands on the bird the hot water will be barely warm. It will really help him if he gets a wetting down at least once a day. This is if you cannot get him to take a bath.

 

[WharfRat]

agreed, we never use anything but water ourselves

 

[Lovelyloribeth]

I've been misting, luckily we had a water bottle my husband uses to spray on the grill when we're BBQing. So I didn't have to go out! (it was 97 degrees today!) I mist him and he runs from it tho, I think he gets scared? And I'm starting to think that maybe I'm doing a lot of things that his previous owner didn't. But I put him in the cage and just mist away, he flaps a bit afterwards. But I couldn't get him in a bath today. He will get used to it. I was able to get a few popped open for him so I think he's feeling a lil better. The ones around his eyes are so little tho. I rub around them and he fluffs his feathers up around his head and closes his eyes, so he enjoys it. But I can't get to them. This is a time I wish he had a mate! Lol. thanks for all the help!

 

[WharfRat]

One of our GW's does not like misting, but she'll jump in the sink or shower in a heartbeat :20:

 

[Lovelyloribeth]

I tried the sink and he wouldn't go. He kept climbing out. But he loves the Tupperware bowls with the big lip around the edge...I couldn't even get him in there today.

 

[headfeathermistress]

Let him bathe as often as he wants and help with the pin feathers as much as he will let you. Nothing but water!

 

[Lovelyloribeth]

I forgot to mention, he has a ton you can't see under is top feathers. They're big and all around the back of his Neck but he won't let me get them. how long do molts usually last?

 

[Lovelyloribeth]

I've read that you can use aloe juice to mix with water to mist also. Is it true? If so, What aloe juice should it be? There is an aloe juice here that I actually drink.

It is called Aloe Vera King made by OKF corp.

Ingredients: Mineral water, fructose, Aloe Vera powder (22%), Aloe Vera gel (8%), Honey (Korea Origin), acidity regulator: Citric acid, natural grape flavour

If this isn't ok and you can use aloe, would it be in a health food store??

 

[DebsFlock]

All those sugars would make it awfully sticky!

 

[Janedeaux]

My babies hate misting as well. But loooove a shower. I just put them on a perch one day, and put them under the shower. They were immediately in love. They sit low, turn their faces up, close their eyes and just hang out under the water.

 

[MollyGreenCheeks]

Molly would sometimes like to bathe in my bathroom sink but I always have to have my hand under the water as she likes the security of being attached to me. Other times Molly liked to bathe under a small stream of cold water while she sits on the kitchen sink divider. Then out of nowhere she didn't want to bathe in either place and she detests being misted. I then spent the next two weeks finding the perfect dish to make Molly happy. I finally found a plastic, forest green dish that is about eight inches around and about 1.5" high. I hold it on the kitchen sink divider and fill it to the top while I keep the water slowly running gently over. Anyway, Molly has bathed like this for about 6-7 months now on a daily basis. She always climbs down my arm when I'm at the sink if she wants a bath. On the other hand, Cody gets misted almost daily. Moral of my story . Trial and error!

 

[Katkoota]

Misting helps as well

Yeah. Daily water mist is useful when they are in the molting phase!