Preening Feathers?

Amberling

New member
Jun 5, 2022
4
1
Parrots
Budgie/Parakeet
Honestly, I thought I was doing so good and he gets very relaxed in his cute sleeping position but I don't understand why there's these loose tiny feathers flying around, unless its molting? Sorry im still new to being a parakeet mom :oops:
Also I think he's young. He just looks smaller than all the other budgies I've seen unless my eyes are tricking me :unsure:

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(he's currently in his sleeping position atm but if this is feather falling is a sign of stress, please let me know.)
 

Cottonoid

Supporting Member
Parrot of the Month πŸ†
Feb 20, 2022
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Oh golly he's so adorable!

I vaguely remember the striping in their head feather cap can indicate age but I don't remember how far forward the cap usually is when they're babies. If I remember right it's around 4 or 5 months that they get their adult head coloring?
 

BirdyBee

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Jan 7, 2022
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South Africa
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Current birds:
John
Snowy
Pippen

Past birds:
Grumpy
Sunny
Griffen
Jeff
Gertjie
Do you see any pin/blood feathers on him(those sharp feathers?) If so, he's moulting.
 
May 2, 2021
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Vermont, USA
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Stormy(M): blue Australian budgie
Picasso(F): green Australian budgie
Apollo(F): sky blue dominant pied Australian budgie
Honestly, I thought I was doing so good and he gets very relaxed in his cute sleeping position but I don't understand why there's these loose tiny feathers flying around, unless its molting? Sorry im still new to being a parakeet mom :oops:
Also I think he's young. He just looks smaller than all the other budgies I've seen unless my eyes are tricking me :unsure:

View attachment 40828View attachment 40829
(he's currently in his sleeping position atm but if this is feather falling is a sign of stress, please let me know.)
Your little guy is about 6 months old, so definitely NOT a baby. He's an older teenager (probably 17 or so in human years). Smaller does not mean younger in budgies (unless they're literally in the nest). Just like us, budgies come in all shapes and sizes!

It seems he's just molting. Often, budgies will drop a couple feathers when preening, even if they're not molting.
 

MayMaroa

Well-known member
Feb 13, 2022
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Putrajaya, Malaysia
Parrots
2 female budgies i have a green named tofu she is 1 years old(she turned one years old in April) and i have a blue budgie named sky she is the younger one she is younger then tofu by a few days
I agree with stormy because if he was a baby he would have black stripes on his head and he doesn't so he definitely isn't a baby.

Well it could be either molting or feather plucking can you see any pin feathers or a sharp feathers on his head if you don't see any then you should monitor him closely to see if he is over preening if he is then he is feather plucking.

Do you see many feathers? i call those floofies if you see a few then that's normal he isn't plucking nor molting because these feathers are always there

These feathers if there are a few don't indicate molting or plucking
download (7).jpg

theses indicate molting or plucking
feath_long.jpg

Pin feathers
34d01532-d524-493b-bd5e-87cede8da350.jpg


41c0bc18-0dad-456a-81df-10d4a8460603.jpg


Signs of molting:
Aggressive behavior
Loss of appetite
Loss of feathers
Look tired and sleepy

Signs of plucking:
Damaged feathers
Untidy looking feathers
Stressed behavior
Over preening
 

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