Moulting at wavy parrots. Disease or a natural process?

Only the owners of wavy parrots know how much joy and positive can bring to life these bright, curious and intelligent birds. And what is the master's surprise when, with adequate maintenance, care and balanced nutrition, the bird begins to lose plumage. For the first time moulting among wavy parrots is of particular concern, because often beginning naturalists perceive this phenomenon as a disease of a young bird.

What happens to my pet

If you notice that there is down on the bottom of the cage, the feathers of your pet, and sometimes even the flaky skin scales, and on his body the amount of feathers has significantly decreased and even some plots have appeared without him, do not panic. Your bird is healthy, the natural process in life activity has just begun - molting in undulating parrots. The normal process of changing the cover in your pet is characterized by symmetrical loss (pairs from different sides) of feathers, so the bird retains the ability to fly.

The appearance of small black dots on the head of a parrot is another sign of molting. Upon closer examination, you will see small tubes that will turn into feathers in the near future. During this period, small irritations may appear on the skin of the bird, parrots often inflict microtraumas, removing old feathers and fluff. The bird may look sluggish due to sleep disturbance due to itching accompanying moulting. But, in addition to visual signs, there are also changes in the parrot's body. The molting process is characterized by accelerated metabolism, and your pet may lack minerals and vitamins.

Juvenile molting. Your parrot is growing up

The first in life change of plumage is the most intense. In the process, the bird loses a significant part of the plumage. The first moulting occurs in undulating parrots, which is also called juvenile, when the pet reaches the age of 3-4 months. This phenomenon serves as a kind of indicator that your chick is turning into an adult bird. A wavy parrot, whose moulting time lasts 4-8 weeks, can lose a significant part of its covers, and the soft feathers are replaced by more durable and suitable for flights.

The first change of plumage, however, like all the following, is not tied to the season, so it can begin at any time of the year. Veterinary ornithologists do not recommend the use of vitamins and microelements by birds that have not reached the age of one year. But this does not apply to the case when moulting in wavy parrots is difficult. If your bird becomes less mobile, irritable or even aggressive, you can add water-soluble vitamins to the diet. During this period it is necessary to exclude the stay of the pet in premises with dry air and take care of the pet to have a bath.

How often does molt

In healthy birds, like their relatives in the wild, the process of changing plumage occurs 2-3 times a year. Natural moult in undulating parrots with quality care for them occurs almost imperceptibly and does not do any harm to your pets. At this time, parrots retain a good appetite, their inherent curiosity and mobility.

Unfortunately, a parrot can have a shocking moult - loss of plumage due to stress. Unlike the natural process, the bird will lose feathers quickly and very unevenly. Feathers fall out in whole bunches, and on the body are visible areas of absolutely naked skin. During this period, your pet has broken thermoregulation, so it is important to monitor the temperature in the room with the cage. You do not overheat, but do not overeat the bird.

How to help a pet

In connection with the accelerated metabolism, the feed for wavy parrots during moult must be rich in trace elements and vitamins. Take care that in the feeder of your pet there is always a chalk or an egg-shell. Well-established use of a bird fat-free cottage cheese - a natural source of calcium. Sprouted wheat or oats, apple, pumpkin, spinach, carrots will eliminate the deficiency of vitamins. In addition, pet stores in a wide range of special balanced feeds and water-soluble vitamins. With their help, the process of molting your pet will be much easier.

Loss of plumage in diseases

In contrast to the usual physiological process, French molting is a serious and formidable disease of the bird. The pathology got its name because of the place where it was first recorded. Abnormal development of the pen is the main diagnostic sign of this disease. At the place where the pen used to be, after its fall you can see a dried blood spot, and the last millimeters of the pen, which are in close proximity to the skin, are filled with red liquid. French molting can proceed both in a chronic, prolonged form, and acutely, ending with the death of a bird.

Loss of plumage can be observed in parasitic, fungal diseases, mites and hormonal failures. In these cases, consultation with the veterinarian-ornithologist.