How long does moulting last?

[avocet]

Hi again all. I've got another question about "Bert" (sorry, I know she's a female now, but the kids still call her Bert)!

I've read the sticky on moulting, and I note that it says it can last "many" weeks. Bert has now been moulting continuously since last November. Is that normal?

She grows pin feathers here and there, seems perfectly happy, and flies well. She's active, enjoys doing a variety of tricks like hanging upside down from the curtain pelmet with one claw (especially when she's got an audience), and will take your arm off (usually!) if you put your hand in her cage.

Every day, she seems to loose about a dozen or so feathers.



As you can see, they're all types, from the tiny white downy feathers, to the bigger flight feathers.

Should I be worried?

[BudgiesBuddy]

Budgies shed small feather even when they are not molting. I vacuum feathers from the bird's room every few hours every day.

The size of the feathers is not clear from the picture. Are all these feathers from one day?

Post a picture of Bert to see how she looks like.

[Hezz]

Unless she is showing bald patches, I would be inclined to say (without the photo) she is probably fine. I have had a bird do just that too. I wondered if he was ever going to stop! But stop he did (for a while, at least) and as we speak, he is losing feathers all over the place again. But, yes, photo would be a big help.

[barrieshutt]

How often do we remove a garment of clothing when we are hot, thats what budgies do when they cannot remove a sweater

[avocet]

Thanks all.

Here's the culprit!



As you can see, no bald patches, but looking a bit scruffier than usual today - especially round the chest and under the beak.

To answer the other questions. Yes, that's a day's worth, but I'm a lot more relaxed about it having heard your responses. The longest feather in that collection is just under 70mm long (or about 2 3/4" in old money)!



It's not the longest one she's lost - there have been a few bigger ones, but not recently.

Barrie, I understand what you're saying, but it seems a bit drastic? I mean, at least I don't have to grow myself another pullover in the evening when the temeprature drops again!

[stace]

That's not really that many feathers. They'll lose a lot of those smaller down-like ones daily, which you'll see all over the place. The longer ones, like the one you've measured out, are the flight or tail feathers. They lose those only gradually so they can still fly, so you'll only notice one or two of them falling out over time.

[BudgiesBuddy]

Bert looks perfectly alright to me

[Hezz]

Bert (ie) looks good to me too! The scruffiness is usually when the pin feathers are coming through. Avocet, I wished I had taken a photo of the pile I swept up yesterday! Your little pile really isn't an issue.

[stace]

Put it this way. My vacuum cleaner is now permanently on standby, especially coming into and over summer.

[Marianne Marlow]

Apr 6, 2012 4:29:41 GMT stace said:

Put it this way. My vacuum cleaner is now permanently on standby, especially coming into and over summer.

You should see mine after one hoovering session!

Also I sweep up a mountain of feathers and seeds/husks/vegetable bits every night

[avocet]

Thanks everyone, that's brilliant! I'm suitably reassured. I must say, she didn't sem in any way unwell, and flies pretty well, so I was hoping it wasn't anything bad.

Much obliged to you all, as ever! Many thanks!

P.S. while I remember, how often should I "mist" her? I've been trying to do it once a week. She absolutely hates it though. I have to corner her in the cage and squirt her. She's never been anywhere near a bird bath either. Simply refuses (but will drink out of it). Won't even "paddle" though. Once "misted" she seems to forget about the trauma pretty quickly and just preens herself and gets on with life, but she's learned enough to have become deeply suspicious of anyone holding anything that looks remotely like a spray bottle!

[Marianne Marlow]

Does she like Herbs? - I put herbs and coloured balls in a shallow glass dish with water in and my birds can't resist having a little dip.

They wouldn't use the standard bird baths either. I think it's cos they are enclosed and didn't feel safe.

[Marianne Marlow]

Here is an example

[Marianne Marlow]

The boys do like a bath

[ginger]

Love your bathing budgies Marianne! So cute.

Yes, feathers, poop (they seem to throw it outside the cage : and seed everywhere - I had laminate floors especially for my little budgies to make it easier to vacuum twice a day. I have a dust buster on permanent charge.