What's up with Roswell's feathers?

[Marianne Marlow]

My grey boy Roswell has been trying to pull out feathers on one side. It's like they are irritating him.

They are sticking out a bit now and he can't fly properly.

Just moulting? or something else?

[skysmum]

Oooh looks a bit like my Jo Jo when he starts a French Moult but he would have shown signs of that before now im sure, how old is he Marianne.

[Rachael Kellett]

Hmmm it could just be moulting like you said, maybe its irritating him so he wants it out. Has he got any pinnies?

[Marianne Marlow]

He is around 3 years old.

No pinnies that I can see..

[Rachael Kellett]

Oct 27, 2012 13:14:37 GMT Marianne Marlow said:

He is around 3 years old.

No pinnies that I can see..

I wouldn't worry too much about it to be honest. Is there any chance you could take it out? I've never tried that on mine but I know that some people do it. Obviously don't do it if its well and truly attached stilland you're worried that it might bleed x

[Marianne Marlow]

I think they are still attached but I did notice that a smaller one he pulled out still had the casing around the base of the feather.

[skysmum]

Its probably just a bad moult Marianne, he would have shown signs of F M before now if he is 3. Ive read lots on F M over the years and its unclear if an older bird can suffer with it, but unlikely. Just keep an eye out, it is the main flight feathers that are affected with that.

[Marianne Marlow]

How will I know if it is that skysmum?

[skysmum]

Ive been looking for some better pics but this is Jo Jo at his worst, he doesn't have the worse case of it but it predominantly affects the flight feathers with him and looks very similar to roswell when it starts. The flight feathers start to grow out at strange angles and they pull at them. Some can loose much more but these are severe cases, sometimes he bleeds at the quill as well.
Im sure your Roswell hasn't got it and i didn't want to worry you its prob just a bad moult, but you can see what i mean, you will know if he has it Marianne.

[Marianne Marlow]

Thanks for the pics. I see what you mean.

How do you cope with it?

[skysmum]

Well yours have to be the best fed budgies in town with all their beautiful veggies and i know you feed them Trill which i do but i up the protein by giving him mashed eggs and egg biscuits. i also look out for any bleeding and seal it with a little vaseline. Thats about all you can do really. Apart from that and being grounded for a few weeks he does very well love him, they do come back but in Jo Jo's case its short lived

[stace]

I'm pretty sure it won't be FM. It could be something localised. Maybe he's just got some feathers that have come out weird and they are annoying him, perhaps he's damaged a few in some way, or there's something on his wing?

[Hezz]

I was going to suggest that he has damaged them in some other way, and now they won't sit flat with the rest and so he is trying to get rid of them. If he has damaged them, and the new feathers are growing oddly, only time will tell if it is only the new feather affected or if the feather follicle itself has been damaged. Of course, I am only guessing, Marianne.

Are you able to catch hold of him and make sure that there isn't something there irritating him? I would think he would be able to preen out any foreign bodies that may cause him grief, but you never know.

[Marianne Marlow]

We are worried about poor Roswell so have booked a vet appt for him tomorrow.

He keeps plummeting to the floor, is a bit quiet and is still tugging furiously on the wing which now has two feathers bent downwards

[cheekybirdie]

Good luck at the vets tomorrow for little Roswell. Hope everything turns out well for him xxx