The budgerigar sheds heavily what to do. Moulting and bathing budgerigar

Budgerigars are truly one of the most amazing birds who fit perfectly into a life together with a person. They are not demanding in terms of care and maintenance, and easily give birth to offspring while living at home. But, despite all the positive, certain difficulties often arise with birds of this species, which may be associated with health or physiological characteristics.

Among the most common problems that owners of a cute bird have, special attention should be paid to such a process as molting in budgerigars. People who don't know about this physiological features, often ask questions to veterinarians regarding plumage: “Why does a parrot lose feathers, even if it is well looked after?”, “What to do in a similar situation?”

Normally, the first molt in budgerigars occurs at 3-4 months of life, during which the soft fluff is replaced by stronger feathers, which are needed for long flights. To prepare for the first molt, when buying a chick, you need to ask the seller when he was born. This will enable the owner to purchase food in a timely manner and improve the conditions of detention so that the baby can better endure the molt.

Moulting process

Since a domestic parrot lives in an artificial environment (a cage in an apartment), he does not know about his natural habitat, and is not influenced by factors wildlife, so molting can occur at any time of the year.

During the year, the wavy has two large-scale and several small molting processes. When large feathers (wing and tail) change, this happens in parallel, first the feather falls out from the first wing, then from the second. Fluff feathers are replaced several times a year, and if the parrot is healthy and well fed, this will not affect its appearance and behavior in any way.

In addition to feather loss, symptoms of moulting budgerigar can affect his nervous system, causing behavioral disorders. The feathered pet becomes overly irritable, sometimes even aggressive. The change in behavior is explained by the deficiency of certain trace elements and minerals that go into the development of new feathers. Given this, during the molting period, it is important to prepare and prepare the right diet that will be able to restore the level of missing substances (special food is available in pet stores).

The most intense current is observed during the first molt. A bird going through this period can lose almost all of its covering, so it looks ridiculous, very funny and somewhat pathetic. In this case, the owner should not worry, because only a few weeks will pass, and the chick will acquire the beautiful, bright plumage that adults have.

In some cases, the replacement of plumage causes skin irritation in the parrot, which causes him to scratch himself diligently with his beak. Irritation makes the bird overexcited, it sleeps little and practically does not eat. To alleviate the condition of the bird are able to daily water procedures and humidification of the air in the room.

The wavy molting period can last about a month. Plumage recovers very quickly, provided there is a balanced diet that is rich in trace elements, as well as sufficient sleep. At this time, it is important for the bird to provide comfort (protect from drafts and stressful situations).

Pathological feather loss

Feather loss does not always go according to plan, so the poultry farmer must know when molting is a pathological condition, and when to show the pet to the bird watcher. Pathological molting has several types:

• French molt.

In some cases, feather loss can be a severe disease called French Moult. Because of what it occurs and why it affects the budgerigar, it is not known thoroughly. Specialists in the field of ornithology attribute this to a lack of protein in the feed, its poor digestion or disturbances in the maintenance process. Also, it was found that the disease tends to be inherited.

A sick parrot loses its plumage and stops flying, which greatly affects its mobility. Often, pathology leads to the death of the wavy.

There is no specific treatment for French Moult. Helping the bird is to replenish the body with vitamins and minerals. Spinach, sesame and sunflower seeds, boiled egg whites are introduced into the diet.

Disease prevention is proper feeding, the female is forbidden to make more than two broods in a row. If adult individuals have bred diseased offspring, then they are no longer used as reproducers.

• Shock line.

Such a fragile bird as a budgerigar has a very vulnerable character, and it easily gives in to stress. In special cases, a strong emotional shock can serve as an impetus for a pathological loss of feathers. If the chick is frightened of a person or animals, bright light or sudden movements, his body may react by losing plumage.

The main symptom of shock molting is the loss of feathers on the tail and on the body, while the wings are intact. There are a number of assumptions that associate this with the protective functions of the body. When attacked by an enemy, the bird loses its plumage, which remains to the attacker, while itself successfully flies away.

An equally important symptom that indicates a molt of stressful origin is a decrease in body temperature. Compared to physiological molting, in which the temperature rises slightly.

Knemidocoptosis (scabies)

During infection with scabies, the loss of plumage occurs mostly on the legs and skin folds, occasionally in other places. The bald parts of the bird's body will look bumpy and reddened. The parrot constantly scratches these bald patches and plucks feathers with its beak.

Diagnosis and treatment should only be carried out by a veterinarian or an ornithologist. The tick does not pose a danger to humans, and if it gets on the skin, it dies within a few days.

Molt of fungal origin

If the molting of a parrot passes at first glance normally, but the timing of its course is noticeably delayed, a fungus may be the cause. Most often this is due to a lack of hygiene, or the fungus was introduced through purchased food, or blows drugs.

Symptoms of such a molt are noticeable by the dryness of the skin and paws, which begin to crack. Areas of peeling on the beak and cere. The plumage crumbles unevenly, after which areas of bald patches can be found on the body. The skin becomes inflamed, itchy, and the parrot becomes irritable. Dropped feathers may have traces of blood on the tips.

Infection with a fungus leads to the fact that the parrot's skin becomes disheveled and ruffled. A sick bird should not be bathed or treated on its own. This approach will aggravate the already difficult situation, and the skin will begin to peel off even more. Treatment is prescribed by an experienced doctor.

The line is an integral part life cycle each parrot, but if it manifests itself with pathological symptoms, you should immediately call an ornithologist.

Budgerigars are excellent pets, they are friendly and sociable. Therefore, they are very popular among bird lovers. Having acquired a budgerigar, many people have questions about its content, in particular, how often do parrots molt?

Having bought a budgerigar from the bird market or pet store, most people have no idea how to care for it. Seeing the signs of molting for the first time, they get scared and think that something is wrong with the bird. Shedding in budgerigars is a normal phenomenon, it occurs twice a year.

The first time the parrot sheds at about the age of three months. The first molt lasts quite a long time, about two months. You should know that during molting, budgerigars increase their metabolism. Therefore, the owners should take special care of the bird during this period, give them special vitamins for parrots.

It is also required to ensure that the bird receives a varied diet and various mineral supplements such as crushed seashells, sepia, organic sand, mineral stone. During the molting period, budgerigars, first of all, fluff changes, and only then feathers.

Therefore, during molting, the parrot may look untidy. But do not be afraid of this, at the end of this process, the bird will again acquire its familiar appearance. You should also make sure that the parrot can bathe often during the molting period, this is simply necessary for him.

It is important to remember that in inappropriate bad conditions, the parrot sheds heavily. Shedding can continue even throughout the year, which cannot be considered normal. Therefore, before buying a parrot, you should study the content information.

Moulting in budgerigars lasts about a month. It is quite interesting to observe this process. First, the fluff falls out of the bird, gradually being replaced by a new one, then tubes begin to appear on the body of the bird, so feathers sprout. Interestingly, the old flight and tail feathers on the wing of a parrot fall out strictly in pairs.

And in the same way they grow synchronously, this is provided by nature so that the bird can fly even during molting. The owners of budgerigars need to know when feathers begin to grow in a bird, her whole body itches. Therefore, the character of the parrot deteriorates, it becomes nervous, shy and aggressive.

To alleviate the suffering caused by molting to your pet, you must first of all increase the humidity in the room. For example, hang wet rags on the battery and the parrot's cage. Also, do not forget about the ventilation of the room, it should occur regularly.

In the parrot's cage, throughout the entire molt, there should be a piece of ordinary chalk. In addition to minerals, you need to add germinated grains and greens to your daily diet. Sprouting grains of oats or wheat at home is quite simple.

To do this, you need to take an empty tin can, put cotton wool on the bottom, moisten it well, put grains on top, water as needed. In a few days, green shoots will appear, which are simply necessary for the bird during molting.

It is interesting to know that the birthplace of budgerigars is Australia, they live in flocks in nature. Parrots are quite sociable by nature, easily repeating various words and whole phrases. Scientists argue that such a repetition is meaningless, although the owners of these amazing birds claim the opposite.

It is simply impossible not to notice the molting of the budgerigar, it can be recognized by the fluff and feathers that have fallen in large quantities at the bottom of the cage. You should clean them up in time, the cleanliness of the home for a parrot, during this period, is very important. You also need to know that sometimes an untimely molt can be caused by additional factors, such as stress.

Stress molting can be caused by a change in owner, rough handling, a loud sound, fear, catching a parrot with your hands. It is because of stress that the sudden loss of feathers occurs. Also, a disease, the so-called French molt, can be the cause of a sudden molt (it was first noted in France).

It is not difficult to determine this disease, since feathers fall out only on the wings of a parrot, and new ones do not grow back. French molt is a very dangerous disease in which the bird can even die. The reasons why the disease occurs are very different, it is, most often, poor care, malnutrition, the same stress, lack of nutrients in the body.

Also, the exhaustion of the bird caused by frequent egg laying (more than twice a year) can serve as a reason. Shedding is always stressful for a parrot, so the owner needs to observe this process, and if something goes wrong, contact the veterinarian.

Molting budgerigars is a completely normal phenomenon that occurs twice a year. If the bird loses feathers more often, then you should pay attention to this, and immediately contact a specialist, otherwise you can lose your pet.

Not only cats and dogs can shed, but even birds, for example, parrots. - This is a natural process of changing plumage. She is not a cause for concern, but during the molting period, the parrot needs special care.

Moulting in parrots is juvenile and periodic. Juvenile molt is the molt of young, the first change of feather cover. The time of the first molt depends on the type of parrot and the conditions of keeping, but usually it begins at the age of 3-4 months and can last several months. Juvenile molting in parrots is usually quite intense, for some time your pet may look unpresentable, periodically bald patches may appear on the body.

Periodic molting in parrots occurs twice a year. and lasts about a month. Normally, the loss of feathers is not too noticeable: first, the fluff falls out, then the entire feather cover is gradually replaced, the flight and tail feathers are the last. A parrot does not lose its ability to fly during molting, because the flight and tail feathers are replaced symmetrically, in pairs, so that the bird can maintain balance.

In general, the mechanism of such a highly organized process as molting has not yet been fully understood, but it is known that molting in parrots is regulated by the central nervous system and endocrine glands. In particular, it is known that stimulates shedding hormone thyroxin which is secreted by the thyroid gland. So problematic molting can signal thyroid disease.

During molting, the metabolism of parrots becomes more intense, the body temperature rises. At this time, the bird needs more nutrients., so you need to provide a parrot with vitamin and mineral supplements.

At the pet store, you can buy vitamins for birds, which are added to food. You also need to provide the parrot with constant access to sources of minerals.(mineral stone, organic sand, crushed seashells, sepia, bone flour, eggshell, chalk, crushed shell rock, calcium glycerophosphate).

Parrots also need protein during the molting period. In nature, parrots willingly eat insects during molting, but it is not worth catching flies and beetles for them in urban conditions. It is better to go to a pet store and purchase one that suits parrots. It is also fashionable to give fat-free cottage cheese or a little boiled egg (chicken or quail).

During molting, parrots especially like to swim, so you do not need to deprive them of this opportunity. At all, during this period, air humidity is very important for the bird. In the cold season, when the air in the apartment is dry due to heating, you should use or at least put a wet towel on the battery, changing it periodically.

Usually the molting of parrots is quite calm, although sometimes parrots can become restless and irritable. During molting, the parrot is subject to stress, so you need to provide him with peace and comfort.. A parrot can pluck old feathers that cause him too much discomfort, but normally a bird should not get too carried away with plucking.

The flow of molting is influenced by many factors. Improper housing conditions and an unbalanced diet lead to improper protracted molting., in which bare skin is observed, and feathers do not grow back for a long time. In this case, you need to reduce daylight hours to eight hours - this will help stimulate molting. If this does not help, you need to contact your veterinarian.

There is also the so-called shock moult in parrots is a consequence of stress. With such a molt, the parrot loses feathers sharply or in bunches. The recommendations here are the same as for the usual molt. But in addition, you still need to provide heating to the parrot - during shock molting, the body temperature of parrots does not rise, and your pet may catch a cold.

Hello Olga.

Budgerigars make excellent pets, they are sociable, friendly and fairly easy to keep. If you have got birds at home, then you should know some features of caring for them.

For hygiene purposes, parrots often clean their feathers, spending several hours a day on this procedure. Seeing the fallen feathers for the first time, many are frightened. In fact, it may be a regular molt that occurs twice a year. Budgerigars begin to shed at about three months of age, and the process can take a long time, up to two months. During the molting period, the fluff first changes, and then the feathers, so the bird may look untidy. When new plumage grows, everything will be restored.

Nutrition during molting

At this time, the metabolism of birds increases, so it is recommended to add special vitamins to the diet, as well as mineral supplements, such as crushed shells, organic sand, etc. Put an ordinary piece of chalk in the cage and put a tray with sprouted grains of oats or wheat. Do not forget to clean up, remove fallen feathers and fluff in time.

During the growth of feathers, the entire body of the bird itches a lot, so the behavior of the parrot may change. He becomes nervous, shy, aggressive. To help your pet, increase the humidity in the room where the cage is located, and regularly ventilate. Don't forget to change your bath water often.

Dangerous symptoms

If the parrot itches, but does not show any signs of ill health, chirps, pecks food well, behaves actively, most likely there is no reason to panic. However, if the bird is shedding feathers, acting restless, or, conversely, appears weak and lethargic, it should be examined and, if necessary, taken to the veterinarian.

Shedding in birds can also begin due to stress. Loud noises, fright, change of owner, environment or mishandling of a parrot - all this can cause feathers to fall out. Due to poor care, the so-called French molt sometimes begins, when feathers fall out only on the wings and do not grow back. The disease is dangerous and can lead to the death of a pet.

Treatment in this case is complicated by the fact that parrots are sensitive to insecticidal drugs, so the dosage and type of medication should be prescribed. experienced ornithologist. To prevent infection of a parrot, experts recommend keeping the cage clean, washing the cage regularly, and changing water and food frequently.

I hope I helped you with advice.

Best regards, Olga.

If a necklace or budgerigar has settled in your house, then each owner needs to know how many times they molt, as well as all the features that are associated with this period, as well as how to properly care for the pet during this period. time interval.

Every person who is engaged in the cultivation of budgerigars knows that their molting does not have a clearly defined time period. The frequency of this process in budgerigars is affected by great amount factors. But, despite this, there is still a certain periodicity in this process.

In parrots, molting does not have a well-defined time period.

On the contrary, those who have encountered this problem for the first time do not understand why the budgerigar molts and what should be done about it.

Budgerigars statistically molt twice a year. In addition, in individual cases in these animals, a superficial change of plumage is observed, which can be triggered by a change in daylight hours, an increase in air temperature, as well as other identical factors.

Many owners who have acquired a budgerigar for the first time wonder when they have their first molt. The first time a parrot begins to molt at about the age of two to four months. The duration of the first molt can last for a parrot for several months. During this period, breaks may occur, and then the molt resumes again. The first molt stops as soon as the pet ends puberty.

The first signs that a parrot has started molting is the appearance of fluff in the cage, and only after that you will notice the appearance of peculiar stumps on the bird's head. Then, in place of the fallen feathers, a new plumage will appear.

If your parrot has started molting, then on the head of the bird you will notice the appearance of peculiar stumps

When budgerigars begin to molt, they experience a kind of stress. This condition of the budgerigar is accompanied by the following manifestations:

• the bird is irritable;
• there are signs of aggressive behavior;
• the bird becomes lethargic and shy;
• she partially or completely loses her appetite;
• the bird begins to itch strongly;
• there are difficulties in communicating with a parrot;
• the bird completely loses interest in toys.

Long-term observation of the behavior of budgerigars in the process of molting led to the conclusion that not all of the above signs will necessarily appear in a bird during molting. Basically, this process is accompanied by one or more symptoms.

In the process of molting, the budgerigar should be closely monitored, and if the molting is delayed in time, then you should immediately seek help from a veterinarian. This is necessary in the first place in order to exclude the presence of certain diseases.

Note! In the process of molting, the parrot activates metabolic processes, as a result of which the need for vitamins increases in the bird.

In the event that you notice that your bird is shedding too often, then this may not be shedding at all, but self-plucking. This condition is caused by the following factors:

• longing and boredom;
• manifestation of fear;
• excess or lack of sunlight;
• disease, moist or dry air;
• insufficient ability to move.

Regardless of what reason led to the molt, the parrot should be carefully observed. This will help to significantly alleviate the condition of the bird and speed up the process.

Not only the well-being of the parrot should be carefully monitored during molting, but also to ensure that the necessary vitamins and minerals get into his body during this crucial period. To do this, you should adjust the diet of your pet and be sure to include the following products in it:

• sesame seeds;
• vegetables and fruits;
• dairy products;
• greenery;
• as much water as possible;
• certain spices;
• mineral stone;
• mineral mixture.

During the molting period, you need to make sure that the necessary vitamins and minerals get into the body of the parrot

by the most the best option it is considered the purchase of food for budgerigars during molting, which contains all the necessary substances, vitamins and trace elements. Very often, parrot owners give their pets crushed raw egg shells. This should not be done until the shell has passed the pre-sterilization process. Otherwise, your pet may become infected with serious ones, such as salmonellosis or Newcastle disease, by eating a raw product.

Among other things, when a budgerigar sheds, you need to closely monitor the general condition of your pet, so you can help your pet during this crucial period of his life.

Also, during molting, you can buy sulfur or tsamaks in a veterinary pharmacy, which is its substitute.

As for the vitamins themselves, it is recommended to give them to the bird during the first molt only if the process proceeds with any complications and the parrot begins to feel unwell.

All vitamins are recommended to be given to parrots after the first year of their life. This should be done after reading the instructions or in consultation with a veterinarian. The dosage should always be observed regardless of whether the parrot has molted or not. While taking vitamins, fruits and vegetables should be excluded from the parrot's diet. This should be done not even because to exclude an excess of vitamin in the body, but in order for your pet to compensate for the loss of moisture exclusively with fortified water, and not by eating fruits.

Absolutely in any pet store you can buy completely different feeds designed for feeding birds in the process of molting. If you are faced with molting for the first time, then you should seek help from a veterinarian who will explain in detail how the owner should behave during this crucial period in the life of a parrot.

Bathing and humidity

During molting, the need for a certain air humidity in the necklace parrot increases significantly. In order to create the necessary microclimate in the room, you can not only use special humidifiers. For this, steam will be completely sufficient, which is released from any container during the boiling of water. Among other things, you can also put a damp cloth or put a saucer of water on the battery to humidify the air in the room.

As for bathing your pet, it is recommended to do this no more than once a week and only if the room is warm. Otherwise, hypothermia of the bird can be allowed. Also, if you maintain the optimum air temperature in the room, you can spray your pet with warm water or put wet greens on it.

Also, to facilitate scratching, you can put fresh branches of fruit trees in the cage, which will not only facilitate the process of scratching, but also bring a lot of pleasure to your pet.

During molting, it is very important to support your beloved pet in every possible way, as he feels all this and it is much easier for him to survive this period. Among other things proper care not only facilitate, but also speed up the process of updating the plumage. Only with the right approach, the bird will become much brighter in a few weeks and will again delight you and everyone around you with its chirping, and will also become even more beautiful and brighter than usual.