molting?

[lucky melatonin]

i know what moltings purpose is, however, i'm not sure what it looks like when a bird is going through it? is there any big change??

francis's grey layer is showing a little more (barely noticeable) and little grey fuzzies are coming off of him at times...is this molting? or just nothing?

also, how long does molting last?

thanks!:)

[bellarains]

Emily,

Some birds molt more heavily than others, but the little downy feathers coming out in a large quanity is usually the beginning of a molt. You will also find a flight, or a tailfeather from time to time, and that's normal too, as long as one is not broken off that is.

As for the length, I would say approximately about 3 months, give or take a little time. They shed feathers throughout their life, but there's no doubt when they are in full molt. If you don't already have one, you will need a dustbuster;)

[lucky melatonin]

i figured. haha. it's just been recently, and i guess he's about that age. he stared off losing a flight feather. and now i keep finding his little downy fuzzies on me.

i didn't really know what to expect, so thanks lots!

[kimsbirds]

My guess is you're seeing a molt now. Those little fuzzy feathers everywhere are a tell-tale sign!
Yep, Lori hit the nail on the head...buy a Dustbuster LOL

K

[butterfly1061]

Emily,

I keep a clear vase under each of my birds cages and keep some of the really pretty feathers, like tail & flight. They are great for dream-catchers. Actually, I have enough feathers from each bird to have double the amount I have :lol

[carrier]

Jackie,

I have about 20 or so beautiful feathers from Fenway! That's a good idea for what to do with them!

Emily,

Does Francis kind of "explode" with the little downy feathers when he/she flaps her wings or fluffs up to preen? Fenway has done that a few times and the first few worried me :omg:

Does Francis like baths or being misted? Those help them feel better during a moult, and if you add a tiny amount of Aloe to the water it helps them with the itchies. :D

[lucky melatonin]

no, i wouldn't say he explodes, they just kind of pop out on my randomly. i've been finding them in, around or on my shirt and the couch.

i give him a bath once a week, he does not enjoy it in the least. i think i'm going to start trying the mist instead, he'll probably get angry though:mad: ...
he has been straching and picking a lot, so i'll try the aloe for sure. is there any particular kind i should use? his poor little feathers just aren't as beautiful as the used to be! i told him we were going to go through about 3 months of ugliness, but i'd still love him!

[carrier]

Just plain Aloe...no additives.

I have an aloe plant so I just cut a small piece off of one of the ends, squeeze it a bit and put that into the spray bottle before adding the water. I shake the bottle so that some of the aloe mixes in. I know you can probably buy pure Aloe as well, but I figure that the plant I have is as good as anything store bought!:rolleyes:

[Christian]

i figured. haha. it's just been recently, and i guess he's about that age. he stared off losing a flight feather. and now i keep finding his little downy fuzzies on me.

i didn't really know what to expect, so thanks lots!

My birdie is going through the exact same thing..and we just had a vet visit and she confirmed he is going through his first molt. I currently have little fuzzy feathers everywhere! Your lovie might start having birdie dander too...I just recently started seeing it on Estrella's head (but of course he has a black face and head, so the dandruff shows up more!)
~By the way, I have been meaning to message you, I go to ETSU.

[lucky melatonin]

My birdie is going through the exact same thing..and we just had a vet visit and she confirmed he is going through his first molt. I currently have little fuzzy feathers everywhere! Your lovie might start having birdie dander too...I just recently started seeing it on Estrella's head (but of course he has a black face and head, so the dandruff shows up more!)
~By the way, I have been meaning to message you, I go to ETSU.

that's cool. i know a few people there. however, most of the people i met in my one year of high school here in tennessee went to MTSU. what's your major?

yeah, i don't think it's dander because it just recently started happening. and he's around 6 months old, so it should be a molt...at least i hope it's not dander haha.

[Christian]

I'm a public health major with a minor in spanish, I graduate this december...
I agree, he is going through his first molt, I was just adding that you will probably see birdie dander accompanying the molt.

[michael]

:D ...I just have to add. :) Surely some of our lovely birds have in fact been very creative regarding the whereabouts of their poops. Although quite rare, on top the head would be somewhat "unusual". You may check to see if maybe its keratin, the protective coating that appears to cover the newly forming feathers that breaks apart as they grow out. Kinda like some dandruff...............Michael and Goofy

[michael]

Christian. As per viewing this thread again, I did notice you had mentioned 'dandruff' earlier. Sorry about my misinterpretation. Whenever someone mentions 'dander' I assume their refering to fecal matter. Something that usually doesn't end up on a birds head. But then you never know :rolleyes:. Well, at least we know their not running around with poop on their heads :) .............Michael and Goofy

[Kathryn]

Those of us with multiple birds know that evidence of molt can last longer than 3 months...with 17 lovies... molting can cover 5 - 6 months of housekeeping. I invested in a BIG fuzzbuster!
:whistle: :rofl: :whistle:

[Janie]

Christian. As per viewing this thread again, I did notice you had mentioned 'dandruff' earlier. Sorry about my misinterpretation. Whenever someone mentions 'dander' I assume their refering to fecal matter. Something that usually doesn't end up on a birds head. But then you never know :rolleyes:. Well, at least we know their not running around with poop on their heads :) .............Michael and Goofy

Michael, :lol.....I kept reading back and looking for the POOP ON HEAD part in Christian's reply and couldn't find it! No wonder! ;)

[Christian]

Michael,

I kept wondering what you were referring to, oh well! Yes, I meant dandruff but I usually call it birdie dander..haha I would hope they are not running around with poop on their head..although that would be an interesting acrobatic feat!! :omg:

[michael]

Well, one things for certain everyone, I do a lot of running around with poop on "MY" head, thanks to a certain "lovebird" :roll:..................Michael and Goofy

[Janie]

Well, one things for certain everyone, I do a lot of running around with poop on "MY" head, thanks to a certain "lovebird" :roll:..................Michael and Goofy

I've carried my fair share, too, Michael! Don't notice it until my hairbrush gets stuck on a little something! :rofl:

[thebubbleking]

Lol you know they do it just to show other birds and people that they own you lol

[bellarains]

LOL, It still freaks my hubby out when a bird poops on his head. You would think after 6 years of bird poop, he would be immune. I mean, I don't like it much, but it's just a fact, if you have birds, you will get pooped on, no doubt about it.

Hey girls, I live in the Nashville area, so very familiar with MTSU, my hubby went to college there. My Son is a Senior at UTM, and yes, we do bleed Orange at our house:)

[Christian]

Lori,

I was recently in Franklin for TPHA...very nice area, I will be going to Nashville sometime early spring..my first trip there!

[Christian]

no, i wouldn't say he explodes, they just kind of pop out on my randomly. i've been finding them in, around or on my shirt and the couch.

i give him a bath once a week, he does not enjoy it in the least. i think i'm going to start trying the mist instead, he'll probably get angry though:mad: ...
he has been straching and picking a lot, so i'll try the aloe for sure. is there any particular kind i should use? his poor little feathers just aren't as beautiful as the used to be! i told him we were going to go through about 3 months of ugliness, but i'd still love him!

Thought..do you use cool water to bathe him in? Estrella prefers cool water, and I have read that most lovies do. Estrella won't bathe at all if the water is too warm.

[lucky melatonin]

it's lukewarm. i never thought about that maybe it was too warm. i always made sure it wasn't too hot, however, i didn't think about changing it up. good point. i just thought he was a little too nervous about it. i had him a birdy bath, but he would never get in it. so now i put him in the sink.

[lucky melatonin]

LOL, It still freaks my hubby out when a bird poops on his head. You would think after 6 years of bird poop, he would be immune. I mean, I don't like it much, but it's just a fact, if you have birds, you will get pooped on, no doubt about it.

Hey girls, I live in the Nashville area, so very familiar with MTSU, my hubby went to college there. My Son is a Senior at UTM, and yes, we do bleed Orange at our house:)


haha, my boyfriend is the same way. "emily, eww, you've got poop on you..." i don't even notice it sometimes. ok, most times.

i like to pretend i bleed orange, however, i never go to games! plus, i've only lived here for 2 years now...i'm from baton rouge, so i love LSU. i admit it!

[Janie]

i like to pretend i bleed orange, however, i never go to games! plus, i've only lived here for 2 years now...i'm from baton rouge, so i love LSU. i admit it!


OH NO! Wait till I tell Lori....we've got a traitor on board! :omg: :rotfl :D :rofl: ;) ;)

[beckyg]

i like to pretend i bleed orange, however, i never go to games! plus, i've only lived here for 2 years now...i'm from baton rouge, so i love LSU. i admit it!

:omg: LOL:rotfl I think those are fighting words to most of Tennessee! I am wearing orange today at work and honestly... shh8o .. don't tell anyone... I am kinda sick of the color.:wink: heh heh heh

Uh oh, I think someone is probably going to hunt me down now.

Ya know, I am glad that you guys mentioned that about the warm water, I too have tried to give Luna a warm bath because our house is kinda cold and I didn't want her to freeze. She wouldn't go near it after the initial taste test. I will have to try cold.

Thanks!!

[Janie]

:omg: LOL:rotfl I think those are fighting words to most of Tennessee! I am wearing orange today at work and honestly... shh8o .. don't tell anyone... I am kinda sick of the color.:wink: heh heh heh



Becky, I'd never tell on you for that one! :D Of all the colors they could have chosen, WHY ORANGE????? :omg: A color that, IMHO, would only be flattering on a bird! :lol Anyway, I have it and I wear it, too, but I am not lovin' that color! Living here, I had to give up wearing two of my favorite colors during football season....red and black! Don't want anyone thinking I'm a Bulldog fan! ;)

[Z28Taxman]

Becky, I'd never tell on you for that one! :D Of all the colors they could have chosen, WHY ORANGE????? :omg: A color that, IMHO, would only be flattering on a bird! :lol Anyway, I have it and I wear it, too, but I am not lovin' that color! Living here, I had to give up wearing two of my favorite colors during football season....red and black! Don't want anyone thinking I'm a Bulldog fan! ;)

You could always wear Blue and White! :evil:

[Janie]

You could always wear Blue and White! :evil:

(Navy)Blue and white for WHAT.....PENN STATE???? Please!:nyah:
SEC football is the only football in my little world! :whistle:

Or do you mean KY????? We don't have to deal with them till next week! :D

[Z28Taxman]

(Navy)Blue and white for WHAT.....PENN STATE???? Please!:nyah:
SEC football is the only football in my little world! :whistle:

Or do you mean KY????? We don't have to deal with them till next week! :D

Now who do you think I mean? :wink:

Besides, God must be a Penn State fan or he wouldn't have made the sky Blue and White! :nyah: Besides I think JoePa and god are old high school buddies. :rofl:

[Janie]

Dave, as you might remember, my hubby is from Pittsburgh and his brother went to Penn State and lives in Harrisburg but tell me....can JOE get onto the field w/o the help of a cart to drive him there? :nyah:

The time DOES come.....to retire! :whistle:

What was this thread about, originally? :rofl: :rotfl :rofl: :rotfl I just love it when we get off topic! :D GO VOLS! :clap

[Z28Taxman]

Dave, as you might remember, my hubby is from Pittsburgh and his brother went to Penn State and lives in Harrisburg but tell me....can JOE get onto the field w/o the help of a cart to drive him there? :nyah:

The time DOES come.....to retire! :whistle:

What was this thread about, originally? :rofl: :rotfl :rofl: :rotfl I just love it when we get off topic! :D GO VOLS! :clap

Ha! Joe still runs on and off the field (except last year when he had his leg broken when he got run over on the sideline). Heck he still sprints along with the players in practice.