Momo -Very bad molting

[nelson]

Hi everybody,

 

my bird Momo is loosing a lot of feathers at the moment. We have been to the vet and she was PBFD tested - negativ. She is 9 months old. We received Korvimin ( Minerals, Vitamins etc), but still she is lossing feathers. Her diet is perfect ( according to the vet) and she is eating fine. She has probs flying so, not as good as normal. We still worry about her, do you think it is her first molt.? I cannot find

anything in my books about it, only that greys loose feather all around the year. It seems very much differnet with Momo. Out other bird is 6 months and looks perfect. Pls advise, I am rather desperate

about some information.

Sorry for my English I am writing from Germany.

 

Grds, Karin

[Morana]

Hi!

We could be more helpful if you would be more precise. For example.. What does "a lot of feathers" mean? 2-3, 5 a day,..give us an estimate. How long ago did you take Momo to the vet? Is it an avian vet? What does his diet consist of, exactly? Is he preening a lot? Maybe chewing his feathers? How long ago did this condition appear? Could you please post some pictures? It would be very helpful. Does he bathe regularly? Were there some new, stressful situations/changes recently in his life?

Please try to be detailed in answering those questions.

 

PS: don't be desperate-not yet anyway;-). We'll help anyway we can. There are many knowledgeable members on this forum who have a lot of experience with CAGs/TAGs and some other birds.

Edited February 17, 2011 by Morana

[nelson]

Hi,

 

yes, or Doc is an Avian vet. He is lossing feathers now for about 3 weeks. At first there was a great loss. 10-15 feather, grey ones large and little,

almost all Tail feathers ( he is getting new ones now) and so far 3 wing feathers. He is not baldy at any places but not looking as normal. His diet is

Mikes mash, Fruits and vetagbles in the morning, in the afternoon normal parrot food, containing sunflower seeds, and all sorts of corn. He is not chewing his feather or plucking. Unfortunately he not bahting regularly and he hates being sprayed. We bought a humifyer. apparently he spent 6 days with the vet. His mate Kikki too. We keep him in the living room so it is warm. 22 degrees Celsius. When he spent his time at the vet it was much colder. ( around 10 degrees Celsius)Could this be the course. She has not got a cold, eating fine.

 

Rgds Karin ( Hope my English is good enough for explanations)

[Morana]

I just don't understand this sentence: "apparently he spent 6 days with the vet.". What does it mean? Did you know they were at your vet? Why were they both there? And why were they there for so long? Do you know what happened during that time they were at the vets? I've got to ask, don't mean any disrespect, -do you trust this vet? What tests did your vet do? Did Momo bathes at all, in any way? Please post pictures.

In my opinion 10 degrees Celsius is cold. I would freeze my ass of, pardon my language. Why was the temperature so low? And, don't know if you answered this somewhere before, but how long do you have your birds? Did they have previous owners?

[Morana]

And I forgot to ask. How long ago were they at your vet?

[judygram]

They will lose a lot of feathers when they molt but there should be no bald spots, the tail and wing feathers do not all fall out at the same time, usually just a few so they are capable of flight at all times, they will look a little scruffy when molting.

Morana asked some pertinent questions so if you give us some more info then we may be better able to help you.

[nelson]

Hi

about 4 weeks ago. And I forgott, afterwards we had to go with him and had his blood taken for the PBFD test. Stress again. Thanks God - negativ.

[nelson]

Our Vet keeps African Greys himself. He meant it would be good if he could watch the two for a little time. They were fine. Momo had a problem being weaned. He lost a lot of weight. The Vet watched him for the 6 days and now he is eating fine. He would only eat outside, being used to his injection feeding. I was glad at the time because I worried about his weight. The Vet meant best is to take the two, because they are used to eachother. Momo has a disablement. He neck is not straight and one leg too. This was done by the parents in the nest. So she was taken out after 3 days and handfed. When we got her, we had to handfeed her for a long time. The breeder said she would never be able to fly. She is doing fine. She still can fly, but not as well as she used to. When she was very young she used to fall a lot and the tail feather were broken. I am glad that they are being renewed now. She ist getting 9. Hope this is detailed enough. Rgds Karin

[Morana]

So let me get this right. You went to your vet with both of your birds 4 weeks age. Momos condition got bad 3 weeks ago? And when afterward did you go again to the vet? You didn't answer a lot of my questions. Please, go through them again and answer them all. Without your answers it is hard to comment on the situation. If you are having problems with the language please say so, we''ll try to deal with that too. I use this on line dictionary, so see if you could use it http://www.eudict.com/index.php?word=procjena&lang=gereng#

[nelson]

No we went to the vet 4 weeks ago. And Momo is loosing feathers since 3 weeks.

[nelson]

I am still in contact with the vet. Momo is loosing less feathers. But still quite a few. Today a larger grey feather and a couple of small from the chest. No baldy patches so. But he looks a bit ruffled.

 

When we brought the two to the vet for the 6 days, we did not see were they were kept. But we did went we collected them. I thought it was cold.

We have sometimes very cold times here in Germany. A couple of weeks ago it was minus 20 degrees C. I am glad they were not there at that time. I will try and make some photos later on and send them to you.

 

Momo is a quiet bird, very nice. Kikki is rather a macho. She is fine. That is what I cannot understand, because they were both there.

 

Rgds Karin

[Morana]

I'm sorry, I really don't get the tame frame. I have a difficulty understanding you. Maybe someone else will understand better.

From my end I can only offer that you write everything, to the last letter, in German, describing everything in great detail and I'll give it to my father to translate it.

[nelson]

Ok dann in Deutsch,

 

Also Momo ist 9 Monate alt. Er hat eine Behindrung- einen schiefen Hals und ein schiefes Bein. Es stört ihn nicht und der Tierarzt meint er kommt gut damit zu REcht. So vor ca. 4 Wochen waren Momo und Kikki für 6 Tage beim TA untergebracht. Momo hatte schlecht gefressen, wegen der Handfütterung hat er Futter nur ausshalb der Voliere zu sich genommen und viel Gewicht verloren. Sein Gefieder war schon da nicht sehr schön, weil er mit ca 13 Wochen laufend gefallen war und sich die Schwanzfeder abgeknickt hatte. Das Füttern im Käfig klappte danach sehr gut. Bei uns werden die Tiere bei ca 22 Grad Celsius gehalten. Beim Tierarzt waren es nur 10 Grad C. Ich hatte befürchtet er hat nun Mauser. Unser Tierarzt meinte wir sollten einen PBFD Test machen lassen auch wegen der roten Federn am Bauch und an den Beinen. Der war negativ. Als die Beiden zurück waren dauerte es ca 1 Woche und Momo verlor viele Federn - am Anfang 10-15 Stück, 3 Schwarze, viele Graue und viele graue kleinere vom Bauch und der Brust. Und fast alle roten Schwanzfedern. Er bekommt Korvimin ( Vitamine, MIneralien etc). Er verliert jetzt weniger Federn aber immer noch einige und er sieht ziemlich zerfleddert aus. Es kommen nun viele Federn nach unter anderem 9 große Schwanzfedern.

 

Baden tun meine nicht. Wir sprühen sie aber regelmässig ab und haben einen Luftbefeuchter sodass die Luftfeuchtigkeit bei 60 % liegt.

Sie haben eine voliere 2x2x1 Meter. Ausserhalb einen großen Kletterbaum und Seile zum spielen.

Er bekommt morgens Mikes Mash, Quellfutter und frisches Obst und Gemüse. Nachmittags Körnerfutter. Beide fressen sehr gut und nehmen zu.

Momo hat 430 g Kikki 470 g.

 

Die voliere wird täglich gereinigt. Ich hoffe das ist nun detailiert genug. Fotos schicke ich, sobald ich herausgefunden habe wie man diese hochlädt.

 

Dank und Gruß Karin

[Morana]

Here is the translation. You all know my English is also not all that great but I'll do my best. One thing, tho. Karin, some sentences are written like you are talking to someone who already knows your situation. I mean, sentences are a bit hectic at times, you jump from one point to another without linking it and the whole story is, in my opinion, still missing some key details. This is in no way a criticism. It is a request that you add or correct whatever seems a bit off in my translation.

 

Comments in the brackets are my own comments. Her sentences are translated almost literally so there wouldn't be losses in translation. Few adjustments about the context tho. Here goes..

 

Momo is 9 months old. He has a handicap - his neck is curved as is his leg. It is not a problem for him and the vet thinks that's because he got used to it. 4 weeks ago Momo and Kikki spent 6 days at their vet. (Next sentence is really hard to translate because it doesn't have that much sense to me and this is my best estimate of it): Momo ate poorly because he used to be hand fed in the aviary. As a result he lost weight. Even before that his feathers weren't really pretty because he started loosing them when he was approx 13 weeks old, and his tail feathers "broke" (I don't have a better word for it). Feeding in the aviary was satisfactory. At our place (what ever that means-aviary or at home(?); or the term aviary was meant like a cage in the house but I doubt it because of a later reference in the text to its dimensions) temperature was at 22 degrees Celsius. At vets place was only 10 degrees Celsius. I thought he was molting. Our vet suggested we do a PBFD test because of the red feathers on his belly and feet. Test was negative. When both of my birds came home (approx a week later), Momo lost a lot of feathers. At the beginning, he lost 10-15 feathers, 3 black (can't say whether those 3 are a part of previously mentioned 10-15 feathers, or it a separate event), many gray, big ones, along with gray little ones which were from the chest and the belly. He lost almost all the red ones from the tail. He got vitamins and minerals. Now he looses less feathers but still looks pretty shabby. Eventually he grew back many new feathers, and among them, 9 big black ones.

We don't bathe him, only mist him- sometimes. Also we have a humidifier. Humidity levels are at about 60%.

The birds have an aviary of this dimensions: 2 x 2 x 1 meter.

They also have a big tree (I suppose it is a branch) for climbing and ropes for playing.

In the morning Momo gets Mikes Mash, some fruit and veggies. In the afternoon he gets a seed diet.

Both of them are gaining weight. Momo has 430 grams, and Kikki 470 grams.

Aviary is cleaned daily.

Hope this is detailed enough. I'll send pictures as soon as I figure out how to upload them.

Thanks and regards, Karin

[nelson]

Hi

 

thanks for the translation. It is very good. Our Bird cage in the house IS 2mx2mx1 m that is by law the minimum here in Germany. Unfortunately nobody bothers. Momo did NOT eat in her cage. Only outside!I had to give him food by hand. That was the problem. He was around 8 months old, and still having 1 x daily an injection of handfeeding formula. That is why we decided to give her to the vet for 6 days. Otherwises he would have lost to much weight. But that is over with and she is eating fine. The problem is the feathers.

 

Rgds Karin

 

Ps. Morana - is your Dad German - he can understand German very good!

[Morana]

No problem for the translation ;-)

 

Ps. Morana - is your Dad German - he can understand German very good!

No, he is not. When he was around 23 years old he went to Germany, without knowing to even say hello in German. Stayed there for 6 years working and carrying a dictionary and comic books all around, he learned. The problem is that it was a long, log time ago so his German is not even close to how it was back then. But he did his best :-)

He will be very proud when he hears what you've said ;-) Tnx

[nelson]

Send him my regards and tell him that he can be proud. German is not easy to learn, many people can speak but not write or even translate.

 

Rgds and thanks Karin

[Morana]

I will, tnx:-)

 

And Karin, we now know a bit more about your birdie, but I strongly recommend numerating all my questions and answering them ONE BY ONE so we would have a better picture of the situation. This, what we now so far, in my opinion, is not nearly enough. Have patience and understand that people on this forum haven't seen your bird and can't guess what is wrong with him unless you write it ALL down. It may seem to you that you've said everything already, but I assure you, there are still some questions to be answered first. And please, post most recent (new) pictures of Momo. If you still can't figure out how to upload them, just tell us and we'll explain that too. I know it is a bit frustrating...-saying so much and still not in a way that everyone understands. Don't give up, I feel the same way most of the time ;-)

[nelson]

Hi

 

I have made pictures, from Momo and I have one from before he started loosing his feathers. As far as I understand I must load my pictures first to a server ( something like Kodak) and than post the link. Is this correct.? I will have more time tomorrow as it is Saturday. I will try and do my best. Maybe it is easier for you to see. Infact Momo has not lost a feather today. And he is getting many new feathers. In my house he can fly

upstairs because the living room is open. He does in steps now, but it works.

 

Until tommorw, rgds Karin

[nelson]

Hi

hope this works with my photos.

http://img834.imageshack.us/i/1000080nl.jpg/

http://img535.imageshack.us/i/1000079z.jpg/

Rgds Karin

[Morana]

The photos are very small. Try this:

Register at http://register.photobucket.com/

Then when you are logged in, choose "Upload now".

Than it gives you choice to select pictures/videos from your computer to upload it. When the picture is uploaded you choose "Save and continue to my album". When in album, go with the pointer above the picture you wish to put on this forum. Under the picture it says "IMG code" and you left click the box with the code and then it is copied. Paste in your thread and that is that! :-) Of course, the picture will be as big as original if you haven't re sized it.

If you have more pictures, do upload them too.

 

And Karin, if you haven't noticed, you can't get answers to your question until you answer ALL our (mine) questions first. This is my last time that I am reminding you of that. From this point on, it is up to you. Good luck! :-)