Feather loss issue..

[Moddy]

So i'd like to say i'm not scared but I am. I don't know if this is normal or not but my birds been loosing ALOT of feathers lately and it's not because he's plucking because he's not I watch him sit and clean himself and he's just sifting the one's that aren't attached out which is alot and well he's really happy because he's now in my room and started regergatating on me. @_@ Ew, yeah but meh..Is he doing this because it's changing seasons? My cockatoo seems to be doing it too. Is your bird doing this right now too? Normal? meh help! T__T Depending on what advice I get is detirming if i'm going to take him to the vet. I pay for my animals own vet bills so I have to wait until I get a few more pay checks since working at a daycare certainly isn't making me roll in the dough but yeah.. I will get him there if I have to.

 

There the feathers little one from his chest and like the kind around his neck, not the pure tiny white ones, one's that actually have the stem.

[judygram]

Don't worry, I think they are going thru a molt and they will lose a lot of downy feathers then and others have indicated this is the time of year for it. You should notice pin feathers too coming in to replace the ones falling out.

 

No need for a vet visit at this time since everything else if fine especially if he is regurgitating for you, so rest easy and save your money for the day you really need it.

[Moddy]

Ahh thank you, lol I feel better ;D

 

My dad said they probably are both growing new feathers blah but what kid listens to their parents that often?

 

Sad I have comfort in strangers more then my dad lol.

[danmcq]

I agree with Judy, it sounds like a normal molt taking place.

 

Regarding your seeking advice from other than your Father:

 

There's a saying "When I was 16, I couldn't believe how stupid my parents were. When I became 25, I couldn't believe how much they had learned".... ;-)

[judygram]

Dan is right, when as teenagers we never want to listen to our parents, for what do they know we think, but when you are older you will realize how much we do know, so give Dad a break, he only has your best interests at heart. But you can come to us for help any time dear.

[imran]

i think moult too.. judy is right.. dont worry soooooo much..

since u know he aint plucking.. trust yourself

[birdmom]

Hi Moddy,

The regurgitating means the bird is in love with you. They have an instinct to feed their loved ones. Birds do that by regurgitation. So your bird wants to feed you it's the ultimate complement from a grey! Lucky you. But you should try to sandbag at least $500 and put it aside for annual vet visits and perhaps more in case of birdy emergencies.

Joanne birdmom

[Moddy]

Yeah the puking is one of the reasons why I really didn't think he was plucking. And well yesterday he started lowering his wings alot more showing the grey part of his back and making squeeky noises lol.

 

And well sandbag? put away? 500 is alot lol I only get paid about 110 a week lol xP To much for a daycare salary T_T

[birdmom]

Ok i see. Well, try your best for the bird's sake. The kissing sounds and lowering the wings, that's mating behavior and it is being misdirected at you because your bird is bonding to you and is at the age of sexual maturity for a CAG. You should try to discourage that, and don't laugh when he does it. What you want to do is indicate to the bird you aren't interested by moving him away to another perch area and act uninterested. Otherwise, it will mess up his natural instincts since we really don't want our bird to think of us as a mating partner.

[birdmom]

Ah. To clarify, the regurgitation and the plucking are probably not related, unless he actually is plucking, it may be from sexual frustration. If you see your bird is plucking, you do need to take him in to see an avian specialist. A molt is normal however and not at all related to regurgitating for you.

[fourtrap]

Moddy you don't have to worry it's that time of year that they start molting, all of mine are molting now what a mess around here :laugh:

 

Benny

[Moddy]

A mess indeed. Gosh @__@ It looks like hell in my room.

[birdmom]

Hi Moddy,

I hope everything is ok. I've never seen a full molt maybe because I live in California? But I used to live in Colorado and I don't remember ever having that many feathers coming out at once...maybe a dozen or so. Ah, do you give your bird a bath/shower? That may have something to do with it. They need showers a couple times a week and it helps alot with preening and molting. I have a shower perch about midway up the wall, and I just put the shower on lukewarm, not even warm water and not a hard forceful spray, it nees to be gentle. Then I move the spray up over them on and off, for about ten minutes, they don't like to be under the entire spray. I try to keep it off their face. That may help speed this molt up for you and make it not so messy. Good luck I hope it helps you! birdmom

[birdmom]

Moddy,

Why don't you try getting up on this website www.africangreybirdshop.com. Just set up a username and password and then you can post a question there and they will reply to you. You may have to ignore some of the stuff some bad people put on there as a joke. This is the bird shop in Denver where I bought Buddi and they are really knowledgeable, and will answer your concerns not as laypersons but as professionals in the field but they are not veterinarians; however, many of the employees there are vet techs so I suspect you can get some good guidance there to decide if you need to see a vet, or not. Be sure to tell them what part of the world you are in and the climate. You will see I have made some postings there and they replied to me. Good luck, birdmom.