Laurie Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 I think Klaus might be beginning a molt. I have lots of really small grey feathers on the floor around his cage. He is looking and acting ok - I just have never seen these little feathers before and there seems to be a quantity of them. Anything special I need to know or do? My book doesn't say much - just that it will probably happen. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMustee Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 Well, Elmo is starting her second molt and this time it's more of just her back and flight feathers that are molting out. Her first molt was the head, neck and tail feathers. All you need to do is give lots of scratches (but be careful not to be too ruff with the pin feathers) and maybe an extra bath here and there. I think molting is more stressful on the owner than the bird...esp the first molt. Oh yeah, Klaus might get a little more testy too because the new feathers can be a bit irritating when they're coming in...so don't worry it's not you putting him in a mood. B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane08 Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 Try not to freak out as well with the quantity of feathers as I know when our male first molted I thought somehting had got him in the night as there were so many feathers around. He looked really scruffy as well. What also shocked me was that when he molted around the neck he really molted and I could see right through to his skin and the back of his neck nearly had bald patches on it. I was not prepared for that and freaked out a bit. Also the length of time the molt went on for amazed me, months and months. I thohght it would never stop. Now he has beautiful thick neck feathers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 Hi Laurie, I believe just about all our Greys have been going through a molt, satring from dec/feb onward. One thing to keep in mind also, is that the first molt is the largest a Grey will experience in their lives. They do go in stages as others mentioned already with the larger feathers coming out last i.e. primaries and tail feathers. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raposa Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 Wow, I guess I should have read this before I posted my question on the same subject! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGodfrey Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 At what age do they normally begin their first molt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGodfrey Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 At what age do they normally begin their first molt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Posted July 26, 2008 Author Share Posted July 26, 2008 Thanks, all! Klaus is about 1 yr and 4 months old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMustee Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 They start the first molt around a year old. Elmo is the same age, 1 year, 4 months. :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zooman Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 hes molting and whoa do they make a mess with those feathers and hes lasted like 5 months i think everyday and they fluffy down ones go everywhere happy cleaning. mine TAG is still on the last parts of his molt. hes a year and 7 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittykittykitty Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Yes, the down is everywhere!:laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMustee Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Elmo was molting really heavy for a little over a month and then is seemed to stop, but then it started up again about a week or two ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slmclean Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 oh yeah just cant wait for the molting chloe is loosing down feathers she shakes and it is raining little feathers but of course she is still a baby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarnold Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Dumb question, is it normal to lose down feathers at 4 months old? I find them around Hersheys cage, not a lot by any means but I find a few on a daily basis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raposa Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Then maybe Jenna is NOT molting, she is only 8 months old . . . ~frets~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMustee Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Greys are always dropping down feathers. When they molt they lose the normal feathers. It's normal for a young grey to shed down on a daily basis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zooman Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 yes it is normal ive found down feathers since the day i brought my first parrot home..they are very light and fly everywhere..haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raposa Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Yes, but what about several tail feathers, and the feathers on the back of her neck? It is not down feathers I am concerned about. Jenna is still pretty young for a full molt, it seems Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane08 Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Our male was 7 months old when he started his first molt. I remember it clearly as this is when the neck feathers started to look really bad and he nearly had bald patches on his neck. Here is a link of what his neck looked like and it even got worse than that. http://www.greyforums.net/forums/african-grey/44845-skin-condition.html He aslo dropped tail feathers at that age as I remember putting them in a frame to save them (sad I know, but they were so beautiful). He finished it when he was about just over a year old and he then had nice thick neck feathers and then he started with the flight feathers, lower chest feathers and more of the tail feathers. That is still on going as I found a flight feather yesterday and he is now 16 months old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raposa Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Thanks, Jane, that makes me feel better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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