Alexandrine Feather Issue

[feanor06]

I've had my Alexandrine, Gandalf, for about six months, and he is 13 months old. I noticed Gandalf is still showing fluffy white feathers around his wings. When I first got him, I attributed his fluffy feathers to his young age, but is it normal to still have baby downy feathers at over a year old? He eats 80% zupreem pellets and the rest is nuts, fruits, a few veggies and seeds, so I don't think it could be a diet issue. Am I just expecting him to grow up too fast? Is it normal to keep fluffy downy feathers this long? I just see videos of other Alexandrines and I get jealous of their beautiful, smooth, solid coats of radiant feathers. I'm attaching a picture in which you can see what I mean; look around the upper wing area. In the picture they look like bald spots, but that's just because of the poor quality picture. In real life you can see tufts of fluffy feathers poking out from in between the pretty red and green feathers. Thanks for any input!

 

[Spiritbird]

The birds usually preen these fluffy feathers off and you find many many of them on the floor and difficult to pick up too.
When you start to see feathers like this in the bottom of the cage the bird may be starting a molt. You have a very pretty bird.

 

[Pedro]

At 13 months i am thinking he is going through his 12 month molt in which case he will look rather ratty until all the old feathers are replaced. I notice most of his feathers are a little, can i say untidy or is that just the pic. If he doesn't improve in a couple of months maybe look at his diet. I would try more fresh fruits & veggies. And lots of showers will help with preening.

 

[feanor06]

At 13 months i am thinking he is going through his 12 month molt in which case he will look rather ratty until all the old feathers are replaced. I notice most of his feathers are a little, can i say untidy or is that just the pic. If he doesn't improve in a couple of months maybe look at his diet. I would try more fresh fruits & veggies. And lots of showers will help with preening.

Hi Pedro, he keeps his feathers well preened, though I can say he doesn't spend nearly as much time preening himself as my quaker or budgies do. His wing feathers are the only ones that look kind of ratty. I do not think he has gone through a good molt yet because he was hand raised in the pet shop and his first set of flight feathers were clipped and after 7 months he still hasn't grown in new flight feathers. Could you tell me more about the 12 month molt? Is that when parrots usually get their adult coats?

 

[Pedro]

Normally when an Alex goes through a yearly molt you first notice the lovely long tail feathers start to drop & are replaced. Flight feathers you should start to see the odd cut feather start to drop. It takes a few months before they look in perfect feather again. But they certainly go through a heavy molt.

Your Alex will start to gain his pink & black neck ring between the second & third year molt By the time he is 3 years he should have his full ring that's if indeed you do have a male.

 

[HRH Di]

I agree, it's probably just the beginning of a molt. Our Max looked just awful during his last molt, ragged and uncomfortable; but he's done now and back to his handsome self.

 

[feanor06]

Thanks for the information; its very reassuring to hear from another Alex owner, HRH DI.

Pedro, THANKS FOR THE SHOWER TIP!!! Gandalf never liked to bathe as much as my quaker and sun liked to, so I assumed he didn't like the water. But OMG was I wrong! I hung a large parrot swing in the shower with me far away from the water and put him on it just to get him used to the idea of being in the shower. But as I turned on the water, he started leaning in towards it, and when I pulled him into the stream, he was in birdie paradise! I've never seen him so happy! He held up his head and closed his eyes and let the water flow all over him. He fanned out his tail feathers and turned his head from side to side getting wet all over. Now he is dried off and his whole body just shines with a "just cleaned" luster. The fluffy white spots on his wings are even less noticeable now that his green feathers are fluffed up. I can't believe that a bird who I've only seen jump in his birdie bath twice in nearly a year LOVES to shower!

 

[umar]

hai friend dont worry about the fluffy feathers.ur bird is molting.the old feathers will be relaced by new fresh feathers.there shoulb also new feather growth on ur bird.ur bird is very pretty.fluffy feathers is normal thing with bierds so dont worry my friend.what is the age of ur bird

 

[MikeyTN]

Feanor, if you still come in here and if you read this...how's that Cockatoo???

 

[patterson]

Hey I have a alexandrine about the same age. Tho haven't seen many of the fluffy feathers on mine he's going thro his molt at the min and his feathers are bit ratty looking. He also had his wings clipped by the pet store but all on one wing has grown bck other wing has bit to go

 

[umar]

please let me tell u peterson if the diet is well balnced the yearly molt is a natural thing.i also have some pheasants & peafowls.they also get yearly molting.if the diet is well balnced its normal.i m keeping birds from my childhood.its much than hobby for me its my passion along with beautiful flowers

 

[umar]

hai paterson please always clip the wings of alexandrine if u like to bring him out of his cage.even the well tamed alexandrine escapes.it happend with me.

 

[patterson]

Yes we will be clipping again soon cause he's always outside with us. Plus he would be to light and quick if he flew in the house. But our macaw isn't and won't be clipping him as I'm training him to free fly. But it's going be long process but worth it when we have our macaws out free flying together in years to come

 

[umar]

In the case of Alaxandrine i say once again dont give him free flight.about macaws i dont know cause i have never owned a single bird.love birds are tamed very easily and u can leave them free flying.they come on one call from the owner.the only thing they are small parakeets.i give free range to my peafowls.they came back to home.but last week what happened i lost one bird.its was a great pain for me that i have lost the peahen.when an owner lost a pet its very painful.

 

[patterson]

read my posts again umar its says that im clipping my alexandrine again

 

[feanor06]

Thanks for all your comments. He is now 18 months old and still hasn't grown in new flight feathers since his first clip about a year ago. He has only grown in two new flight feathers on his right wing. I toweled him today for a closer look, and his clipped flight feathers are only about a centimeter long and splintered, as if he's been chewing on them but not pulling them out.

I'm worried because I thought he would have molted by now. I've also read a lot of articles about how normal it is for them to grow in the same feathers on the same wing at the same time, but his right wing looks beautiful and full (except about 3 clipped feathers) while his left wing flight feathers look chewed on and stubby. He also has a bald spot around his wing peaks (his elbows I guess?). I'm thinking if he doesn't grow in matching feathers on his left side within another month I'm taking him to the vet just to check for any disorders or deficiencies that may impede him from molting.

 

[mrob]

In the case of Alaxandrine i say once again dont give him free flight.about macaws i dont know cause i have never owned a single bird.love birds are tamed very easily and u can leave them free flying.they come on one call from the owner.the only thing they are small parakeets.i give free range to my peafowls.they came back to home.but last week what happened i lost one bird.its was a great pain for me that i have lost the peahen.when an owner lost a pet its very painful.

I lost an alex too they are SUCH escape artists, and very good at flying on a little-bit-grow-out clip!!! When i lost mine 5 were found in my city in the same week and none of them belonged to me! i rescued one but i would have killed to get mine back....i hope someone is fostering mine like i am fostering someone elses! sympathy for your loss