Anyone else experiencing abnormal molting

[chris-md]

By abnormal I mean molting when they shouldn't be, in my case. But open to whatever "abnormal molt" may mean to you right now.

Parker is molting right now....in the spring. He NEVER molts in the spring, only ever Mid/late Summer (August/September). Its a light molt, 4 feather so far, but I can clearly see a primary about to give up the ghost, so no telling how extensive this will be.

For all the years he's been with me, his molt is intractably once a year. No mini molts, nothing. Just everything once a year, summer.

I have a few theories about what could be happening, but want to see if I'm alone here. Anyone else having molts when they shouldn't be?

 

[noodles123]

It could be something to do with you being home more if you are in lock-down. Noodles has been having a new/ semi-long molt too..

 

[Ekkyparrotlet125]

I've had Junior for almost 2 years now, and he seems to hardly molt (maybe once a year). I was surprised last week as it was clear he was going through a molt, so I wonder if it's maybe the weather or some other outside factor..

 

[chris-md]

Glad to know I'm not the only one.

I largely think its attributable to one of two things:

1. Molting typically follows breeding season, and we all know what that's been like for everyone, Parker included. The hormones levels - normally much lower for parker - may have been so high as to trigger a molting upon their decline? Parkers hormones seem to have started levelling off.

2. Limiting nutrients: He isn't nutrient deficient by any means with bloodwork to prove it, but I a couple weeks ago made a batch of chop that cut out/replaced all starch/rice with 2x riced cauliflower/broccoli, and added a bunch of beans [rare for him] because...well, beans, and variety. While not deficient, perhaps he was otherwise nutrient limited in some combination of calcium and protein. Dont see how given everything else I give him, but there you go.

Perhaps some combination of the two, perhaps completely unrelated and something else like being home more. But the timing is coincidental for these two.

 

[texsize]

Several of my birds have been molting just recently.
Merlin big and little feathers. I kept finding them in his food dish at morning feeding.
Bingo, he has been loosing mostly down feathers. Cage looks like a pillow exploded.
Angel has been loosing a lot of feathers of both kind. Almost looks like enough feathers to make another bird.
Lucky has been loosing large feathers.

I think in my case the molting is due to the sudden onset of hot temperatures in SoCal.

 

[noodles123]

I still think it is worth considering that we have all been home a lot more and that molts (in some species) occur following a breeding season. If us being home caused a surge of hormones like 1.5 months ago, and now things are leveling off, this COULD (in theory) make sense.

 

[chris-md]

I don’t fully discount it noodles, but these hormones didn’t start a month and a half ago. Some of us - more than you realize - have seen continuous hormones since the fall, across multiple species. I had maybe a couple weeks off back in January before they picked up again. :headwall:

 

[chris-md]

Several of my birds have been molting just recently.
Merlin big and little feathers. I kept finding them in his food dish at morning feeding.
Bingo, he has been loosing mostly down feathers. Cage looks like a pillow exploded.
Angel has been loosing a lot of feathers of both kind. Almost looks like enough feathers to make another bird.
Lucky has been loosing large feathers.

I think in my case the molting is due to the sudden onset of hot temperatures in SoCal.

Do you usually see molting this time of year?

 

[noodles123]

I don’t fully discount it noodles, but these hormones didn’t start a month and a half ago. Some of us - more than you realize - have seen continuous hormones since the fall, across multiple species. I had maybe a couple weeks off back in January before they picked up again. :headwall:

Lol as a U2 owner, I just operate under the assumption that 75% of life is hormonal lol..Sorry I couldn't help more!

 

[Laurasea]

Mine molted this spring, a light molt but normal mine seems to do molts twice a year. I thought that was normal..... They will do wings and tail this fall, it least some wing feathers

 

[wrench13]

Funny you mention molting, because Salty just started to loose fluff feathers and some small < 1" ones too. His mating season hormone rush seems to have abated, mostly, although he is still a bit grouchy at times.

 

[texsize]

Several of my birds have been molting just recently.
Merlin big and little feathers. I kept finding them in his food dish at morning feeding.
Bingo, he has been loosing mostly down feathers. Cage looks like a pillow exploded.
Angel has been loosing a lot of feathers of both kind. Almost looks like enough feathers to make another bird.
Lucky has been loosing large feathers.

I think in my case the molting is due to the sudden onset of hot temperatures in SoCal.

Do you usually see molting this time of year?

For the Amazons it's a little early, maybe 2 months.
The Cockatiels I am not sure.

 

[shinyuankuo]

I only had Winston since last November, and he's been molting constantly here and there. I don't know if he has a molt cycle, but I want him to molt so we can get rid of the stress dots. I debated if I should say this, BUT as a female human, I experience on/off period cycle, so...I guess it's acceptable and relatable?