indian ringneck feather molt ???

[mariaa]

hello, am new here i’ve owned birds for years, yesterday i went to buy an indian ringneck male, weve decided to name him Kiko, he’s missing a lot of feathers on his chest and back. We was told that he was just feathering and that there other ring neck had just finished her heavy molt, I just wanted to know if this was normal, i’ve had my conure and cockatiel for a good long time and have never experienced loss of feathers, Kikos feathers seem to coming through slowly but he’s missing a lot of feathers. He’s just turned 2 years old and has his ring already.

 

[SailBoat]

Interesting answer from the Pet Store staff...

Molting is timed to specific seasons of the year with the largest molt time in the Spring season so that the Parrot is comfortable for the on-coming heat of Summer.

Since you did not provide a general location in this huge World, it becomes difficult to answer this question as those in the Great White North are deep into Winter and those in the Southern Hemisphere are in late Summer.

Most Parrots will reduce downy and body feather as the warmth of Summer beings and will replace and put in place new body and downy feathers as Winter begins to set in. As a result, the greatest loss of feathers tend to be as temperatures rise. In our household, our Amazon's late Spring early Summer can appear as if he had a molting party and invited a dozen of his friends to his party...

Near the Equator it is possible for an earlier molting season.

As an FYI: It is always appropriate to Vet Check a new member of the family and a hands-on, new Parrot Examination by an Avian Medical Professional is recommended...

 

[mariaa]

i’m in the uk, so it’s very cold at the moment, i can attach some photos of him.

 

[mariaa]

my apologies, i don’t know how to work this website and can’t attach a photo lol, but but his feathers on his head are all there but his chest and back are basically empty

 

[SailBoat]

Yes, you are clearly in the Northern Hemisphere.

It is uncommon for any Parrot to be undergoing a major molt this time of year in the North.

If your Parrot was in with another Parrot, that Parrot may have plucked your's. A Parrot under stress can pluck. Take a close look at the areas looking for any underlining issues, like skin rash, mites, etc... Also, any feathers that come out at your home, look at it closely, a molt feather will look natural, where a plucked feather tends to be mangled.

 

[mariaa]

 

[mariaa]

he was housed with 3 alexandrines and another ringneck so that seems likely, i messaged the people we got him from but we’ve had no response, i’ve kept him as far away as possible from my other birds incase it’s something more serious

 

[SailBoat]

my apologies, i don’t know how to work this website and can’t attach a photo lol, but but his feathers on his head are all there but his chest and back are basically empty

That sounds more like Plucking. Molting can look the same, but tends to be more commonly on the head where the feathers are much smaller and will look patchy when molting in that area. The larger feathers of the back and belly tends to be large enough that during molting the area looks uncared for not bare.

 

[mariaa]

The people just messaged, saying he was molting and had no feather on his wings belly or back but there growing back now, my sister thinks it’s a disease, it does look to be plucking, and Kiko seems to be fine and playful but i’m aware birds are very good at hiding illnesses, will try to get an appointment with a vet as soon as we can just incase

 

[Laurasea]

Quarantine!!! Could be PBFD!

No normal molt will result in any kind of bald patch.

Can be behavior plucking

Easy wat to attach pictures
Hit go advanced under text box click paperclip choose pic then upload on far right then close window abd post.

 

[mariaa]

i’ve tried to attach some images but they don’t seem to be showing up ?

 

[Laurasea]

Nope
You can also add pictures to your album
Click your name, then on right side yiu csn make an album.

There are other ways to do pictures, but I dint know how

 

[mariaa]

thank you !! i’ve added some pictures to an album, his loss in feathers is pretty bad but the people we’ve got him from are so certain it’s normal ?? i don’t know what to do, we’re going to try get a vet appointment asap

 

[wrench13]

http://www.parrotforums.com/members/mariaa-albums-ringneck-loss-feathers-picture23086-507b05b2-222d-4810-a3ce-09fac86a81ec.jpeg

That does not look normal. Hope its warm where you are.

 

[Laurasea]

that is not normal . People lie....especially to sell a bird.

Thus pattern makes me think there is a yeast overgrowth in gi, or bacterial gi issue. Or kidney infection.
Definitely needs to be checked out at avain veterinarian. With fecal gram stain

Can you take a picture of poop and share?

 

[mariaa]

hello, we spoke to the people this morning and they said that one of there alexandrines had been seen plucking there females feathers so they believe that that may of happened to kiko. they said they would have him back and we could have our money back but we called the avian veterinary and sent some photos over they said the rest of his feathers are completely fine and look healthy it just seems to be his belly and back and they believe it is due to plucking, we’re gonna take him to see a vet for a better check but they are confident it is plucking as there is a few marks on his back. Thankyou all

 

[Laurasea]

Funny how their story changes huh? Before they were telling you its normal!!!!

Sure it can be behavior. But behavior is because something is wrong that started them doing the behavior. Were they over crowded in a too small cage? Fed a terrible diet?
But they could have a health issue in the flock. It doesn't look PBFD. But I still think is a health issue. Very much needs a vet visit abd a fecal gram stain.

I'm glad you are keeping him if its not because of a health issue, he likely will not stop the feather plucking now.

So glad he is not with those people anymore. They lie, they have more than one bird with a problem ! DO nOt believe anything they tell you!!! Another bird didn't do this to HIM. HE IS PLUCKING , a health issue is likely

 

[mariaa]

yes there was a lot of them in one cage they had 3 alexandrines 2 ringnecks a quaker and a conure. I wanted to take them allll but they was 300 each. He seems a happy bird and is very friendly, we’re keeping him away from the other birds for now, he’s eating and drinking fine and he can still fly well, just gonna have to wait till we see the vet

 

[EEPEEP121]

yes there was a lot of them in one cage they had 3 alexandrines 2 ringnecks a quaker and a conure. I wanted to take them allll but they was 300 each. He seems a happy bird and is very friendly, we’re keeping him away from the other birds for now, he’s eating and drinking fine and he can still fly well, just gonna have to wait till we see the vet

Hello!!!
Was just reading through the post and wanted to know of any updates, what the vet said, and how Kiki is doing now?? pics? Lol