Is my Tiel molting again?

[Safamirza🤍]

Hello! I have a male Tiel named Kiko, who is around 13 months old.

I need some help and advice from you guys. Kiko had his first molt in, if I remember right, August. That would be when he was around 9-10 months.

I don’t remember how long the molt lasted, but it was a couple of weeks till we fully saw no more pin feathers.

About a week ago, we noticed that Kiko is randomly losing a lot of feathers. It’s mainly little fluffy ones, with some bigger ones occasionally. I was really concerned and I also noticed that at the back of his head, there’s a thinner layer of feathers now, as compared to before. Also, RIGHT under/behind his crest, I see a very small bald spot. Is this normal? It didn’t happen when he first molted. I was told by a friend that it is normal because they are related to cockatoos who also get bald spots. Is this true?

Today I blowed at Kiko and when his feathers on his chest moved away, I noticed one or two little pin feathers that are opening up. I don’t see many pin feathers anywhere else, though. Could this be molting? I don’t know if this is sickness or something because he seems fine to me otherwise.

Only thing Im confused about is why do I see that little bald spot because it wasn’t there when he first molted? He also seems a little itchy at times.

please can someone help me understand what is going on? Can cockatiels molt twice a year? Should I be concerned?

Thanks to anyone who replies!

 

[Safamirza🤍]

Hello! I have a male Tiel named Kiko, who is around 13 months old.

I need some help and advice from you guys. Kiko had his first molt in, if I remember right, August. That would be when he was around 9-10 months.

I don’t remember how long the molt lasted, but it was a couple of weeks till we fully saw no more pin feathers.

About a week ago, we noticed that Kiko is randomly losing a lot of feathers. It’s mainly little fluffy ones, with some bigger ones occasionally. I was really concerned and I also noticed that at the back of his head, there’s a thinner layer of feathers now, as compared to before. Also, RIGHT under/behind his crest, I see a very small bald spot. Is this normal? It didn’t happen when he first molted. I was told by a friend that it is normal because they are related to cockatoos who also get bald spots. Is this true?

Today I blowed at Kiko and when his feathers on his chest moved away, I noticed one or two little pin feathers that are opening up. I don’t see many pin feathers anywhere else, though. Could this be molting? I don’t know if this is sickness or something because he seems fine to me otherwise.

Only thing Im confused about is why do I see that little bald spot because it wasn’t there when he first molted? He also seems a little itchy at times.

please can someone help me understand what is going on? Can cockatiels molt twice a year? Should I be concerned?

Thanks to anyone who replies!

I just also noticed tiny tiny little pins where the bald spot is. Are these crest feathers?

And something I would like to add to my thought was is he molting again because of the change in weather? We live in Canada and it recently started snowing and got colder.

 

[zERo]

Birds perpetually molt but could have two big molts a year, pins on the bald spot are likely crest feathers.
Often birds have many mini molts than one big or a 'split' molt which I see in my budgies often.

 

[Safamirza🤍]

Birds perpetually molt but could have two big molts a year, pins on the bald spot are likely crest feathers.
Often birds have many mini molts than one big or a 'split' molt which I see in my budgies often.

Is it normal that it’s happening to a cockatiel?

 

[Niner10Tango]

Is it normal that it’s happening to a cockatiel?

Yes, this is normal. By looking at your profile pic, your pied cockatiel is a beauty. I don't know about the disposition of your cockatiel when it's molting, but mine gets really cranky. He just finished a molt not to long ago.

 

[Safamirza🤍]

Yes, this is normal. By looking at your profile pic, your pied cockatiel is a beauty. I don't know about the disposition of your cockatiel when it's molting, but mine gets really cranky. He just finished a molt not to long ago.

One of the other signs that this was a molt is that he looks very itchy and agitated at times, which is he how acted when he first molted and would get angry easily.

 

[Safamirza🤍]

One of the other signs that this was a molt is that he looks very itchy and agitated at times, which is he how acted when he first molted and would get angry easily.

I don’t like to watch my Kiko in any kind of discomfort but we can’t do much other than keep it warm for him and occasional sprays. I also heard you can help them “preen” their pin feathers once they’re ready but he won’t let us touch them, which is strange because he is normally fine with anything we do.

 

[SailBoat]

Molting is a reality with Hook Billed Parrots and as stated above, they commonly have two major molts each year. It can be confusing with a very young Parrot as they also have a baby molt and then shift into a more consistently timing based on time of year and temperature variation. And just to add more confusion to it all, they commonly molt their Flight Feathers throughout the year commonly balanced between the wings or separately the tail feathers with a goal of never allowing themselves to not being able to fly.

Body feathers and downy feathers molts are common twice a year with time of year and more importantly, temperature playing major parts. That said, and also, as stated above, they will loss body and downy feathers though-out the year, based on wear, age, available stored energy and comfort. Yes, new feathers (pins) as they come in are uncomfortable, but not as much as old feathers that had become loose and are twisting in its root.

Thank you for being concerned with whether your Parrot is in pain or not. But the great advantage of flight comes with the demand of having feathers in flight condition, body feathers that stating the health of the Parrot and downy feathers that help them adjust their body temperature.

The never ending reality of the complexity of being owned by Parrots!!

 

[Oopsadaysey]

Munchkin molts about 3-4 times a year, every season change. My husband sits for ages opening her pin or green feathers, he says its cathartic for both of them. He particularly works on her "personality feathers" aka the crest as this is how you can tell everything about a tiel, and she can't actually get to them.
When we lived in North Qld she basically molted every couple of months, but now we live at the completely geographic opposite in the country, its much cooler and its seasonal. A healthy bird preens, a lot.