My quaker's tail feathers are taking so long to grow

[parrotkinkajou23]

My quaker has lost many of his tail feathers, and I am worried that they won't come back for a while. I think he is just going through a molt, but I am worried. The feathers have not started growing back yet, and the first one he lost still hasn't started growing too after months. Please could someone give me some advice?

Thanks!
-Blue, 9-month quaker parrot

 

[Laurasea]

welcome to the forum. More information abd pictures will help.
A quick way to share a pic is click go advanced under the text box, then hut tge paperclip, choose yiur picture then hut upload on the far right. When loaded close the window and post. It will attach as a thumbnail.

A molting bird will never look bare or loose all the tail feathers at once. So it could be behavior as in he is pulling thrm out. This can be because he has a bacterial or yeast infection in gastric system. Or other health issues. Do getting him checked out by a certified avain veterinarian is the first step. And yes most of us have to drive an hour or 2 to get to a certified avain veterinarian. But uts absolutely worth it.

I have a special soft spot for blue quakers as my first quaker was my Neptune blue. Whst is yours name?

What does your quaker eat? Quaker really like veggies and leafy greens, all of mine took to them quickly. I also feed seed mix and pellets.

Cage size is important. Spending losts if time out of the cage is important. Teaching foraging is excellent fun, you can do together, and teach them to fo on their own.

Getting 10-12 hours if uninterrupted sleep a night is a must.

Offering baths at least twice a week. Fir me I have a wide shallow sturdy dish, I put fresh water in it daily about 2 inches deep, they choose when to take a bath. But splashing in it with your hand usually has them them run over sbd want a bath. The sound of splashing is very trigger for bath .

Lots of easy to shred stuff, like burds bagel, shredder rolls, yucca chips.

 

[parrotkinkajou23]

Thanks for your advice!
It was just after he took a bath that his feather fell out. Maybe it was the hairdryer that scared him a little so his feather came loose, I don't know.
He wasn't pulling them all out, I think it was just a molt. Around 7 tail feathers are left.
Maybe it is the cage size? I am planning to get a larger cage. I don't think mine is big enough.
I could give him more veggies too. Thanks again!

 

[parrotkinkajou23]

I just found out that today, 2 more of his tail feathers fell out.
Please, anyone, help.

 

[SailBoat]

Welcome to Parrot Forum!

Molting is a fairly complex process and can cause alarm as it seems to take forever, especially Flight Feathers and tail feathers, like wing feathers are classified as flight feathers and because of their size, they place heavy demands on the Parrots energy stories, which is the foundation of my friend's comment above about diet.

Long story short, it does take much longer for Parrots to replace flight feathers then body and downy feathers.

 

[Laurasea]

we really need a pic

 

[parrotkinkajou23]

Can you see the pic? I can't but maybe you can

 

[LaManuka]

Hello there parrotkinkajou23! I'm sorry but your pic is not showing.

You should be able to post a thumbnail pic along with your post. Click the "go advanced" button underneath the text box, then click the paper clip icon. You will then get the "choose file" button, so then click the "upload" button on the right, close out of that box and post. The picture should show as a thumbnail under your text. Don't worry if it comes through upside down or sideways, a friendly neighbourhood Mod can always fix that up for you. Hope this helps!

 

[parrotkinkajou23]

I think my parrot's feathers are starting to come back now... thank you all so much anyway!