Ollie's stress marks getting darker with time?

[Sunnyclover]

Ollie has a few stress marks on his wings from when I got him 6 months ago at Petco. He had been there a month and that would stress anyone out. Since then he's moulted a few feathers but definitely not his flight feathers (he's clipped and I'd notice). He did moult a couple of tail feathers and the new ones grew back nicely with no stress marks at all. The area he has the stress marks are the same on each side and seems to be getting more marks and I'm pretty sure he hasn't moulted those yet either. I'm getting worried because his diet is great, I spend a billion hours a day with him but he can also play by himself also and he gets some sun each week and eats his cuddle bones. So I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong...he doesn't seem stressed at all and if those feathers are new which I'm not sure they are.. why would they have stress bars? If they are old then how would he get more black marks? He also has chewed the 1st two flight feathers on each side (he's clipped) to a barbered off stick looking thing. Those are the only feathers he's ever been destructive to and they were partially chewed when I bought him too. I'm guessing he was improperly clipped at Deathco. On another note: he is 10 months old...why hadn't he moulted his flight feathers yet?! I would appreciate any and all advice. I AM taking him to the vet Wednesday to rule out illnesses especially since we're traveling soon and I'd want time to treat it if he is sick and I'd hate to find out while we're traveling in a very rural area.

 

[LordTriggs]

you'll probably find the feathers themselves are causing some stress. A bird can molt any between 6 months and a year from when their feathers come in so he's probably due those flight feathers out soon. They'll go when ready.

Aside from that remember as nice as things are it has been stressful for him, and if you're stressing over his wings he will pick up on it. Just let nature take its course, if he seems happy then all is well. A check-up never hurts of course especially when going away

 

[Sunnyclover]

So I went to the vet to get Ollie's feathers a proper checking on before our plane trip on the 6th of August and also I wanted a 30 health certificate just for good measure. The vet said that the feathers are just old and he hasn't moulted them yet which is huge relief! She also said the black markings that seemed to be getting worse and worse are partially from the feathers being so old and getting warn out faster (he is 10 months and not had a major moult yet) and that maybe I'm rubbing my face on him and getting my face on them causing them to get darker. That was a weird one but makes a lot of sense because my skin gets very oily in the summer...so weird. She gave him clean bill of health and said he's in tip top shape and he's the sweetest bird they have at the office! I must be doing something right. I asked her when he hits puberty does she think it will be really bad and she said probably not since he so socialized and sweet. She said birds like this don't suffer as much from hormones as more Moody and less socialized birds do. That's good and I hope she's at least a little right.

 

[LordTriggs]

I wouldn't take her word as gospel when it comes to puberty. Some people never notice, other birds become the terror of the skies

Now if you're the only person with him it shouldn't be too bad, I would advise to stop the face rubbing as extended touching in a spot other than the head can be perceived as mating behavior, especially the back!

It all depends how frustrated he gets and if he can either be tired out each day or Ahem "work" his frustration out

The oils very well could be making them darker, think of all the dirt we get in our face, and the idea that the feathers are just a bit old and tatty doesn't surprise me, you'll probably find in a couples weeks that they will start falling out