Ringnecks plucking each other

[muziq]

Hi, I've got two indian ringnecks that were bought at the same time as babies but lived apart for 6 months or so and have now been in the same cage for roughly another six months. I believe they are siblings, but am not really sure about that.

They get along fine. I've noticed them cleaning each other from time to time, but now I've just noticed that one of them is losing feathers from the back of its head. And it seems like it's the other that's plucking them. But the one loosing feathers is letting the other one do so, and only "screams" when it hurts.

I don't know their gender yet so I'm not sure if this is some kind of mating sign.

Has anyone ever seen this before?

PS. These are my first ever ring necks, so I'm a bit of a newbie.

 

[MollyGreenCheeks]

Is there an empty patch of area that is lacking feathers or is the IRN simply losing feathers due to molting? If the IRN is losing feathers but new ones are coming in, in the form of pin feathers then there is not an issue.

 

[muziq]

It's an empty patch, it's new as of today. But the one receiving the plucking is inviting it.

Also, I actually just noticed what looks like the start of a black ring (right after posting this) on the one that's plucking.

Can you explain what molting is? Is it the seasonal feather change?

 

[MollyGreenCheeks]

Correct! Molting can happen in various degrees several times a year. It's important to note that a bird will not have an empty patch during this process. I bird loses a identical left and right feather and they are replaced with new, tiny feather, wrapped in an outer carotene shell as they come in. As the feather grows the bird will preen the shell away little by little. In pairs, birds will tend to help free the new feathers from the outer shell when the feather is ready.

I highly recommend that you get your birds to an Avian vet ASAP to see if there is a bigger problem going on. To me it sounds like much more that a molt.

 

[MollyGreenCheeks]

Here is a pic I found online of an IRN molting. See the pin feathers around the eyes?
Molting Indian ringneck | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xomissi/3929546905/in/photostream/

After seeing these images I'm beginning to think that since IRN have such fine feathers, maybe when they molt they do get small empty patches. Either way, you should still see an Avian Vet ig you have not done so yet.