Help please

[Bird crazy]

Nila is just 4 1/2 monts old and I think he's plucking his feathers.
Could he be moulting already? I saw so many feathers for the last
2 days I'm getting very nervous. I took him to the vet and had blood work done the week I brought him home. I'm worried enough I think I'll take him back tomorrow. Any ideas?

Sue aand Nila

[Datsun and Family]

Sue I really doubt he would be plucking after seeing all the love he gets, and at 4 1/2 months... I would put money on it being a moult, he needs lots of fresh dark greens and he will look as good as new in a few weeks.

[Mikaela]

I totally agree with Chamon. And miss her too!

*runs to give big hugs*

[Bird crazy]

Hey thanks for the reassurance. I just spent an hour getting every last feather up from around the cage, and play pen and then I will know tomorrow how many he actually lost in a 24 hr period. I guess I thought he wouldn't go through a moult until 18 months and that would be his first and then he would start to get his ring.

Thanks again.
Sue and Nila

[darkcloudchild]

Moults can happen at any time. It all depends on heat, moisture, and the particular bird. Mine moult 3-4 times a year (although it's hard to tell when Kozmo is anymore cause we always have chewed on feathers all over the place). Some said that 1-2 times is all you see, but it really just depends on their environment.

If I remember right, mine started their first mini-moult around 6 months.

[Dani03]

Chamon...! Honey...where have you been? We MISS you

*gives Chamon and Dats a big hug*

Dani

[Bird crazy]

I haven't ssen so many feathers in the last day but caught Nila sitting on his perch fluffed up and trembling twice today. And I went to the pet store and saw a grey irn about the same age as Nila and when I picked him up I was astonished at how much more he weighed than Nila. It really shook me up. I came home and made an appt for tomorrow at the vet. I'm scared he picked up something outside since I let him climb in my mango tree and eat the hibiscus blooms from my bushes. Anyway it's back to the vet tomorrow.

Sue and Nila

[Bird crazy]

Well vet said Nila looked good, and he had gained 5 grams. So I guess the grey irn at the pet store is just a bigger baby than Nila. Vet said to just keep an eye and if I see him sitting fluffed up over the next few days to bring him back and we'd start a prophylactic round of antibiotcs. Said didn't like to just start if not clearly sick because then he could end up with any overgrowth of yeast and have another problem.

And today when I was rubbing his little head I think I might have felt pin feathers, so maybe it really is a moult already. Boy I guess I'm a little nervous over this guy. I love him and was sure I'd wake up and find him very sick in the bottom of his cage. Couldn't sleep last night worrying.
Oh well. Glad I was wrong

Sue and Nila