IndianRingNeck.com

sum1 help plz i'm living a nightmare!!!!
i dont no how to stop this, everything is going downhill!!!

he's started plukin his feathers! i dont no wat to do! i just noticed today as he was on my shoulder! he pulled a feather off his back, i thoguht he was just grooming or sumfin
but he's pulled out like 3 more feathers in the past 10 mins!!!!
help!
whats going on! wat am i doing rong, i need to stop this urgently!!!! he cant b borred can he!??!?!?!? ohh god i feel depresion coming on!!!
life is going down the sink! im turning into an emo!!!
jesus save me!

!!!!!

PS when a bird moults does he pull the feathers out or do they come out by themselves?

When a bird molts the feathers can fall out or come off while grooming. If he/she was molting you would notice a lot of feathers on the floor. Just because he pulled out a few feathers in front of you doesn't mean he his a 'plucker' Does he have any bald spots? Don't panic

No It's not time to panic yet. If you see he is pulling feathers out in one spot and going bald then you need to take him to an avian vet. If it is an illness or a parasite it needs to be seen but just don't get yourself all worked up just yet. Keep an eye on him and keep us posted.


Donna

LoL, here is some good news... rignecks are not known for plucking their feathers; however, it CAN happen. So what's the good news--It's molting time right now Breeding is almost done and now its time to shed those old feathers....i would not worry

Hope this helps to calm those nerves,

Imran

P.S. Archimedes will pull his feathers out in front of me when he is molting....

God bless you for being so concerned and in love with your baby, that you worry so much.

But like everyone says, don't worry yourself. When my babies clean themselves during moulting there will often be a few feathers that fly off or come out as they preen, and then when they give themselves that last big shake, its a dust and little feather shower. They can look ratty and patchy during this time, but unless you notice really bald red spots I would relax, but still keep an eye out.

Give your baby plenty of sprays/baths during this time to help with the skin and feathers as s/he moults.

Oh Sweetheart. Don't worry too much. As Imran said, IRNs are not known for being pluckers. But it does happen. Its not always something you've done wrong either.

Your loved baby is probebly just moulting. Ive seen Jibby pull loose feathers off in moulting season. Usually on the wings or tail.

If you see bald spots forming, then it could be something serious. But don't worry too much just now. Just keep an eye out for any bald spots.

LOL. I dont think worrying about your baby is going to turn you 'emo'. Hehe, Emo is a label. I don't understand labels. Everyone is 'emotional'.

thx for all the concern guys but i think it was just one of those american airport things were everyone gets all worked up about an unatended backpack...
it's been a day and he hasnt pulled out any more feathers(not that i know of)
i dont think he's moulting but i'm about as reliable in a time of crisis as sadam husein was...
ok... if i see any more feathers around the place i'll tell you...

PS u guys r great. u musta herd this a thosand times b4
dont no wat i'd do without this site. i dont no how i would survive with a bird in a time without internet. its not likely i would have a thousand bird fanatics to help me out if the net wasnt invented...

Thats what were here for.

Who is panicking? What backpack? Where?? Never mind, I will take the train......

Actually much calmer than the time Russell Crowe walked through the airport when I was in Melbourne.

Gelly's cage looks like someone popped a pillow in there. She is losing all sorts of little down feathers and after a couple of days they are all up and down the sides of her black cage. We are having quite a year of it..... especially the canaries and budgies. I'm not sure how there can be so many feathers flying around and my fids aren't down to their skin!

I hate to be the Devil's Advocate but if your bird is in Australia like your avatar says, then your bird should not be moulting.

IRN breeding starts around this time of the year in the Southern Hemisphere. IRNs don't moult before they breed. They moult AFTER they breed. So normally, moulting season in Australia should be from December to February.

I think Jaws is around 1 year old now? Am I right?

I'm confused over when they should be moulting. December - January sounds about right here in Melbourne. I didnt know it was the same in the whole of the southern hemisphere so I thought it might be different in different parts of Australia. Don't know why I thought that. Don't they have a moult at 1 year? Ive heard of IRNs here breeding from June - September which is usually when Jibby turns a bit nutty.

Thanx Depois for the info.

But I'd still be worried if I saw bald spots. Thats just me. We arn't experts of course (some know a bit more than others) and if your really unsure of anything best to talk to an avian vet.

Indie has all new pin feathers coming through and the aviary birds have a fair bit of down type feathers all over the wire of the aviary. I put it down to the weather being screwed up here with the drought, but now it has started to get cold.

My bubs seem to look a bit plumper around this time of year. But its all the fluffy feathers keeping them warm. Mine moult just before the hotter months usually in November.

Could weather changes and drought affect moulting and breeding? If you live in Melbourne you have to be prepared for any weather when you wake up each morning. Never know what your going to get! One day hot, next day freezing, then windy, then warmish, then hail... So good to get some rain though! But the weather here is a pain in the butt! I can't imagine what the birds outside think of it all.

hmmm... well anyway, i dont think he's moulting... there isnt any downy feathers floating around... but... but...
there r more feathers at the bottom of his cage... they r the little ones that are kinda yellowy white with darker yellow on the tips... im prity sure they r his chest feathers or wateva that dusnt realy matter. the point is that he's losing his feathers and it isnt moulting time...
i'v herd that birds pluk their feathers when they r borred... he'd be borred from around 9:00 to 3:00 cos i go to skwl and mum wont go near him... what shud i do? put his cage in the garden? get him a few new toys?

on a lighter note... he was flaping his wings this morning like he always does, just to have a bit of a stretch... and there r these new wierd feathers that i havnt seen b4 growing there... at first i thought they were feathers he had pulled out, but they didnt fall out when he flapped his wings. they r the third from the tips of the wing... or the third from the elbow joints kinda part (cant remember exactly)... dont even no y i am riting about new feathers, just wana rite bout it... i think they r "flight feathers"... there r just two of em... on on each wing...

PS was just looking at PChick's signature pic, and realised that gibby's neck ring was realy kwl, awsome colours with the blak and the lil tint of orrange... do lutinos get diffrnt colours or is it just blk?

Milamber How old is your ringneck? And do you know for sure it is a male? Just asking because this could be hormonal plucking. When they reach sexual maturity and have no mate they look at us to be their love. If you let him regurgitate and hump your hand he could be over stimulated and sexually frustrated.


Donna

Lutinos get a red/pink coloured ring if male, around the bak of their necks

Yes, sounds like he's lost a few flight feathers. I'm not sure why he would be plucking. Hormonal maybe? He is about 1 year now??

As much as its flattering to have them 'choose' you as their mate by regurgitating and err 'humping' it can develop into something more serious for the bird. I've heard of male birds with enlarged testicals and plucking because of this. Not saying that this is the problem as this was in another species of parrot. But if you let them 'love' you this much it can happen.

If ever unsure please talk to a more qualified person (avian vet). It could be health problems other than boredom. A vet can do tests. (Can be expensive but worth the health of your companion). You might find out that there is nothing wrong like I did last year. But its worth just knowing.

Don't worry about him being bored while your a school. Alot of people work full time too. As long as there is plenty of toys and enough food for the day to keep them occupied until you come home he should be fine.

Thanx.. Jibbys only just, in the last year got the blueish tinge in his ring/head and he's also got a bluish tail. Lutino males get a red/pink ring.

Just keep an eye on him. If you see bald patches go to a avian vet. I hope it doesnt develop into this and I hope its just a moult.

thx guys, i dont think he's sexualy frustrated... he dusnt do any humping or anything...
i dont think he's lost flight feathers... cos he was clipped. just maybe he's grown new ones... but ive only just noticed it...
he was born sumtime in july, so alllllmost 1 yr old.
and whatever any1 sais i aint letting him hunp my hand! he can go get a bell...
again, thx. its amazing how many ppl reply to this post. its great to have a bunch of ppl around who now about bird and can help in times of need. praise the internet ,i'v been using it forever and i'v only just realised how it "brings people together"
god i hope i dont sound like a grany whos only just adapted to tecnology[/i]

PS how do i make one of those fotos with Jaws on the front and fancy riting and the swirls and stuff... like Pchik's? do u just have to be a wiz with fotoshop or is there sum other thing?

Alot of picture viewers will have a txt option to put basic txt onto a photo. Most of us use photoshop though. Even so just using the txt option on a photo in photoshop is really easy. Just fool around with a program and see what you come up with.

The Lutino gets a red ring with some white around it, sometimes giving it the appearance of pinkish colours.

This is our Jordan, its not full yet but its getting there.

There are a few photoshop tutorials out there. Just google it. Its good to just learn the basics first. Like Layers etc.. Also for more text I just downloaded new texts from http://cooltext.com/Fonts or similar sites.

My partner showed me the basics and thats all I know but he learnt off a tutorial! hehe.

Or alternatively, you could ask someone to make you one.

Has your baby quit losing feathers? My mom had a male Indian Ringneck named Zinger who plucked. It was awful. Just keep an eye on him/her.

Nah, he's just moulting for sure. he's got all those lil spiky feathers and stuff so yeh. HE's been doing it for a while now, this is one hellova long time to be molting

maybe this will help...
ever see a turkey buzzard? heck, any type of vulture?

Thats what Relish looked like for a week when he moulted... his head was COMPLETELY BALD. The pinfeathers came in immediately, so after freaking out about everything, I took a breath, took a good look..

and started laughing at male pattern baldness.

Nah Jaws isnt bald, but when i pat him i can see the pin feathers, and also he's lost sm tail feathers and the new 1s are growing now thank god, cos the old ones were all bent and unkept.

Jibs is looking like a vulture right now. But mostly balding around the cheeks.

is balding a phase they go through? can i expect it, cos he realy is taking his time moulting. can't wait until it's over!

its no so unusual the feather picking of ringnecks
i have 2 birds with it , one of them many years now.
one bird put out only the feathers of his belly but the other most of his feathers.
when it starts it difficult to stop it.
you can try the follow:
1. give him at drinking water vitamins,amino acis and minerals 5 days a week and after that day by day for a month
2. give him toys and eatble sticks to spend his time with them
3. a lot of time , as you can,handle with him every day to reduse birds borring
4. Change his cage or move him in other place in the house
5. use a powder for acarea and insects once
6. regularly baths
7. use a a specify spray with bad taste for feathers plucking
8. if you havent good results after all the above you can go to doctor to give psychiatric medicine (lexotanil,..) ???

But maybe the birds is ok, and only he change his feathers, wait for this.

good luck

don't panic.

my bird is moulting and he gets down feathers stuck on his beak when he is grooming. when i got him he was nervous and would seem to get angry at his back and ruffle his head through his feathers. but he hasn't pulled any of the coloured ones out.

it was just a nervous gesture.

i got some mite powder and puffed it on him. i feel better that it isn't a problem to do with insects, its just something he does occasionally.

Good advice Nil, one of the parrots we adopted, our miniature macaw Mickey was completely bald on her chest and back when we got her. We spent a lot of time with her which was not easy, she had a fear of hands, and hated being touched in any way. After all of our research, Internet, books, breeders, and other bird owners, we started the "treatments" that seemed to be the most logical for her situation. Lots of attention when ever we noticed her plucking, but be careful with that. We have since learned that, as strange as it sounds, this may actually increase plucking if your bird learns that every time she plucks (when you are looking,) she gets attention. The same thing can happen with parrots that are screamers. They scream, you scream, they scream more. They actually wanted you to scream, part of a birds flock contact instinct. P.E.A.C. recommends redirecting to another activity, and this is the key, when they are NOT doing, (and not immediately after) any undesired activity such as plucking or screaming. They are so smart, they can quickly learn how to get US to do what they want .... sneaky birds!
Diet can play a big part as well, but probably only if it is bad to begin with. Mickey was on a diet of nothing but seeds, that was changed right away. The other thing we did was to encourage lots of bathing. We would splash our fingers in her water to get her going, and if she stopped, a spray with a bottle would get her going! She loves to be sprayed with water! It took about six months, but she now has a full fluffy chest, but still nothing on her back, and probably never will. Its been over a year now. If it’s not a plucking problem, still a good idea to follow this regiment.