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Chaquita's Mom
Experienced flier
Joined: 29 Jun 2005
Posts: 1028
Location: Pennsylvania, USA |
| Feather plucking??? |
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Hello everyone, I have a question. As some of you know, I am a first time parrot owner. I have done lots of research but I don't recall being informed on when exactly a bird loses it's feathers and how long it takes.
Here's my question, I don't know if my Amazon is plucking or simply losing feathers. She appears very happy with me, only having her for about a month and a half. She lost one wing feather and about 5 body feathers. Is this normal? Do they shed feathers kinda like we lose hair? This is called "Molting" right? How long does it take for a new feather to grow in?
Could you please give me a detailed description on how a bird loses it's feathers, how often and how long it usually takes? A bird sheds it's feathers twice a year right? 
Just when I thought I knew just about everything  |
Tuesday July 12, 2005 4:44 pm |
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Sue
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 10102
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| Re: Feather plucking??? |
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Hi there! I think the feather loss is perfectly normal, that's how it seems.
Or are there some things that cause you worries?
When they shake their feathers, feathers will fall down sometimes.. 
I don't have an answer for you how long it takes for a new feather to grow in. I think it depends on the species, their diet, kind of feather (big, or down) etc.. |
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Wednesday July 13, 2005 9:26 am |
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Chaquita's Mom
Experienced flier
Joined: 29 Jun 2005
Posts: 1028
Location: Pennsylvania, USA |
I mentioned she lost a larger wing feather and about 5 body feathers. She loses the little downy white feathers regularly when she fluffs and shakes and that isn't a concern. I was just wondering if it's normal to lose "some" feathers. Do feather pluckers lose large feathers daily? Chaquita is a Yellow Naped Amazon in very good condition. I am gradually changing her diet from a mostly seed diet to a diet specially formulated for Amazons due to their risk for obesety and liver disease. She also isn't grooming obsessively, I think her grooming is pretty normal. |
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Wednesday July 13, 2005 6:32 pm |
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Cheeta
Moderator
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 7972
Location: Australia |
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Hi Chaquita's mom
I'd say from the sound of things, your Chaquita is molting. That's pretty normal for birds. It is however not normal for them to loose feathers if they are not molting. Like Sue mentioned, it depends on which feather it is, it may vary in times as to long feathers take to grow in. Take Apollo for example. his neck feathers takes roughly one to two weeks to grow from a tiny little blood feather to a fully grown feather. His wing feathers however took about 4 to 5 weeks to grow fully. So really there's no such thing as how long it'll take for the feathers to grow in. It all depends on the which feathers and also on how good their diet is.
Like I said, it sounds like your zon is molting. Keep an eye on her. She'll be dropping them left right and centre. If you think she's plucking, look at the dropped feathers and see if there are any sign of blood at the tip of the shaft. Generally a molted feather will not have blood on it. And also, if she's plucking she'll usually pluck from the one spot, check her to see if there are any noticable bare spots on her thatshouldn't be there. Keeping in mind that birds to have naturally balded spot through out their body as well.
i hope I'm making sense here. |
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Wednesday July 13, 2005 6:40 pm |
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Chaquita's Mom
Experienced flier
Joined: 29 Jun 2005
Posts: 1028
Location: Pennsylvania, USA |
Thank you very much Cheeta. You did explain pretty much what I needed to know. No, there wasn't blood on any of the feathers so that's a relief and she doesn't have any bald spots. You can't even tell she lost any.
I learned that bird's can become really emotional and moody when they are molting, is this true also? I haven't noticed any change in her personality.........yet 
Thanx again, the blood on the feather comment was very informative |
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Thursday July 14, 2005 12:55 pm |
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Cheeta
Moderator
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 7972
Location: Australia |
Not a prob. Those feather creatures can make us worry about them quite a lot can't they?!?!
Birds can get emotional and moody when they are molting. Mainly coz it does hurt them, or at least they get really sensitive throughout their body where the feathers are coming through. But some bird, like Apollo just stays the same, emotional and moody all the time!!! LOL.
Apollo doesn't go through a quick heavy molt, he loose them over a long period of time, may be that's why he's constantly moody!!  Just keep an eye on chaquita, and see how she goes with her molt. It shouldn't be a problem at all. She might just decide to get moody every now and then  . Good luck with that, she'll be over it soon enough.  |
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Thursday July 14, 2005 3:05 pm |
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Chaquita's Mom
Experienced flier
Joined: 29 Jun 2005
Posts: 1028
Location: Pennsylvania, USA |
Just thought I'd let everyone know that I FINALLY got some pics of Chaquita! You can see them in her diary.  I'm so proud of myself! Just when I thought I was a ditz. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks Well........I'm not that old, 32.
I'll update it as often as I can. The pictures aren't too bad considering their from a phone I don't have a digital camera.......yet. I need to get out of the "Fugi Film" erra and move into the modern day "Digital" erra.
Anyway, let me know what you think of my beautiful Chaquita Banana. You'd never know she's almost as old as me. |
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Thursday July 14, 2005 5:45 pm |
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shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7405
Location: Canada, Toronto |
WOOHOO!!!! I was so anxious to see this little guy! He's absolutely perfect! Thanks for sharing the photos and definitely keep em coming! |
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Thursday July 14, 2005 6:53 pm |
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Chaquita's Mom
Experienced flier
Joined: 29 Jun 2005
Posts: 1028
Location: Pennsylvania, USA |
Thanx Shirin I think she's perfect too. Very beautiful for an older girl. |
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Thursday July 14, 2005 8:03 pm |
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