Our Parakeet Charlie is going through a bad Molt. You may say what is a "Molt". Molting for your feathered friend is a birds process to shed and replace their feathers with new ones. This is a very stressful time for your bird. Molting can be triggered by seasonal light changes, the ending of raising baby chicks, changes in temperature and circadian rhythms. Most birds only molt once per year but many of the above stated reasons can bring on extra molts per year.

Molting is a process that could occur over several weeks....when new feathers come in, blood supply temporarily extends up through the feather shaft to nourish it. As in my Parakeet Charlie, his feathers on his head right now are all "Pin" feathers....it looks so sensitive and uncomfortable for him....my poor baby. I can see in Charlie's case during this molting time....he is talking less, singing less and even playing less as the molt is definitely a stressful time for him.

Here are some tips to help your feathered friend during their time of molting.

1. Make sure their diet contains a pelleted diet and fresh foods during this molting time. During this molt...their portions may need to increase.
2. Minimize anxiety during the molting period. Make sure your bird is getting enough sleep during this time and keep any human activities that could be noisy to a minimum.
3. Help your feathered friend through the molting process gently rolling the new feathers with your fingers to remove the sheaths. Also, give your bird a bath to help remove dander and help to reduce itching. Charlie just loved his bath and it seems to really have helped him.
4. Expose your parrot to full spectrum lighting during the day. The UVB light from full spectrum lighting is necessary for Vitamin D3 production which will help in healthy and bright feathers.