Are you worried about your bird’s health because it is shedding its feathers? Let me tell you that this is nothing to worry about. Birds go through this natural process quite a lot. They start losing feathers to grow new ones. For a healthy bird, it takes around two months to do so.
During this time, you need to help your bird. When molting, your bird’s skin can get irritated and itchy. As your bird starts growing, pin-like feathers erupt from its follicles, which can be annoying.
You can do a few things to make your bird feel a little more comfortable. In this article, I will tell you about a few.
Provide Moisture
Similar to your skin, your bird’s skin also gets itchier when it does not get enough moisture. Therefore, when you start noticing that your bird has started to shed its feathers, start giving it a moisture-filled environment.
There are multiple ways to do so. The first is to put its cage in a more humid area of the house. The second way is to mist your bird at least twice a day. Of course, you shouldn’t drench her in water.
Give her Some Time
You cannot speed up the molting process. Therefore, you need to give your bird a rest. The molting process takes a lot of energy, and your bird feels more tired because of the process. Additionally, it may feel as if your bird hit puberty, so she might become a little grumpier than usual.
Therefore, when your bird starts molting, you need to give her some time to relax and sleep. When it is sleeping, make sure that no one disturbs her. Try keeping her in the dark place for half of the day. Just like with people, sleeping will help your bird develop beautiful feathers.
Avoiding Petting and Handling
When your bird is molting, you need to stop handling and petting her because you might irritate the skin even more. Nevertheless, petting can affect the development of new feathers.
Handing and petting can hurt your bird a lot because the pin feathers contain nerve endings and blood. You can pet and handle your bird as soon as it grows some small feathers.
Maintain the Right Room Temperature
Maintaining the right room temperature is essential while molting. Your bird’s feathers kept her warm. Since your bird is losing features, you will need to keep your bird at an adequate temperature. Otherwise, she might get chilly. During this time, the best temperature will be 70 Fahrenheit, which is 21 degrees Celsius.
Tend the Bird
Molting can be challenging for your bird. If it’s her first time, your bird might have a difficult time getting it done. Thus, you need to help her while molting.
While molting, your bird cannot reach a few points on its body like its head and neck. Your bird’s fathers need to grow in before tending, for it will pain the bird. Keep the following points in mind before tending:
- If your bird’s sheath is waxy and hard, do not tend, as the skin is still tender.
- If your bird’s feathers do not fall off while tending, do not force it, as loose feathers fall on their own.
- If your bird has a partner, let the partner pick its feathers. If the partner does not, you do it for your bird.
Feed your Bird the Right Food
When your bird is growing a new coat of feathers, it will require diverse nutrients such as proteins. However, your bird cannot eat meat. Therefore, you will need to feed her cucumbers and eggs. They will provide your bird with appropriate nutrients.
The best way to give your bird eggs is by hard-boiling it and shredding it into pieces. On the other hand, cut small pieces of cucumber that fit in the bird’s mouth to feed him cucumbers.
Whenever you give him the cucumber, make sure you wash it thoroughly, removing all pesticides. Do not feed the entire cucumber at once. Once the bird is done eating the cucumber, make sure you remove the cucumber and wash the dish to avoid mold.
Final Feedback
Birds make excellent pets. They look incredible, and their presence is very calming. However, their molting time is not as enjoyable. During the time, your bird gets irritated, which is a difficult situation. Nonetheless, you can provide your bird with a few things that will make her more comfortable during a tough time.
