Do parakeets molt? Perhaps you are asking yourself this. An essential aspect of caring for birds is understanding molting. Your bird’s feathers are, after all, its most prized possession.
Depending on the breeding season, migration patterns, and dietary requirements, different species molt at various times. Additionally, molting times vary from species to species.
Since parakeets are also birds, we anticipate they will molt at some point, but how will you know when it is time?
To solve this mystery, keep reading.
What is Parakeet Molting?
The term “parakeet molting” is frequently used to describe the feather-shedding process. Parakeets go through this process all through their lives.
To keep the parakeet warm and able to fly, all of its feathers gradually replace one another during molting.
Initially, the new feathers will look like pin-feathers, which are white, pointed stubs. These will give the bird’s head an odd, bristly appearance.
How often do Parakeets Molt?
Parakeets begin their first molt around 12 weeks and sporadically around 14 weeks. The process then repeats annually after that. Only a small number of parakeet species molt twice a year.
How long does a parakeet molt? In 2-3 weeks, the molt should be complete. It’s normal for a parakeet to appear perched-bound because his old tail feathers may make him uncomfortable flying.
Parakeet Molting Behavior
New owners frequently worry when their parakeets go through their first molt because the birds’ personalities seem to start changing, and their energy levels decrease.
They do not feel physically uncomfortable while molting, but they frequently become quieter than usual. Birds that are molting may remain motionless for long periods, speaking or doing little else.
Older birds take advantage of the opportunity to sleep a little longer. Occasionally, a bird might become more agitated and panic in response to a loud noise or sudden movement. It is best to let this phase pass because if you try to calm him down, he will react angrily and try to bite your hand.
How to Help a Moulting Budgie
Always have a balanced diet for your bird. Your bird, than usual, may consume up to 25% more food for them to grow strong, vibrant new feathers. If you give your bird a specialized supplement for feather growth, such as Featheriffic, it will receive enough nutrition to grow gorgeous feathers.
Add super nutritious fruits and vegetables as a supplement. Vegetables in shades of green and yellow-orange should be abundant.
Put your bird in the sun naturally, or buy full-spectrum lights and time them to match the daylight hours.
Maintain a warm environment and shield your bird from drafts because even a small amount of feather loss makes them susceptible to becoming chilled.
Also, consider blow drying your bird or giving it a heat source, such as a lamp or perch, in addition to regularly misting or cleaning it.
What Time of the Year do Budgies Molt?
Molting typically happens during particular seasons and times. Birds occasionally exchange their old feathers for new ones; each molt is age- and season-specific.
1. Juvenile Parakeet
Young parakeets have sub-adult feathers that must be shed because adult parakeets require significantly larger feathers to fly and stay warm. This process starts at 12 weeks and lasts for 5 to 12 weeks.
2. Breeding to Non-breeding Parakeets
Once the breeding season is over, the fluffy feathers that parakeets grow during the breeding season molt and return to their previous, more subdued hues. This procedure takes between 3-4 weeks.
3. Non-breeding to Breeding Parakeets
When parakeets have to reproduce, their brightly colored feathers help them draw in other males. This 4 to 5-week-long molting process starts in the spring.
4. Regular Feather Replacement
Parakeets molt before the winter to maintain healthy feathers, other than when they breed. Rusted feathers are typically replaced with new ones to keep warm throughout the winter. It takes 3-6 weeks, like other animals.
Types of Parakeet Molting
1. Parakeet Molting on the Head
Although patches made by feather-shedding on the head are frequently mistaken for molting, they are symptoms of illnesses or viral infections. Malnutrition can cause bald patches to appear on parakeets.
To identify the root cause and subsequent course of treatment if a parakeet gets these bald patches, have it examined by a veterinarian.
2. Normal Shedding
All parakeets typically go through a molting process once a year. However, you should start worrying if your bird molts more than once yearly. Usually, infections or the environment they reside in cause them to shed frequently.
Final Word
Every parakeet goes through a normal process called molting once a year. During the molting process, parakeets need to take extra care to maintain good nutrition and health.
Pet parakeets are entirely dependent on their keepers for everything. If handled properly, molting would only be a short stage that will not bother your pet, but if you do not, you risk infecting your bird.
