Bird health: Is a lifetime cage fair for budgies and other birds?

The moult should take two to three weeks to complete. You can help by making sure Coco has a full bowl of food available at all times. He should have a mineral block available at all times. Feed sprouted grains and fresh vegetables - these are good moulting foods that will support healthy feather growth. Other factors to consider: 1. During moulting birds need plenty of sleep – 10 to 12 hours every night, with a quiet, darkened atmosphere. 2. They do better in slightly humid conditions. Your indoor bird may require frequent access to bathing water or the shower, and you may find it necessary to mist your bird or operate a humidifier. 3. Exposure to natural sunlight helps produce the vitamins necessary to keep skin and feathers healthy. Indoor birds will benefit from full spectrum UV lighting or daily exposure to natural light. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Molting is a normal behavior where birds lose their old feathers and grow in new ones. Making sure Chicky is on a balanced diet for her species is a great way to ensure she has the right nutrition to regrow her feathers. Adding in a few extra fresh fruits and veggies, or even some egg food can also give a little extra protein and nutrients to help. Most birds will finish molting and have new feathers in after about a month.

Thank you for your questions, and I am sorry to hear about your bird. Yes, the other two birds could have contracted the virus already, so there isn’t necessarily a need to separate them as they have already been exposed. For caging if your bird is falling - the most important part will be to keep everything low so she doesn’t injure herself. Otherwise it can be made of anything (many people will even use Tupperware containers) and can still have toys. Just keep the perches low and make good and water easy to reach. How long she will live varies - some birds still have a relatively long lifespan, while others succumb at a young age. You can help to support her by providing her with a clean environment, good ventilation, and a good diet. This will help to support her immune system as much as possible. I hope that helps, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for your question about Coco, and thanks for the photos - they are very helpful. You are correct that it could be taking him a long time to molt, however he may also be preening excessively and removing his feathers. In one of the photos he looks to have acreddebed area of skin - this is not typical of regular molting. If you are seeing feathers continuously at the bottom of the cage, this would also be suggestive of overpreening. I would recommend ensuring that his cage is very clean, that he is provided with multiple toys (which you will have to introduce slowly as budgies are often very nervous about new items), a mirror if he doesn’t have any company, and proper nutrition. These would all help with a molting issue, and may also help a bit if he is overpreening himself. If you are able to take him to a veterinarian, they would also be able to assist with this problem. They could look at the skin and feathers to ensure that there isn’t a medical reason for his condition. I hope that helps, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Without knowing the size of the cage, it is hard to give advice. If they have a large flight cage where they can easily move around and exercise, then that may be enough. Adding in some fun toys to explore, moving dishes and toys around or rotating them out, offering treats to chew on, etc can all help increase enrichment and make things more fun for your birds. If they're kept in very small cages, then looking for a playpen that can fit in the room or on top of the cage may be nice for your birds to climb on or play on. However, finches tend to explore more and may want to fly around, so it is best to make sure they are only let loose in rooms where they can easily be caught again and cannot fly into windows, doors, or other dangerous objects that can cause injury or death.

He may have mites or other infection (bacterial, fungal, etc.). Budgies do molt, however this does not look like a typical molt. You would need to have Koya physically examined by your veterinarian or an experienced avian veterinarian to definitively diagnose mites or other infection. In the meantime, clean and sanitize the cage, bowls, toys and perches Discard anything that cannot be sanitized. Use plain paper towels on the cage bottom and change them daily. There are over the counter products that can be used to treat mites, but if he doesn't have mites, they won't help. It is always best to get a firm diagnosis if possible. It will make treatment easier for you and Koya.

Thanks for reaching out about your birds. Quite the dilemna. The answer really depends on the size of the cage, on how long they can be left in it. Out of cage exercise is important for health, just as exercise for humans. Could you limit to the one room? Good luck.