My budgie is molting. What should I feed her and how do I care for her?

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.

If he is not picking out his feathers, he is likely molting: Molt is a very strenuous time for a bird as almost all its energy is used to making new feathers. It takes seven to ten days for a feather to begin to emerge after one was shed and then this new feather takes up to 8 weeks to fully develop. During molting your bird will be cranky, nap more often and it is especially necessary at this time to feed them a very healthy diet and keep a close eye on them as they will be using lots of their nutrients to grow and replace the feathers. Feed lots of greens such as kale (extra calcium) and you can feed mashed up hard-boiled egg and also offer some boiled chicken. Both of these are high sources of protein for making new feathers.

Since you do not have much history about Chichi it is hard to say whether this feather loss is a problem or not. If she is in fact molting, the feathers should start to regrow (within a month) and the bird should then look normal. If Chichi is not active, refusing to eat, seems itchy, or is continuing to lose feathers, there may be an underlying issue going on. With any new pet I recommend taking them in to your vet to establish a relationship with the vet and to have a health examination performed. If there is anything abnormal your vet will be able to diagnosis it. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

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!

You should just continue to feed your budgie a balanced diet that is designed for budgies. While spinach is a great treat, it should not be used as the main diet. If you are concerned about your budgie getting enough nutrients, you can add in some crushed oyster shells or a cuttle bone for calcium, or include some egg-food (a treat found at most pet stores) to help boost nutrition post-egg laying.

Harry could be molting, which is a normal thing that occurs about once or twice a year. This is when your bird loses their feathers and then replaces them with new ones. You can check if this is the case by looking for "pin" feathers, or what looks like little pins growing out of the skin (these are the new feathers coming in). Other things to look for include making sure Harry is on a balanced diet, and checking for mites or other skin issues that can also cause feather loss.

The "stems" you are seeing may actually be the pin feathers that are coming in as she loses her old feathers and the new ones come in. They are called pin feathers as they look like little pins sticking out of the skin. As the feather grows and erupts from the skin, it will turn into a full feather instead of just looking like a "stem". This is 100% normal and healthy! Molting can take several weeks to a month or two depending on the bird. Making sure Wiggy is on a balanced diet can help ensure her new feathers grow in healthy. As long as she is otherwise acting healthy and normal I wouldn't be worried. If you do see any signs of illness, the new feathers don't grow in properly, or she seems in distress, speaking with your vet is always best.