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My single female has been moulting for about 5 weeks now, poor little thing.
And I'm just wondering if this normal because there seems to be no end in sight, every spare moment the bird has, she's preening and pulling out loose feathers.

There aren't any bald spots, it's just a moult, I guess. It almost seems as if she's going on a 2nd round of a complete change. For instance, the long tail feathers, she's on her 2nd set, in a month. And she's still sleeping a lot!

Thanx in advance!
Pete

The main part of a molt usually lasts about 8 weeks here.

As for her tail feathers, are they the same ones that are coming out and regrowing or are they different feathers?

Well, 8 weeks eh? I don't recall her last 6 or 7 moults lasting that long, but it's certainly good to get a confirmation. Thanx Christie

And the 2 longest tail feathers are the ones that have come out and regrown twice in this current moult. As well as the other feathers around those 2. It just seems like she's going through a wholesale moult, 2 times around. And she's pooped!

Thanx again
Pete
(near Niagara Falls)

That is strange, I've never heard of a bird loosing the same feathers over and over in a moult. Is she otherwise healthy? Is she maintaining her weight?

Pete,

This year has been terrible- we have broken a few weather records. The temps will be in the low 70s during the day and 50s at night for 10 days and then a cycle of just short of 100 degree days dropping to 80s at night.

Every time we have the cycle we have feathers all over the place. The Travelers are on the west-facing side of the house so warmer longer and lose more feathers. Have had tons of fluff feathers, too. Maybe my sneezing hasn't been from grasses and pollen... lol.

Don't remember what your weather has been this summer. Just a thought.

Smiles

Bailey's weight has been consistent for the 4 years I've had her ... between 110 and 115 grams. Her appetite is good, poops are normal and as I posed in another thread, she's not been her annoyingly energetic self for a few weeks.

About 5 weeks ago, she spent about 6 hours in the vet's office to get her nails trimmed. At that time her behaviour was leaning toward laying another clutch, but after returning from the vet's, she instead started a moult. Could she have had fright in the office? Possibly.

And I've been coughing and sneezing for the past week and a half too ... and yes Rhodie, there are a ton of 'fluff' feathers around too.
So, would summer weather have a bearing on a bird's moulting schedule? Our weather here near Niagara Falls has been just about the same as you in Rhode Island ... today, and the last 3 days, has been close to 90 ( 37 C) and quite humid too. But da Bird is in the, comfortably, air conditioned house.

I'll give Bailey another couple weeks to complete her moult before I get too concerned.

Thanx for the information all ... the things I'm learning, my, my, my!
Pete

Pete,

Maybe the a/c messes up their natural rhythm, room warm then cool, shut off, get warm, restart. Or, she is being female and making you pay for the nasty 6 hours at the Vets..... my guess. Had a Lovebird who turned his back to me for a month after I got back from a 10 day holiday.

'annoyingly energetic self'--- would you feel that way if you had feather shafts itching and hurting as they plow their way out of your skin? Have you tried spraying her or giving her a big bowl of water to walk around in. Forgot about taking her in the shower with you.

This, too, shall pass.

Smiles

The weather here in Boston has been wicked horrendously hot. I can not remember a summer that has been this hot for for so long. I've had the central air on which is very drying. I would not be surprised if this contributes to the molt. I do not ever remember all my birds molting like this either!

One thing to keep in mind is that the regrowth of feathers is something a healthy bird does. So -- regardless what environmental factors have triggered a molt -- if the bird has pins and new feathers, it's almost always a good sign.

Birds usually molt continuously, but changes in temps will speed up the intensity. That increase is what usually catches our attention and makes us think "Molt!" but it's actually an unending process of some feathers always being replaced. I've read that a healthy bird's feather replacement is 100% in about 3 years.

My little Harriet seems to be going through an extended molt for several months, and it seems as if the feathers have been coming out in "types." The past couple weeks it was her downy feathers. And then I had thought that she was done but this week the small rounder feathers from the top of her wings are all over the place. Because she's touchy about being handled (but loves to have her head scratched!), I can't really find/see the pin feathers.... I do hope she's okay. It has been since the end of July, at least.

She had a period early last month where she was veyr out of sorts, but lately she's seemed quite active and happy, so I probably just have new mother worries - she's my first companion animal, ever (she flew into my life). But it IS disturbing to see all these feathers falling off her.

Pete,

Almost another month. How is Bailey doing?

Smiles,

Thanx for asking Rhodie!
Bailey is STILL moulting! Just 3 days ago, she lost another one of her lo-o-o-ong tail feathers, and a long wing feather. Simultaneously! Da bird let out quite a squawk associated with this loss ... it must have startled her too. Plus, she's replacing the feathers on her head now. Poor little thing can't get enough of my scritches on the back of her neck and on the top of her head. ( it never ceases to amaze me, the amount of trust this little creature has placed in me. I mean, allowing me to manipulate the hard casings on these pin feathers and only occasionally letting out a squawk to let me know I've moved one the wrong way!

But otherwise, her appetite is still normal, poops are normal ... but she's snoozing more than normal. But certainly doesn't seem to be the worse for wear.

All in all, she's a happy little birdie. And with the sun going down much earlier now, and with the cloudy and rainy conditions we've had for the last couple days, she's getting pul-enty of rest too!

Thanx
Pete

Sorry for taking so long to reply, Pete.

Have you taken her in the shower (talk about trust) with you--- just gentle rain.. they love it. Forgot to remind you their little nails can mark you.

Smiles