First bird - Blue Masked Lovebird

[Arinkei]

Hello! I'm a first time bird owner. I know when birds are stressed they start losing feathers. I've seen a few downy type feathers and a larger feather at the bottom of the cage or in the food dish. At what point should I be worried? The spot under his tail is what has me worried.

I know the cage is a bit small. I'm hoping to upgrade soon.

 

[Arinkei]

 

[Zara]

Welcome to the Avenue Katie

Do you mean this spot?;

That is where the cloaca is (where poops come out). You can usually see some sort of separation in the feathers where they´re not as flush as other places.

How old is your bird?
Sounds like a normal moult, down feathers and a few flights. Sometimes it can look really bad and there will be so many little whispy down feathers around the floor you might panic a little but when they are in full moult it will look like that for a few days.

You should only worry if they drop all their flights at once, all their rump or tail feathers at once, or you see fuzzy patches on your bird where it´s only down feathers and no others over the top. Bald patches etc.
Sometimes the feathers can get a bit scew wiff, but they will sort themselves out after the moult process is over.

edit; Just to add, the clip on the right in the first picture is not closed properly. Just have a check on it and close it if it is still like that.

 

[Arinkei]

Welcome to the Avenue Katie View attachment 383923

Do you mean this spot?;
View attachment 383924
That is where the cloaca is (where poops come out). You can usually see some sort of separation in the feathers where they´re not as flush as other places.

How old is your bird?
Sounds like a normal moult, down feathers and a few flights. Sometimes it can look really bad and there will be so many little whispy down feathers around the floor you might panic a little but when they are in full moult it will look like that for a few days.

You should only worry if they drop all their flights at once, all their rump or tail feathers at once, or you see fuzzy patches on your bird where it´s only down feathers and no others over the top. Bald patches etc.
Sometimes the feathers can get a bit scew wiff, but they will sort themselves out after the moult process is over.

edit; Just to add, the clip on the right in the first picture is not closed properly. Just have a check on it and close it if it is still like that.

Thank you! He's 7 months old. I just got him on Saturday so I'm sure he's stressed out which is why I was a bit worried. Good to know though that it's probably a normal moult.

 

[MR. Mango]

@Zara

 

[Sparkles99]

Welcome! Your bird is beautiful!

 

[Zara]

@Zara

Yes?

He's 7 months old. I just got him on Saturday so I'm sure he's stressed out which is why I was a bit worried.

For sure he will be stressed and maybe a little scared, it´s to be expected. Spend some time talking softly to him by the cage and like you are in the pictures, offering millet to show you mean no harm
Given the age, he will be going into of coming out of the first moult. I´m not so good with eye-ring group lovebirds plumage changes.
Though I will say, given the pale mask and the white patches between the beak and eye, I would be intrigued to know what mutation this is or if this is a Personatus x Fischeri hybrid. The straight line across the chest and the darkness around the lower mandible say Personatus however the patches of missing mask say Fischeri.
Did the seller give you any info?
@expressmailtome

 

[expressmailtome]

The bird looks like a Fischer's to me as well.

 

[Arinkei]

T

Welcome! Your bird is beautiful!

Thank you! I think so too. I never thought I’d find my favorite lovebird the day I brought him home.

 

[Arinkei]

Yes?


For sure he will be stressed and maybe a little scared, it´s to be expected. Spend some time talking softly to him by the cage and like you are in the pictures, offering millet to show you mean no harm
Given the age, he will be going into of coming out of the first moult. I´m not so good with eye-ring group lovebirds plumage changes.
Though I will say, given the pale mask and the white patches between the beak and eye, I would be intrigued to know what mutation this is or if this is a Personatus x Fischeri hybrid. The straight line across the chest and the darkness around the lower mandible say Personatus however the patches of missing mask say Fischeri.
Did the seller give you any info?
@expressmailtome

Only in Japanese, and my translator was completely wrong as the first one it gave me was Lilian’s Lovebird. I did some more search and saw the black masked lovebirds, so went with this translation instead (I live in Japan and have done so for 7+ years)

 

[MR. Mango]

Oh sorry I accidentally tagged you

 

[Zara]

Lilian’s Lovebird

I don´t know much about this species. They look very similar to the Fischer´s lovebirds.

Oh sorry I accidentally tagged you

No problem Ps, I have my alerts set for Lovebird lane, Nursery and the Consierge desk