Well, I think my baby girl is having her first molt. She's 6 months old in three days, so I think the timing works out. We've got some down fluff being lost, and I've gotten several larger gifts as well (including a little red belly feather, I nearly died it was so cute). No flight or tail feathers yet, but she has a pile of pins around her cheeks and under her beak, I think there's about 8 of em! And she's got quite an attitude at the moment, but I don't blame her one bit.
Anything a first time bird owner should know about the molt or how to ease her discomfort? She loves when I scratch around her pin feathers, but doesn't really like me trying to help break the casings, so I don't push it. She is offered a bath every day, and usually takes it. She has some "preening" toys to help distract her from over-preening, but she's destroyed all her favorites really quickly, the ones that are stuffed with zig zag paper. If I should give her more toys like that or any others, let me know and I'll buy or make some for her.
I also read that adding some extra protein may be beneficial. I gave her a bit of plain cooked egg white yesterday as a treat. What about dried mealworms? I have a bunch of them for my hamster, but I've read mixed things about them for birds. Any other foods that help with feather health?
Thanks!
Anything a first time bird owner should know about the molt or how to ease her discomfort? She loves when I scratch around her pin feathers, but doesn't really like me trying to help break the casings, so I don't push it. She is offered a bath every day, and usually takes it. She has some "preening" toys to help distract her from over-preening, but she's destroyed all her favorites really quickly, the ones that are stuffed with zig zag paper. If I should give her more toys like that or any others, let me know and I'll buy or make some for her.
I also read that adding some extra protein may be beneficial. I gave her a bit of plain cooked egg white yesterday as a treat. What about dried mealworms? I have a bunch of them for my hamster, but I've read mixed things about them for birds. Any other foods that help with feather health?
Thanks!