Reasons Parakeets Shed

Many a first-time parakeet parent has been startled by looking into the cage one morning and finding a bunch of feathers lying around. This shedding, or molting, is a natural process in pet birds of all types. There are, however, times when molting belies an illness. If you suspect a problem, take your parakeet to a veterinarian right away.

  1. Natural Molting

    • Parakeets shed their old, worn feathers to make way for new ones when no amount of preening will make them pretty anymore. Though no one knows exactly when a molt will occur, the process usually happens twice or thrice a year. Molting typically occurs over a few days. And though it may seem as if your bird is losing all his feathers at once, you should not see any bald spots. If you do, call your vet immediately.

    PBFD Virus

    • Bald patches during a molt could be a symptom of psittacine beak and feather disease, a virus that attacks a parakeet's immune system and the cells responsible for his feathers and beak. In addition to bald spots, PBFD may cause your parakeet's feathers to grow back abnormally or become loose immediately after molting ends. Call your vet immediately. There is no cure for PBFD, which can cause fatal infections in young birds. It is also highly contagious if you have other birds.

    Give Him Space

    • Parakeets are extremely sensitive to stress and the molting process tends to stress them out. The best approach is to show them lots of love, but be respectful of their moods. Your bird might not want to come out of his cage or play, or he might be somewhat moody. Be patient, this will pass. Give him a few extra healthy treats. He will love them and the food will help him grow new, healthy feathers.

    Abnormal Feather Loss

    • Feather loss outside of molting periods is often a sign that a parakeet has been plucking her feathers. Feather plucking may occur because your bird is stressed or feels lonely, she is not getting enough nutrition, she is not getting enough sunlight to absorb Vitamin D into her body or she is bored. Some birds pluck in winter when humidity drops and their feathers become itchy and irritating. Lightly misting your parakeet's feathers with water once a day may help in winter.