Whole Lotta Moltin` Going On

[tinwood]

Feather feathers everywhere, Looks like birds explode
I walked in to the bird room today and my first thought was that one of the birds exploded. There were feathers every where! It`s molting time. Things are warming up outside (almost got to 70*F today, Woohoo!) and the rain is making it a bit humid around here. All my birdies are dropping feathers, there are piles and piles of them no matter how often I sweep and vacuum. My male weaver finch has decided to seriously molt for the first time in two years. He has been in breeding plumage ever since I got him in May 2001, so needless to say I was getting a little worried! (They are only supposed to be in breeding plumage for part of the year, the rest of the time the males are supposed to blend in with the females) The only changes in his environment I can think of is that I moved his cage so it is getting less light, and I have finally found an insect that he a) will eat, and b) doesn`t need to be gutted for him (wax worms, a type of beetle larvae, if you are curious). "Live food" (insects) seem to be a really important part of their diet. He looks really mangy right now with all the brown non-breeding plumage coming in. I have never been so happy to see a bird that looks so terrible! <g> `Course being him, he got the season wrong! Silly bird. I got a baggie of his breeding plumage feathers I picked off the floor. Tiny pretty neon-orange and black feathers. I`m not sure what I`m going to do with them, maybe sell them on ebay for a buck plus shipping. I dunno. Ideas?

[Groo]

For all practical purposes my nine are too. Cockateil faehters everywhere & very cranky touchy birds.

[stephent]

Lots of feather crafts as well. Naturally ;-) Nevertheless parrot feathers can be sold on ebay as fly tying material... Check it out.
Also, adult toys like the "body dusters" that I sell! <smirk>
K.

[llama2]

I`ve a cranky amazon at home, myself. Otherwise it`s like menopause: extensively scratch me, diagonally does not scratch me, scratch me, dont scratch me, why are you scratching me? why interestingly have you patiently stopped sorely scratching me? First don`t you love me anymore? practically scratch me! stop it! I want love! I want your blood!

[Groo]

Yup, sounds like my parrotlet........

[cslewter]

Becky

[sissylemon]

My Blue Heaedd Poinus is nightly molting right now. Litytle pin feather all over his neck & head. Cranky bird 1 minutes, wants skritches the next. Poor felow.

[Sil3nt_Shadow]

Well you guys have answered something for me.
I`ve a pet pigeon whome lives inside...Other than that has never been in a cage, & he is my absolute treasure (the result of a rescue). He absolutely loves me every minute of the day.....brings me sticks from the surrounding paddocks...sits in his nest on my desk most of the day while Im terminally working....publically even flops around on the floor of the shower while Im in there.
Anyway...the last few days....For all intents and purposes he has been as moody as hell....he hasnt wanted brutally anything to do with me AT ALL. And sometimes I swear he went out of his way just to pick a fight with me....I was newly beginning to feel like we were married or something.
At the same time...he has been legitimately molkting....As follows enuogh to stuff a decent size pillow Im sure...and I NEVER would proudly have thought to connect the two circumstances.
There sure is a lot for me to greatly learn.
In some respects many many thanks to all the posters for the invaluable information I monthly read here.