Plucking, molting, sick?

[Calthesa]

Hi everyone,

Pepper, my 7-month old Red Bellied Parrot , seems to be molting his wing feathers. He's been molting these little downy feather for a month or so already, but all the info I can find says he shouldn't be molting until he's over a year old. Admittedly, most of that info is on his popular cousin, the senegal parrot , since red bellies are rather rare, so maybe the species are just different...

Anyways, is it normal for him to be having his first molt so early? He was just at the vet last month and nothing was wrong then, but maybe he's sick? He's being fed roudybush pellets, fruits and veggies, and some treats so I don't think he's malnourished. The other possibility is plucking I suppose, although I haven't noticed him plucking or over-preening.

Any help please?

[Wolf]

Can you post some pictures, so that we can see what is happening? Also to save time please tell us about a normal day in the life of your bird.

[Pajarita]

No, he is perfectly on time. Parrots go through their juvenile molt when they are about 6 months old which should (see below for a note on this) roughly coincide with the end of the breeding season and when all adult parrots molt and this is the right time of the year for it although everybirdie is almost done by now.

Note: I say 'should' because breeders don't usually keep their birds to a solar schedule, they manipulate light so they can get a longer breeding season because it = more clutches = more babies = more money.

[Calthesa]

I don't know if I can take a picture of his wings open, but I noticed he lost 2 pairs of feathers from the very ends of his wings this morning (2 on each side, 4 in total). I know they are wing feathers because he is unfortunately clipped. He's been losing other feathers and baby down for little awhile now though.

If most birds have their first molt at 6 months, why does everyone on the internet seem to indicate their birds didn't molt and grow out their wings until 12-14 months old? Do most people get birds older than 6 months and thus after the first molt so they are actually witnessing their 2nd molt or what?

[Wolf]

I do believe that it may be that it may take two molts for a clipped bird to regrow its wing feathers.

[Harpmaker]

Since they molt halve of their wing feathers at a time, a severe clip requires molting all of them to be able to fly. My Meyer's got a relatively gentle clip and was gaining altitude after she got some of her adult color. She couldn't LAND well until she had all her feathers though. That stall/hover/pull-up needs every wing and tail feather a poicephalus has got.

[Pajarita]

Exactly what they said. For a clipped bird to regain all his flight primaries, he needs to go through two molts. And, by the way, two primaries on each side is EXACTLY what he should be molting at one time so nothing to worry about, it's perfectly normal.

[Calthesa]

Phew, thanks everyone. New parront paranoia is kicking in apparently. I can't wait until his wings grow back in now!