BLACK SPOTS ON FEATHERS!!?

[crimsonbellied]

hey i just recently purchased a crimson bellied conure and he is a sweetheart but i noticed a few black spots on his feathers when i got him and i feel like there are slightly more now and ive heard it could be malnutrition? he is under a year his adult feathers havent came in i dont think because his bellie hasnt went completly red yet and i hear that happens at about a year? here are a few pictures i am wondering if i need to take him to the vet or if this is normal for a younger crimson bellie...he is on pellets eating fruit and veggies often and i take him outside all the time so he must be getting enough light...thanks for the help!!

[crimsonbellied]

maybe its nothing... not to educated on this hopefully someone can give me some peace of mind:P

[gabbagabbawill]

If in doubt, it's never a bad idea to take your bird in to a good avian vet, especially if they haven't had their first check up.

That said, this appears to ME to be something external that has chewed his feathers up. Either he is doing it with his beak or maybe something in his cage or the cage itself is causing damage to the feathers.

Since it is only at the ends of the feathers and not closer to the birds body, it doesn't seem consistent with what people call "stress bars" tied directly to malnutrition.

Some people believe that malnutrition can cause birds to barber or chew their own feathers, so I would pay attention to see if he seems to be over preening or chewing.

Is there something about his diet that has you concerned? Are you making sure to provide a balanced diet of fresh fruits, veggies, and pellets, as opposed to just seed/ nuts?

[laducockatiel]

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