Molting? Conure lost 2 flight feathers in 2days

[ccg]

Hello!

I am a little concerned about my Nanday Conure, in the past 2 days he has lost 2 flight feathers. He seems to be healthy, eating a ton, playing with his toys, getting a few hours a day out of cage, if not the entire day, in the evening he does laps around the house, gets 10-12 hours of sleep, no change in behaviour that I can really see. The only thing is that he might be preening a little more? Its hard to tell, I have been off work this week so maybe I just notice it more.

How do I tell if hes going through a molt? I am worrid about him losing these 2 feathers.

Thank you all!

edit: I just took a look, 1 feather is from the right wing, the other from the left. not sure if this helps or makes a difference. the feathers are also the same size.

[4HAND]

I think it's fine to loose two,especially if the are from opposite sides.
Tena

[Amie]

Yeah, flight and tail feathers are molted symmetrically so they can still pick up speed and gain height in the wild. . . usually within 2 days.

And it's mating season and molting season. . . so the more agressive preening might just be because his skin is itchy or he's hormonal. Do you give showers, or give a bowl for bathing? After your shower tonight, put your little guy in the bathroom so he can take advantage of the humidity. I have a larger parrot, so she will hang out on a perch in the shower for an hour after we're done in there. Conures are a little more. . .active, though, so you might have to roll the cage in there if they won't just play on a perch

[ccg]

Thats good it sounds like its a normal thing he lost those feathers, he's definately not plucking but preening like crazy. I apologize for all the questions, I have only had him since december. I had bought 2 books on conures, but neither mention much about molting or hormonal stuff.

He is definatley hormonal right now to! Its been 3 weeks or so, I was hoping it would end soon? Its winter where I am, but I guess this is the time of year for him? The house is pretty dry as its winter and real cold outside, but I plug a vaperizor in for him one in a while near his cage, I have read that is good?

He tries to mate/rub himself on some of his toys, I discouragae it, and try to get him playing again. He also is shredding all his wood and leather toys like crazy, he used to chew on them, but now he's ripping them all apart! Its ok though, I have TONS of good toys for him. Is this increase in the ripping/shredding related to him being hormonal?

He has a bath everyday, I put him in the bathroom sink with a dinner plate in the bottom and let him go nuts, that or he bathes in a dish I put on the table for him, or he'll do it in his water dish he cant wait lol, he loves the water. We have to cage him when its time to do the dishes because he wants to be right in there...

[Amie]

Haha. It sounds like you're doing what you're supposed to to me. I'm not a conure expert (we had one when I was young, but I wasn't old enough to know anything), but my ekkie just started getting hormonal about a week or so ago. She gets kind of anti social. She will just sit on top of her play top, or her play pen, and watch us. . .but won't come to us. I'm expecting about another month of it. It usually lasts until early spring.

[Valo's Moirana]

yip - molting..... here as well.... bella is down to 6 tailfeathers (valo has 12 ), and looks like she got caught inan airplane engine and nino looks like a porky-pine

gotta love molting season

[ccg]

lol. thank you all for the replies. I am new to this and was worried for my little buddy!

I'll keep you updated if anything else happens, but from all your advice sounds like hes just being himself lol.

Spring you say? Cant wait!

[flyingfluff]

I'm going to have to go with.... molting! It's completely normal. You can give him some extra showers which could help with any extra itchiness he may have.
How old is your nanday, btw?

[ccg]

I have only had him a few months, but his band is dated 03, so he is 5 years old.

[Ashling]

Sounds like a molt- Ash lost 6 feathers the first night she arrived here (around 10 weeks old). It can be quite worrying, but yours sounds fine!