Help is my Blue Crown plucking or molting?

[jaccart789]

Hello...I am new to this and I have never posted anything before. The reason I am contacting you is for advice. I am not sure if I have a plucking problem or a molting problem. My Blue Crowned Conure Nina (Neenya) is losing feathers, and I cant tell if she is plucking or not. My baby is 6 months old, and she does spend a lot of time in her cage. I am a nursing student, so on Mondays and Wednesdays I am not home from 7-10pm. I feel so guilty, but I do spend a lot of time with her. When I get home I keep her up until around 12am, and she is with me until I go to bed. I make sure she gets 12 hours of sleep, because my boyfriend will uncover her the next day. On the days I am not in school, as soon as I get home from work she is out of her cage either on top of it or on my shoulder until about 8-9pm, and she does not wake until 12 hours later. This is a routine I have established with her since I got her in July. She eats plenty of fresh fruits and veggies daily. She eats Zupreem pellets and will eat seeds on the weekend. She has a tons of toys rotated every couple of days. She is the love of my life. I always wanted a Cockatoo, but I purposely did not get a Cockatoo, because of their possible behavioural problems, and I didn't think it would be fair to a Too. My Nina is my Cockatoo that I always wanted. I watched the documentary Telegraph hill and I was smitten with this species. I did all the research, and visited her for 6 weeks before I took her home. What am I doing wrong?? Ok....now that I went off in a tangent let me get back to my issue.

She initially broke a tail feather from a fall. Then shortly after, one by one her beautiful long feathers became stubs. Next, I noticed she was tugging at a feather in her wing, and she almost completely broke it, so I was forced to cut it out. The only reason why I am thinking she could be molting and the other incidences are just that...incidences is because when I pet her little puffs of feathers, or actual long feathers will fall away almost like shedding. What does molting feathers look like? What time of year do they molt? Please help me...I am in tears over this...literally at this moment. I was given a little Quaker that plucks, and it causes me so much stress as it is. I am going to be so heartbroken if she goes through this as well. Thanks you so much for all your help!!!

[jenseits]

Can you show us some close-up photos?

[jaccart789]

No... I cant :(. I lost my camera. It probably would be too hard to diagnose her problem without seeing her and her feathers. I may try to borrow one, or just go to my avian vet. Probably the only way I will be able to know for sure. Thank you.

[Monica]

I bet it's probably molting!!!! Both of my conures (cherry head and a mitred) are molting right now, although it's more so the mitred than the other. Charlie (mitred - 14 years old) was sitting with me one night at the computer and he fluffed up. I noticed a dislodged feather in his wings so I pulled on it and it came out. Of course he, being a brat, had a fit! Next night, sitting with me, he's grooming himself, and he pulls out another flight feather. Same exact thing happened on the third night!

My budgies, tiels, and bourkes however are not molting (they seem to be in a continual molt throughout Spring to Summer, perhaps Fall too).

6 months is far too young for a bird to be plucking (unless it's due to medical reasons or a really bad home) but it's about the right age for molting!

[jenseits]

Originally Posted by jaccart789

No... I cant :(. I lost my camera. It probably would be too hard to diagnose her problem without seeing her and her feathers. I may try to borrow one, or just go to my avian vet. Probably the only way I will be able to know for sure. Thank you.

While I'd never discourage someone from taking their bird to the vet (especially if she hasn't been for a well-birdie exam yet), I don't know that you have cause to panic. It could just be molting, especially if you describe it as "shedding" and there are a lot of down feathers floating around. However, if you "cut" a feather, the ends might be irritating her skin, which could cause her to pick at that spot.

If you can borrow a camera, that might be helpful.

[hollyhawkz]

When I thought Pepper was plucking I took him to the vet... even though it cost me $ for her to check, I was happy to know what was going on. I would get your baby to a vet just to make sure. Piece of mind is priceless.

[Adinah]

Sorry it's hard to tell without pictures. Though even sometimes with pictures, a huge molt can look somewhat like the start of plucking. I agree with Hollyhawkz...it's best to take him to the vet just to be sure. Then you can both relax knowing a definite answer :)