Big Red Molting Grumpy Girl

[kendrafitz]

Rosie molts all year round for the most part. She loses a bunch of feathers all at once from all over her body and then once the new ones come in we start with losing more. Usually, she is fine and it doesn't seem to bug her too much.

The latest round have started coming in this week. She is a grumpy mess. She wants me to cuddle her, but then it hurts so she doesn't want me to touch her and nips me. I can't imagine how uncomfortable it must be to have a bunch of needles coming through your skin all at once. Plus itching with the feathers that still have sheaths on them that are just about grown in. So, she doesn't know what she wants or what to do with herself. Its too bad there isn't a bird version of advil, b/c I think she would definitely feel better if there were. But since there is not, poor Rosie is a mess. Fortunately, she has been tearing through her new toys, which is a good distraction. I hope this group of feathers finishes breaking through soon, I have bruises everywhere. She is being very rough just giving kisses or stepping/playing on me since she is in such a bad mood.

To make matters worse, I didn't shower her today b/c it is a little chilly. Her heated perch is broken and the store doesn't have a replacement in yet. I am rushing around and I don't have time to blow dry her which means no shower, so she is even more annoyed with me. Poor Rosie.

Does anyone else have issues with ugly molting? Any suggestions on alleviating her uncomfortableness? She showers daily (except today).

[Mare]

Aww.. sorry you and Rosie are having issues over this :(. I know little Chip LOOKS miserable when he's molting but he's never let me touch him so I don't get bit. Sassy gets extra grumpy-butt during molt and Amigo just seems to flow right through it, no issues. You asked about an Advil type med for birds and I would have to say that the Metacam might work, it's an anti-inflammatory drug, you could ask your vet. Good luck! :)

[kendrafitz]

Thanks Mare!! I will look into it.

I am so not surprised that Amigo is fine during molting. He is such a tough, adorable guy!!!

[Mare]

Thanks, Kendra :). Yeah, he's such a tough bird! Nothing really phases him, except maybe, sometimes new men in his territory but even with that, he doesn't do the dive bombing attack thing anymore, this is progress :). Amigo WILL follow him closely, though..just to make sure nothing's going on!

[kendrafitz]

I still laugh when I think of Amigo terrorizing the power guy!!

[plax]

Poor Rosie :(. She just can't seem to have her world the way she would prefer it to be :th_shakehead:

[froggij]

Orsino gets really grumpy when he has wing or tail feathers coming in, and I can tell when he's getting crest feathers in because he won't let me give him scritches when his head hurts, but other than that he's a trooper. I feel really bad when he's growing in lots of crest feathers because he wants a head scratch but then it hurts and he tries to kill my finger. Dori gets this pathetic little squeal she does if she flies with a new wing feather growing in, but that's about it. Rose is always a little crabby/weird about being touched, so it's impossible for us to tell if she's molting or if she's just being a brat that day.

I hope your Rosie feels better soon! Baths and showers definitely help. I've heard adding extra greens to their diet helps, some stores sell a dried greens mix specifically for molting, but I already put a greens/fruit/veggie mix in with my birds' seeds and pellets so I haven't tried the molting one.

[spiritbird]

You guys really do not want to be around me when I am moulting. :devilish::devilish: