# My Budgie Is Loosing Feathers



## BudgieSmuggler78 (Dec 13, 2021)

Hi,
We bought Aqua from a reputable pet shop about 7 weeks ago and everything has been fine. He's settling in with no apparent problems. Then, over the past couple of days, we've noticed small white feathers appearing all over the floor under his cage. 
Is this normal malting or something else?
Thanks


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## Cody (Sep 5, 2013)

Sounds to me like the start of his first molt, if you would like to post a picture we can tell better.


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## BudgieSmuggler78 (Dec 13, 2021)

Here is a picture of him.......


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## Cody (Sep 5, 2013)

Aqua looks fine but might be a female, the cere looks very pale. If you could post a full frontal picture taken without a flash in natural light we can tell better.


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## BudgieSmuggler78 (Dec 13, 2021)

Haha I might owe him/ her an apology 😂 Ill take a picture tomorrow in the day then and post it. Thanks for your help


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## Cody (Sep 5, 2013)

The name works either way


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Hi, Welcome to Talk Budgies!

The purpose of this forum is to promote the BEST PRACTICES in the care of budgies for their optimal Health and Well-Being*
*Locating an Avian Veterinarian*

*Aqua is a cutie! I'm looking forward to seeing the additional pictures.

Budgies generally have a first light molt at around 3 - 4 months old and another at 6 -7 months old.
When a budgie reaches at 1 year old their molts adjust to the Seasons., After the adjustment the budgie will have its big molts in the Spring and Fall. Budgies may also have lighter molts throughout the year; triggered by stress, change in diet or change in environment.

You can supplement your budgie’s diet with egg food during a molt.
This helps your budgies replenish the energy lost during the time they lose and grow in the new feathers.
Additionally, egg food promotes good and healthy feather growth.
It is possible to buy ready-made egg food at any specialized pet store but just as easy to make your own by hard boiling an egg and mashing it up.
If you wish you can mix it with a bit of cooked quinoa and flax seed.
You can also finely chop some veggies and add it to the egg food mix.
If your give your budgie cooked quinoa, be sure you rinse it well several times before cooking.

Budgies get itchy during their molt, so they'll preen and scratch more often. Additionally, they may be sleepier and quieter as molting takes a lot of energy, and their poop could be a little runnier. To make them more comfortable, you can offer them baths either in a shallow dish of water (or Lix-It bath) or by hanging wet greens (romaine lettuce or kale works best) in their cage so they can nibble on it and rub against them.*

*Molting FAQs*
*Miserable Molting*

*A Healthy Diet for your Budgie*
*Quality Seed Mix*
*CuttleBones, Mineral Blocks and Manu Clay Roses*
*Safe Foods for Budgies*
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*Please take the time to read through the Site Guidelines, the FAQs, the Budgie Articles and all of the Stickies located at the top of each section of the forum.
Truly, the very BEST advice anyone can offer you is to take the time to read ALL of the stickies throughout the various Talk Budgie forums as well as the Budgie Articles we have posted.
(Stickies are threads “stuck” at the top of each forum sub-section)
These are great resources for Talk Budgie members and have a wealth of reliable information which will assist you to learn the best practices in caring for your budgies for their optimal health and well-being.*

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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Hello and welcome to the forums!

Aqua is adorable and although more photos would be great if you have them (please do post them!), I am almost certain Aqua is a little girl. She's precious and congratulations. 

You've been given great advice above as well as important forum resources by FaeryBee. Please be sure to read through everything provided to ensure you're up to date on the best of budgie care practices! If you have questions after doing so, don't hesitate to ask as we'd love to help. 

Hope to see you and Aqua around!


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## Zakiyathebudgie (Dec 14, 2021)

First of all, Aqua looks gorgeous! If she/he is around 6 months of age, then they're probably going through their first molt. This usually happens every 6 months. Theres nothing to worry about because the feathers will eventually grow back again in a few weeks. Take care! Sending my love to Aqua!


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## BudgieSmuggler78 (Dec 13, 2021)

Just want to say a massive thanks you to everyone for their valued and helpful advice. Here are some more pics of our little Aqua……


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

She is so cute and definitely a girl 😍


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Aqua is a BEAUTIFUL little girl! Thank you for posting the additional pictures. *


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## BudgieSmuggler78 (Dec 13, 2021)

Thank you. She's only been with us for about 7 weeks or so and is already part of the family 😁


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