# Second molt?



## annarose (Jul 19, 2016)

*Double molt?*

Hi guys, have any of you experienced this?

Apollo started his juvenile molt in April and it finished last month. But then two days ago he started molting again! He was mostly losing down feathers and what I think are secondary flight feathers. I didn't keep track of how many secondaries he had lost so I thought maybe there were just a couple that he had hung on to. But today when I got home I found one of his long tail feathers on the floor of his cage, and I know that he just grew that one in a couple months ago.

He seems as happy and playful as ever and isn't showing any sign of illness. We have had a heat wave here this week (30 degrees tops) but my apartment never gets that hot.

I'm a little worried because it seems really soon to be going through a second molt already. Does this seem normal to you experienced budgie owners? When did your budgies go through their second molt?


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## aluz (Jul 24, 2011)

The second moult usually happens by the time budgies are 6 - 7 months old. There are other external factors that can trigger a moult, such as stress from a change in the environment (a change in the housing arrangements, a move to some place else, travelling, etc), a dietary change and other potentially stressful events. 
If during the first moult your Apollo had a light moult which progressed at much slower pace as it seems given the time it took for him to finish it, it's not surprising that this second moult began just one month a apart.
This is not cause for concern, there can be variations between moults. 
Some will take longer and are lighter and these will usually not be so severe in terms of taking a toll on the budgie, then there are others which are heavier and don't last as long. 
The tail feather Apollo lost was the baby one that wasn't moulted out the first time around. Usually the main flight feathers and tail feathers are moulted out on the second moult.

You can start by supplementing his diet with egg food again and offering Apollo a means for him to bathe if he chooses to do so, as that could help with the general discomfort and itch from the growing feathers.


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## annarose (Jul 19, 2016)

Thanks Aluz,

Apollo is about 7 or 8 months old, so it's good to hear that's a normal age for a second molt. 

We haven't changed anything in his environment or routine lately (unless you count the much needed apartment cleaning I did last weekend  ) 

The tail feather was not the baby one. As I mentioned, I know for sure that he lost and grew that longer one back in during his first molt. He also lost all of his primaries during that molt. I kept track of all of those, which was easy because they had been clipped when I got him.

The first molt definitely took a long time, but I've read that that one can take up to three months so I wasn't too concerned about it. He lost a couple of major feathers a week (along with a billion little fluffy ones) for about three months. How long did your guys's budgies' juvenile molts take?

I'd love as much feedback as I can get here so I can know what to expect. I'm also fascinated by this whole molting process and am very interested to hear how they differ from one budgie to another. (Yes I'm a big nerd :blush: )


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## aluz (Jul 24, 2011)

You're very welcome. 

I only mentioned that because budgies have two main (big) tail feathers, so it was possible that Apollo lost one of his baby tail feathers on his first moult and and now moulted the other baby tail feather. If he had moulted them both at almost the same time, you would have noticed a much shorter tail on Apollo.

The time it takes and the pattern of the moults will depend on the individual budgie and on the type of moult they are having at that given period.
After reaching adulthood, budgies will generally have two main moults at around Spring time and during Fall.


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## shanebudgie (Feb 5, 2016)

Greetings welcome aboard.my budgie Gracie is also going through her 2nd molt in a month as well.there has been no changes or stress related incidents here.just now she's losing her main feathers.

Poor sweetie she looks so odd and her pins are coming through now.I feed her molt foods and flax seeds.plus multivitamin water to help her cope with her stress.but she's doing well.

Hopefully your budgie will getv through thisv molt soon and look so beautiful again.Blessings and keep us updated.


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## RavensGryf (May 8, 2015)

Yep, normal . Mink did the same 'double molt' thing when she was a juvenile. I expect this with Chip too, as his first molt now is long and going little by little.


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## annarose (Jul 19, 2016)

Fiewf, thanks so much guys. I am very glad to know this is nothing to worry about.


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## annarose (Jul 19, 2016)

*Update on Apollo's second molt*

​
Hey guys, thought I'd give you a quick update on Apollo's molt. He's doing great. :thumbup: There was one day that he looked like a pincushion; he just sat all fluffed up most of the day, taking lots of naps. But other than that he's been his normal active self. He ended up losing both of his long tail feathers, again! So he's looking kinda stubby. Other than that he's lost a bunch of medium sized wing feathers and has tons of pinnies on his head too.

He still isn't showing any interest in meat though. During his first molt and this one I have been trying to give him mashed up eggs, but he's not having it. I've also been trying meal worms, which he'll play with (ie toss around for me to pick up...yuck), but he doesn't eat them. He loves his green and orange veggies though, and his feathers are looking good, so hopefully he's getting all the nutrients he needs.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*You can give Apollo some flax seed and cooked quinoa (rinse the quinoa) very well before cooking it. 
Or you can add a drop of flax seed oil to his food if you wish during his molting periods.*


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## annarose (Jul 19, 2016)

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention: I bought some organic flax seeds from the grocery store, but Apollo doesn't seem to think that they are food (since they don't have hulls maybe). Is there a better kind to get for birds?


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Have you tried mixing it with his seed? Mallorn won't eat flax seeds plain either, but when they're with her seed she's convinced they're edible haha  The flax seed oil Deborah suggested is a good idea! 

I hope he's still somewhat comfortable during his moult


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