# Moulting How long does it Take?



## Budget baby (Jan 1, 2013)

Hi everybudgie, I was wondering how long does your budgie generally appear to be suffering through a moult? 
I have had Blue going through a pretty tough one but he seemed to only lose those small fluffy feathers that are par of their body. 
On the other hand poor Budget has been dropping his beautiful flights , tail , and everywhere else  He is always leaving little fluff tuffs on me. he has a head full of pinnies and is quite agitated and constantly rubbing his sweet little head. I have to preen him as Blue and Fifo have bonded since Haze went to the bridge. Not that any of the others really allowed Budget to close or be personal. 
He feels like a little pin cushion. He is sleeping more during the day, usually on my shoulder or under my chin. He loves me to rub his little head with my nose 
How long does the process take usually for a new set of feathers to come through?:budgie:


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Cathy,

Some molts seem to take forever don't they?

I liken my birds molting to my dogs shedding...
The dogs shed all year long and at certain times they shed more than others ... on top of that they still have two BIG shedding events per year!

When Shelby and Sunny went through their worst molts (as outlined in the Miserable Molt sticky), 
http://talkbudgies.com/general-budgie-info-[articles]/104927-miserable-molting.html
it took at least 8-9 weeks for the poor little guys to totally recover and have "normal" feathers again.

Thankfully, most molts are not that severe. 
I would estimate usually it takes my budgies around 4-5 weeks from the time the pin feathers start appearing until the pinnies are all gone.

I'll be interested in what others have to say on the subject. *


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Sorry to hear Budget's going through a difficult moult 
Actually, I was hoping for one of these threads because Mallorn is going through her worst moult this year. She's loosing her tail feathers, two of them, and has a head FULL (like all of her mask and head feathers, practically) of pinnies. She's taking it really well, though, which is good, but still, it's been a long time in the moult. 
I hope Budget feels better! I guess sometimes moults are longer than usual 
I like Deb's analogy to dog shedding, I agree! Also, since they "rotate" which feathers to replace (like one moult it's the middle throat spots, the main tail feather, and two primaries on each side, and the next moult it's the rest of the throat spots, three secondaries, and the mantle, etc.) some take longer to grow in, I imagine.


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## Budget baby (Jan 1, 2013)

Thanks It helps knowing others budgies do experience the long time frame which I do realize is normal , it's just so horrible watching them suffer it must drive them crazy 
I have a jar full of feathers from Budget, lucky I don't collect all of their discards, it worries me for Budget though as he is a Mega bac carrier and going through such stress and restlessness sometimes can bring on an attack my poor baby.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Best wishes to sweet little Budget that his molt will be over soon! :hug: He's a fortunate little fellow to have such a loving Momma to help him out with those itchy pin-feathers.*


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## Budget baby (Jan 1, 2013)

Yes he had a lovely warm bath today and then came and had a talk and cuddle.


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