# Silly question



## sdodo (Jun 7, 2016)

Yeah, so would assume you know when a budgie is done molting when there are no more non-down feathers showing up on the cage floor right? I want to say kiger started his molt back in late August/ early September. Since then the feather loss has been sporadic(?) I will see a random feather here and there (like one this morning) and then there are the days where its all the feathers at the bottom of the cage. I'm not seeing pin feathers but Kiger does let Max preen him when they spend time together so...
So my (probably silly) question is when do you know when your bird is done with a molt? Is it when all I see for a solid amount of time is just maybe the white down feathers? I haven't noticed an energy level change. Kiger was dealing with the GYI when he started molting and perked up after a few weeks on the meds, and has stayed about the same since. So I really don't have a point of reference for his energy level... Would it be when he has grown in all his clipped wing feathers in? Something else all together? I've done my reading about molting and how the time it takes varies from bird to bird but I haven't seen anything on how to tell when they are done...
Thanks!


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## aluz (Jul 24, 2011)

A budgie is done moulting when there is a significant decrease of fallen feathers.
Having a few white down feathers to fall off is normal and so are the occasional body feathers (the small ones), this can be seen during the daily preening sessions when for example a small feather from the chest/tummy can fall down or even a head/neck feather when the budgie is being preened by a mate, for example.

Also budgies can moult in sections and different body parts will be affected on a given moult. Some moults can also be quite subtle and these are the easiest and least troublesome to endure by budgies.


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## sdodo (Jun 7, 2016)

Thanks!
I am struggling to word how Kiger's molt is going. He has grown in a total of six of the flight feathers, three on each side. His wings are clipped so its noticeable that they are not all in yet. Since he is able to fly with what he has is it possible, since I am seeing less and less of feathers at the bottom of the cage, that he might be done with molting or would he probably grow in more flight feathers? It doesn't change anything in our corner of the world I am just curious since this is the first molt I've gone through with the little dude.


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## aluz (Jul 24, 2011)

The moment one clipped flight feather falls, his body will start working on growing the replacement feather. 
This can even happen as a result of a night fright where a couple of flight or tail feathers (the biggest ones) can fall during the commotion and this isn't considered a natural moult. Still for these lost feathers the replacements will soon grow.


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## sdodo (Jun 7, 2016)

Ok. I guess what my question is, if he is clearly molting wing feathers would he replace all the wing feathers gradually over the time frame of the molt or would it be loose some wing feathers this molt and others another time? Sorry I wasn't so clear on the question yesterday.


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Budgies actually moult different feathers each moult, so to answer your question, just because he has lost one wing feather doesn't mean he will loose all of them. This moult he may replace two wing feathers (one on each side), some mask feathers, and several body feathers, for example. Next moult he may replace a tail feather, four wing feathers, and some body feathers. 

This is a survival mechanism that they maintain from their wild counterparts; moulting only one or two major feathers (wing + tail) per moult ensures they would still be able to fly away from danger :thumbsup:


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## sdodo (Jun 7, 2016)

OK, that makes sense. Thanks!


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