# New Budgie Hasn't Molted?



## Superminax (9 mo ago)

Hello! We just brought home our first budgie on Feb. 28 and we were told it was about 10 weeks old. Its wings were clipped when we brought it home (that would not have been my choice) and I'm just wondering about when I can expect a molt to replace the clipped wing feathers. From what I've read it should have molted around 14-16 weeks but I have seen no sign of a molt starting. This is my first budgie but I do keep chickens so I am familiar with what a molt looks like and I've seen no dropped feathers or pin feathers or anything indicating a molt is starting. Should I be concerned about this? I feel like its inability to fly is hampering its willingness to explore outside the cage and I'm nervous that she'll have a hard landing as we have hardwood and concrete flooring.

For diet she gets free fed Roudybush, 1/2 to 1 tsp seeds plus I use spray millet for training, some whole leaf greens (whatever we have on hand: salad mix, cabbage, bok choi, arugula, etc.) and a little bowl with fresh veg (I do 3 kinds/day of whatever is on hand: carrot, pepper, berries, fennel, snap pea, banana, mango, rolled oats, and quinoa are all examples of things I've tried), though she does not seem to eat very much of the veg at all. I usually put a little sprinkle of seeds on top of the veg to encourage it to try, which is why it has a little dirty face in the pic. The bird is very playful and active and seems very healthy.

I believe the bird is female based on the cere color but I am not confident in my assessment 🤣. I would love to have confirmation on sex if anyone has a more informed opinion.

Also is there a way to wash its dirty face a little without scaring it? I'm still working on taming and I don't want to do anything to undo the work I've already done to gain trust.

Thank you so much for any advice!


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Hi there and welcome to the forums! 

She is indeed a gorgeous little girl. Most likely as she drinks water and rubs her beak on her perch the little bit of food will come off naturally. You can also hang some wet greens, such as parsley, cilantro, romaine lettuce, etc. in her cage as most budgies love to bathe in those. 

Meanwhile, you've come to a great place to learn even more about the best of budgie care practices! Please be sure to read through the forums' many budgie articles and "stickies" to ensure you're up to date on everything, If you have any questions after doing so, please be sure to ask as we'd love to help. 

Hope to see you and your girl around here on the forums! What's her name? 

Cheers


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## Superminax (9 mo ago)

StarlingWings said:


> Hi there and welcome to the forums!
> 
> She is indeed a gorgeous little girl. Most likely as she drinks water and rubs her beak on her perch the little bit of food will come off naturally. You can also hang some wet greens, such as parsley, cilantro, romaine lettuce, etc. in her cage as most budgies love to bathe in those.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the response! Her name is Grim Beeper (my ten year old named her, he loves coming up with puns to name our animals), we call her Grim. I did do a brief search and didn't see anything about a late molt. Mostly I just wanted to make sure I shouldn't be concerned that she hasn't molted yet or if I should make an appointment at the vet.

Thank you!


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*It may take several months before Grim Beeper's flight feathers grow in. It is SO frustrating when they've been clipped and both you and the budgie have to wait (what seems like forever) for them to grow back so the bird can be properly fully-flighted.

I wouldn't be concerned that she has not yet molted, it will happen when her body is ready.
Every budgie is unique and not all fall into the "average" timeframes.

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*

*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.

SITE GUIDELINES
Posting on the Forums
Let's Talk Budgies!
FAQ
Articles
Be Prepared for Veterinary Care Expense
Avian First Aid
Quarantine IS Necessary!
A Heartfelt Plea to All Members
Tips For Discouraging Breeding
Before You Ever Consider Breeding Your Budgies
Guidance for Breeding Advice Threads
Cage sizes.
Essentials to a Great Cage
Dangers to Pet Birds
Resource Directory
*


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## Superminax (9 mo ago)

FaeryBee said:


> *It may take several months before Grim Beeper's flight feathers grow in. It is SO frustrating when they've been clipped and both you and the budgie have to wait (what seems like forever) for them to grow back so the bird can be properly fully-flighted.
> 
> I wouldn't be concerned that she has not yet molted, it will happen when her body is ready.
> Every budgie is unique and not all fall into the "average" timeframes.
> ...


Thank you so much for putting my mind at ease! I'm just so sad for her that she can't properly fly. I have been slowly reading through all the stickies, I'm so happy to have such a good resource to help me give her the best life I can. Thank you for your help!


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## Aozane (Sep 23, 2021)

Just to offer an individual data point (but please keep in mind FaeryBee’s statement that “every budgie is unique”):

I got my bird with wings clipped (not my choice either), and she was about 3 months old (~12 weeks). At about 6 months (~24 weeks) her first pair of clipped feathers dropped off. She is now almost 8 months (probably ~30 weeks), and there is only one pair of clipped feathers left that we’re still waiting on to molt out. However, after about three of the five pair grew back fully, she herself seemed to notice an increase in her flight capability, and has been flying more—she‘s not a patient bird 

Again, take with a grain of salt—this is but one budgie timeline. However, it’s offered to express that it will happen! It was such an exciting morning when I found the first clipped feather at the bottom of the cage.

Also, love the name. 

👋


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