Getting a parrotlet to molt?/ eat proper foods?

[tacothechicken]

Hey guys so a few months back we took in a 5 year old parrotlet from a woman whith to many birds and kids to juggle them all properly. When we got him he was a bit anxious and mean from having minimal contact for however long and had plucked all his stomach and back feathers out! Its been a while and while i can now get him to hang out whith me and be more outgoing, he still plucks, lessened to the point where he's only got a level of down on his belly and upper back rather than essentially bald. But it's getting colder here and while ive offered a snuggly to prevent picking. I noticed he hasnt molted since we got him! The lady had for some reason cut his wings and cut the ends of his tail feathers off and months later he now has all his flight feathers in his wings and half his tail feathers. I supply him both bathing and drinking water 24/7 but i honestly dont know if he understands the concept based on his previous life he also doesn't want anything remotely healthy! No fresh seeds treats fruits or nuts can convince him! The only things I can get him to eat other than his feed is nutri berries and millet, which is... Not balanced at all any one have suggestions on how to teach him to follow a healthier lifestyle lol? Are ther Amy feather growth supplements i can give him once his plucking suite comes? Any thing thats sure fire to help teach him the concept of branching out? Or ya know the concept of bathing, which i thing would seriously help his feathers if I can convince him to do so! He's much more active and willing since we got him and the plucking deteriorated as we buy him toys CONSTANTLY to keep him entertained (hes got a wierd bell obsession). But id like him to grow at least some of his feathers back for winter and get him on a healthier diet of greens and fruits etc once I can convince him to try new things picture is of him just recently, and thats an improvement from when he got him! Any tips or advice for feather growth and good dietary change/ bribery are appreciated! Ive heard the Australian mix is popular so I ordered some and well see how he likes it!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

If possible I would get him looked at by a vet to make sure there isn't some underlying problem with his skin. They can get mites and yeast infections.

My parrot usually molts over winter here. My budgies molt right after I bring them in the house in the fall from spending the summer outside. Molts are triggered by decreasing light. Sometimes birds in the house get too much artificial light.

There is molting and conditioning foods out there.

Have you tried putting it in the sink with a slow stream of water? It may start bathing. My parrot goes in the shower whether she wants to or not and gets a bath. I sometimes use a spray bottle too. Many will raise their wings and start bathing.

 

[tacothechicken]

Good to know about molting time! I have pigeons who molt practically every day lol although their major molt has already started along whith my chickens so I was expecting Jojos to start by now as well. I have a vet I can take him too but i don't believe i have conditioned him for travel and handling enough yet. I know there's no mites as I can we his skin and such but he does have notable dandruff, I assume do to lack of bathing. I'll try a spray bottle out today and see his reaction and I have a shower perch if I can convince him to cooperate.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It's always good to get a skin scraping to rule out other things. For He have company? Another bird housed next to him may help as feather picking in parrots can be from skin problems or behavioural problems. Often it's from birds over bonded to their humans, and is seen more in cockatoo and African grey parrots.

 

[tacothechicken]

He does not, we had a adoptee Budgie as well but she unfortunately just passed away this last week. We do have a house pigeon who I bring into the room and let them see each other for 1-2 hrs a day. Plus he's by a window were he can watch the birds outside and people to keep him entertained when he's gone. I do know he's lived whith other birds all his life though, so I wonder if maybe the competition for affection is part of the issue :/ either way he's currently alone except free fly time for a few hrs in the evenings when our pigeon is out.

 

[Serin]

If he grew back cut feathers he did molt already. The plucked ones generally don't come back fully due to chronic follicle damage.

 

[tacothechicken]

@Serin yeah I suspected that may be the case as i know that happens whith humans, but he still has some of those cut feathers so he maybe only partially molted ? If I can train him out of plucking and get him to bath more often do we think they'll eventually come back in? Hes supposedly around 5 years and idk how long hes been plucking so I dont know what level of damage has been done :/

 

[tacothechicken]

Just spray bottled him.....he was not a fan of that experience he's now hanging out under the heat lamp

 

[Serin]

They don't molt all at once like some birds and to molt out every clipped feather takes 9 to 14 months.

They pluck due to neurosis resulting from boredom and social isolation. Most Parrotlets kept as single pets are quite unhappy and neurotic. The best thing to do for him is to get another parrotlet as a mate. A life alone in a cage is no life for any parrot.

But many birds will never stop once they begin.

 

[tacothechicken]

@Serin good to know. I did have a female budgie he was slowly getting to know, unfortunatly she was a adoptee and we dont know how old she was so she passed away just this last week :"( currently weve been letting wallace out around him but I think Wallace's size is too threatening for him as he'll watch him from a distance but doesnt seem keen to associate like he did whith our budgie. Id get him a mate but we have like ...NO Parrotlet breeders near by at all. I think he himself was a imported baby based on his leg band but I've yet to here or find any other available parrotlet in our area