Why is my female zebra finch going bald and not laying eggs?

Thanks for reaching out about Meemee. This is probably not due to the season or coldness. Molting is usually spring. Concerns would be external parasites (feather mites?), aggression by another finch,or other problems. Monitor appetite. If condition worsens, an avian veterinary visit is needed to diagnose and prescribe a treatment protocol. Good luck.

It is possible the stress of chronic egg laying may be affecting her appearance and feathers. Remove any nesting boxes in the cage. If she's laying in the seed bowl, use a smaller container that she cannot sit in. Limit Camille's exposure to daylight to 8 hours or less. Use a dark cage cover or sheet to block light if necessary. Use a calcium fortified seed mix. Leave the fake eggs in the cage for at least 4 weeks.

Feather plucking is often associated with boredom, or other issues within their environment, but the cause of this problem is not always known and highly debated amongst avian experts. Making sure she is not bored is a good first step. One good way to keep your bird busy is by making them work for their food. Birds in the wild spend most of their time foraging for food. Instead of just putting food in their bowl, you can hide it, or put it in puzzle toys that require them to do some work to get the food out. I fed my parrot almost exclusively this way. Other enrichment options include putting a mirror in the cage and putting her in other environments. It's best to give your canary as much possible space that you can to let her fly and roam around. You may consider getting perches or other cages for different rooms, or outside. If you can afford to have a flight cage built, this would be even better. Below is a link to some more information about enrichment ideas: http://www.

Thanks for reaching out about Princess. Rarely are parasites visible as a mass. Feather lice or mites can lead to over-grooming and feather loss. Separate from other birds to prevent cross-contamination. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Review husbandry and diet as nutritional deficiencies can slow feather re-growth. Good luck.

The other bird could indeed be preening her excessively. It is possible she could be starting a milt also. Monitor her for feather loss in other areas. Ideally, she should be examined by your veterinarian or an experienced avian vet to diagnose and treat any medical causes. If medical causes are ruled out, you will need to address behavioral causes such as stress or boredom. If the behavior persists and you confirm the other bird as the culprit, you may need to separate them temporarily. Don't worry, they can be caged next to one another. Feathers will grow back wrapped in a sheath. These are called pinfeathers. The sheath will be removed by preening and the feather will unfurl. You can bathe or mist them once or twice a week with warm water to promote preening and healthy plumage.

It sounds as if your female may be sick and it would be best to bring her to a vet ASAP. It is possible she is exhausted from laying the eggs due to malnutrition, has an illness, or even has a stuck egg that is making her ill. Seeking veterinary care in person ASAP is best to try and get her feeling better. You may also need to separate her into a warm hospital cage until you can get to the vet to help make her more comfortable and reduce stress.

Thanks for reaching out about Ringo Starr. Laying imperfect eggs and sitting quietly could be a sign of egg binding or other reproductive diseases. If she is eating well and otherwise not looking in distress, then monitoring her is okay for a few days. Ensure her diet is adequate, to replace calcium that is being lost due to egg laying. If she continues to isolate herself or her signs of illness progress, an avian veterinarian examination should be scheduled. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out. Sitting quietly, fluffed on the bottom of the cage is not an indication of laying again. It is more probably a sign of illness and should see a veterinarian. Wheezing and respiratory clicking sounds are an indication of a respiratory infection, necessitating the need for systemic antibiotics. The second budgie, loosing feathers, could be a stress molt, but several viral disease could also be the cause. See your veterinarian. Good luck.

It is most likely that your bird is either picking out her feather because of stress or boredom or that she is molting. Since she is eating well and otherwise acting like herself I think it is less likely that she is ill. Make sure you are feeding her a well balanced diet of pellets, small amounts of fruits and veggies and minimal amounts of seeds. If she continues to lose feathers for more than a couple weeks or if she stops eating, then I would recommend taking her in to be evaluated by your veterinarian. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Boop by Petco. Best of luck.

Molting and egg-laying are both very energy-intensive activities and it could be that your bird is not getting enough nutrition to support healthy feathers and egg-laying, especially if she is continuously laying and breeding. It would be best to ensure she is on a balanced diet and is given some extra protein/calcium with an eggfood to ensure she can maintain good health. Removing any nesting material and eggs (if you are not raising babies and it may be a good idea to let her rest and recover anyway) can help decrease or stop her egg-laying while she recovers. A swollen abdomen could indicate she is readying to lay another egg, or she is eggbound (the egg is stuck) -- especially if she is attempting to lay, straining, can't pass stool, etc to indicate this. This is a serious situation that requires either helping her get the egg out through lubrication of the vent or by seeking veterinary care ASAP. Adding in a calcium supplement and proper diet can also help in the future to preven