Molting?

[Stephens]

Do canaries normally molt in the fall? Mine are losing more feathers now than they did in the spring/summer. I also have one who is tearing up the newspaper in the bottom of the cage when he can get to it, this has only started in the last month.

Thank you

[30 Seconds to Bob]

In the northern hemisphere, the canary moult should begin shortly after the breeding season ends - a couple of weeks after the summer solstice. My canaries are in mid-moult right now. Bob

[Stephens]

So I'm in Washington State and new to owning birds so I apologize but does this mean this is normal for them this time of year? Any ideas about the paper or is that nothing?

Thank you

[Zebrafincher]

Hi there,

are you sure your canary which is chewing paper is a male? I've seen this behavior only in female canaries and budgies which are trying to nest. My sister's budgie which had testicular cancer, also exhibited this nesting behavior. Its a bit hard to tell with birds.

Zebrafincher

[Zebrafincher]

My other male birds (star finch, canary and zebbie) will chew twine, grass seed, millet, nesting materials and feathers - but not actually the paper I use on the bottom.

[30 Seconds to Bob]

So I'm in Washington State and new to owning birds so I apologize but does this mean this is normal for them this time of year? Any ideas about the paper or is that nothing?

Yes, your birds should be moulting right now if they are on a natural daylight schedule. As far as shredding paper, I agree with Zebrafincher - it's usually the hens that do this for nesting material. Males will sometimes do it, apparently just for "fun". Bob

[Stephens]

Originally the rescue place said it was a male & female with the female being the one who is currently shredding newspaper. Sometime around last May or June I posted here describing their behavior and how they were what appeared to be fighting in mid-air etc. Folks here said it was 2 males and I double checked with our local bird expert who also agreed so I bought another cage and separated them. I also asked why only one for the most part was singing and the bird expert in the area said if I separate them they'll both begin singing and they did and have every since. So I guess I have to assume they are both males but thought the same thing when I saw the one shredding paper, that she was the female after all.

[Stephens]

Tonight one of the two that are molting has lost a lot of his feathers to the point that his chest is now white instead of orange so back to my last question last night is this normal for this time of year? I thought the mating season was over a couple months ago for WA state?

[30 Seconds to Bob]

Mating season may have been over, but when I used to breed canaries, they would just about now be getting done raising their final clutch. Moulting usually begins shortly after that - after the summer solstice, when the daylight is already on the decline. EVERYTHING canaries do revolves around the annual daylight schedule. Bob

[Maria Faith]

Yea, I am having the same problem. Our atlantic canary has lots of feather loss around the neck where our red factor is just fine. I am worried. Its mid/late summer here in Edmonton Alberta.

[30 Seconds to Bob]

Missing feathers around the neck "only" is sometimes referred to by old timers as a "stuck moult" or being "stuck in the moult". I don't know why it's called this and I am not an old timer. It can be caused by stress, diet, or an unescapable warm or cool draft. I have had this happen to a couple of my birds.
Don't know what actually cured it, but I was advised to give fresh cucumber, a bit of aloe vera juice in the water, and a "feather up" moulting supplement. The condition may not cure itself until the following years' moult. Bob

[Maria Faith]

30 Seconds to Bob

Ugh, I do not like the idea of having to wait a year for it to go away . I am worried it may be stress with the new home and the new canary. I will try your suggestions, hopefully it wont be permeant. Thanks for the advise.