How to keep the brightness of a bird’s plumage
For a long time it was believed that the loss of color in poultry is irreparable. Allegedly out of will, the feathered creature will not long please its owner with bright plumage and will become faded after the first molt. So it will be, if you do not comply with the conditions, which will be discussed later.
Color fading is seasonal and temporary. Birds need to periodically renew their plumage, just like cats and dogs need to get rid of excess hair. But if the bird is not helped to recover, it will remain dull forever.
The plumage of parrots, for example, is updated annually. The molt lasts about 2 months and is an important part of the bird’s life. And although at this time the parrot becomes apathetic, silent and loses its appetite, this must be waited out. With the end of the molt, everything will return to normal.
For a beautiful and bright plumage, canaries also go through a thorny and even painful path: they feel unwell, do not want to eat, let alone sing. At such moments, human help will be useful.
The main thing is to provide your pet with a balanced diet and good conditions. What exactly does a bird need? Let’s discuss this.
The diet of the bird must certainly contain carotenes and vitamins in the optimal amount. It is from carotene that the formation of pigments for the plumage of birds depends. Without the right substances, minerals and other beneficial additives, the pet will not only lose its former attractiveness, but can also get sick.
Monotonous and vitamin-poor food, although it is cheap, will definitely not add health to the bird. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the composition and purchase professional complete feeds (Fiory). They will already have all the useful elements necessary for the pet and additional nutrition will not be required.
Fiory and other premium dog food brands have safflower seeds in their formula. They are rich in linoleic acid (vitamin F), which is not produced by the body, but comes from food. Vitamin not only improves pigmentation in birds, but also regulates important life processes.
During molting, birds really need sulfur, because it plays an important role in metabolism. With a deficiency of calcium and phosphorus, your bird will not only have a dull color, but also diseases, such as rickets and perosis.
Calcium, phosphorus and other micro and macro elements are contained in chelate forms in professional feeds in the right quantities. And they are also in the bio-stone from Fiory. It contains 13 different minerals that slow down the aging process. The main element in the composition of the stone is calcium, which strengthens the bones of birds.
It is important to monitor the quality of the water. It should be clean, filtered or boiled.
A lot depends on nutrition, but not everything. It is necessary to observe certain living conditions for the bird so that it feels good and quickly recovers after molting.
The fight against the problem must be complex. Here are some tips on how to keep the brightness of the plumage.
- Lighting
Additional lighting is needed not only for fish and turtles, but also for feathered pets. The short duration of daylight hours does not have the best effect on birds, especially tropical ones. Even with good nutrition, the lack of light leads to the fact that the bird will start to get sick and pluck out its feathers. Metabolic disorders are the minimum that threatens her.
In autumn and winter, it makes sense to put special lamps for feathered friends. But remember: too much light is just as bad as too little. It can cause a pet lack of sleep, depression, deterioration of well-being and appetite.
For tropical birds and parrots, purchase fluorescent lamps, but quartz or tanning beds are not suitable.
- Bath
Not only during molting, but also after it, you can do soda baths for the feathered one. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of soda in 1 liter of water, pour a small amount of water into a shallow container and place in a cage. Instead of soda, a decoction of chamomile or rose hips is also suitable. Just do not leave the bird in the bath unattended, because it can easily drown. Proper baths will help your pet maintain its plumage color.
- Sprays
Nutrition is an important component of the bird’s beauty. But outside help is also needed. For this, sprays with various additives are perfect to give shine and health to the skin and feathers.
- Attention
The caress and love of the owner is what a bird needs for complete happiness. Do not forget not only to feed and care for your pet well, but also to give him time.
We hope that our advice will help you and your feathered friend survive the difficult period of molting and quickly recover from it!
