by Kathy Butterfield
| Molting is when a bird
loses its old feathers and grows new ones. The first molt happens
around 5 or 6 months old. There may be a few temporary bald spots on
the head but it should never leave the
bird
naked. It is normal for mynahs to molt quite heavily once or
twice a year depending on location. Sometimes it's hardly
noticeable. If the molt proceeds
in normal
fashion, you may not even be aware of it, for the feathers are being
replaced almost as quickly as they fall out, usually one at a time
depending on the area of the body. Sometimes the only clue a mynah is
molting are feathers on the cage floor. If there is
discomfort during this time, relief can come from bathing.
Fresh bathing water should be available a couple of times a day,
even when not molting. Mynahs love to bathe and splash in the
water. If
a mynah is in good health, the molt
should not incapacitate the bird in any way.
If a
mynah
does not molt at all within a year, there may be something wrong with
the diet. If a molt suddenly stops and feathers are not growing in
properly, please call the veterinarian. In most cases, proper
diet and vitamins is all that is needed to correct a molting problem.  The
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