Can feel keel through feathers?

[JigoSan]

I can feel Jigo's keel through his feathers very distinctly and was wondering is this is a sigh of emaciation or stress. There are a lot of downy feathers in the cage and sometimes he looks like he is compulsively preening himself. When he does this sometimes he "opens" up a gap in the feathers around his keel on his belly and always seems to be picking off feathers from that area. The weather is getting warmer by me and maybe he is just molting Perhaps this is nothing serious, but id rather be sure about it.

[TAWhatley]

Most likely Jigo is just molting as you thought. It wouldn't hurt though to provide some avian vitamins or perhaps a molting supplement just to be sure he is getting enough nutrition.

If the flesh on either side of the keel bone is plump and solid I think Jigo is ok. If not, then definitely some additional nutrition is in order.

Terry Whatley

[maryco]

Hello,

If you see him cleaning his "Tummy" and you see a BIG bare area with just skin that might look scary but don't worry it's normal and they are not picking out the feathers to make the bare spot, I discovered this in my pet Pearl and was quite surprised but then I saw it in Dotty (her husband) and the ferals that I rescue.

It could be molting on the side but that area is always like that and they fluff it up sometimes to clean themselves!

Yes and as Terry said it should feel "chubby" on both sides of the keel bone

Mary