advice on bird with blood feathers

[Bex]

Hello there, I am new to the forum and I will be posting something in the intro section, but I have a question I am hoping folks can help me with. I have quite a bit of experience with birds or various kinds, and I was not in the market to buy a new bird. However a trip to the pet store where I used to work turned up a gorgeous cockatiel who has a few problems. This tiel recently broke a blood feather during the night, then over the next week or 2 has broken another 5 approximately. Each time the employees have pulled the feathers and he seemed to be ok. Recently one of the employees noticed (while pulling another feather) that his 'wrist' (where most of the feathers are breaking) seems to be red and just looks sore and they think the skin might not be thick enough to support the feathers. Obviously they are going to get the bird looked at but they were trying to convince me (not hard to do) to buy this bird (very cheap) so that they knew it was going to a good home. So my bleeding heart is saying if someone else buys it the thing may die because they don't know what they are doing. And if noone wants this 'problem bird' will living in a petstore make the problem worse. But my brain is saying what if...what if it dies, what if it costs a lot to fix the problem. So I am torn, is it possible this is a chronic problem that will last forever, or someone mentioned to me cauterizing the area (feathers don't grow back) but I have never heard of this solution and I want to know if it is even an option. Obviously I am not looking for medical advice, just information and opinions. To give the full story, I work at a vet clinic and I will get things done cheaper than most people...but I still don't know much about pin feather problems and what they involve in general. Any help would be great and I am sorry this post is so long, I am just very torn right now.
PS - I have to problem birds already, on is a 'biter' (not anymore) and one was neglected, mistreated and has medical issues. So I am no stranger to this, just to this particular issue.
Thanks for any help.

[BirdsLiveHere]

Hi Bex,
Welcome.....I'm new too. We have two rescue cockatiels and 3 other young ones....a Sun conure and now two Gouldian finches!!
I too am a softie for pets that need help! Well after reading your post...I would talk to your Vet where you work about the birdie! If it really isn't that big a "problem" I wouldn't hesitate to take the bird. It isn't like I would care if it was had a "cosmetic" issue...I'd just love the bird for it's personality and need of a good home.
So I vote....take the bird!

[Mygala]

DO NOT cauterize the area unless you are 200% sure of what you are dealing with! That is an extremely drastic and costly step that may be completely unwarranted.

I think it's unlikely that there is a skin problem, ...it just sounds like the bird spooks at night because of something in the shop. It then breaks a bloodfeather. Once one feather is broken, it no longer supplies support for the one next to it, making THAT feather vulnerable. I've seen birds (particularly captive, moulting raptors) break multiple feathers like that in succession.

Of COURSE the skin is red and sore, it's getting banged around at night, and then the shop staff are grabbing the poor bird up and pulling the feathers during the day!! With no feathers there to cushion the impact, the wing is hitting every hard object in the cage. Doh!

When the first feather broke, they should have addressed the cause of the breakage, when you get a second one, something is wrong.

Once you get in this cycle, it can be hard to stop. As the remaining feathers have little or no support. Whats more, its typical of birds that tend to thrash around in their enclosure when alarmed. I've seen lots of cockatiels like that.

Of course this bird thrashes around in its cage, now that it's afraid of people reaching in for it, assuming they are going to yank out another feather (a seriously painful experience for any bird!). Give the bird a break, and get it away from those idiots in the shop!

bob

[Eli]

I agree take the bird, evne if you have to do it in the middle of the night. Just kidding. But do get the birdie out of there. They make great pets. and will love you forever.

[luvnature]

aw i hope you are able to take the bird. You would give it a good home im sure, as i can hear the concern and love in your voice.

Sounds like it has a tendancy to have night frights. Once you get it home make sure to give it a nightllight during the night. Im sure you already know that since you have experience with birds but thought i would mention it for anyone else here that has a bird that tends to gets night frights and broken blood feathers often. Waking up to blood all over the cage and a bloody bird can be quite a fright and dangerous for the little fid.
I have 4 tiels in a large cage and they havent had one night fright since i gave them their own little soft glowing cool blue night light
I sleep better knowing that they have it too.

[Jodi]

I completely agree with Bob, I wouldn't even think of having it cauterized. Our macaw was clipped too short once and he broke a few blood feathers as they were growing out. It was stressful (for us and him!) and a pain to deal with but it hasn't happened since. I believe he had 3 broken blood feathers within a month or so.
I hope the tiel finds a good home.

[Eli]

Quote: Originally Posted by Jodi I completely agree with Bob, I wouldn't even think of having it cauterized. Our macaw was clipped too short once and he broke a few blood feathers as they were growing out. It was stressful (for us and him!) and a pain to deal with but it hasn't happened since. I believe he had 3 broken blood feathers within a month or so. I hope the tiel finds a good home.

what did youdo about it?

[Jodi]

Basically we just had to wait it out and watch him carefully. We were checking his wings every night. We removed almost all the toys out of his cage so he couldn't flap his wings against them even though Toby isn't much of a flapper in his cage. At that time both Kenny & I were working so he was in his cage for about 6 hours a day. Thankfully he hardly has any cage time now!

[Eli]

Quote: Originally Posted by Jodi Basically we just had to wait it out and watch him carefully. We were checking his wings every night. We removed almost all the toys out of his cage so he couldn't flap his wings against them even though Toby isn't much of a flapper in his cage. At that time both Kenny & I were working so he was in his cage for about 6 hours a day. Thankfully he hardly has any cage time now!

What did you do with the bloodfeathers did you have them pulled or did you let him take care of it? Because I have been having them pulled and I have heard that birds will take care of it themselves. Is that true?

[Jodi]

We had all of them pulled. Sometimes they will pull the feathers themselves. JMO, but I would have a broken blood feather pulled. Even if you get the bleeding to stop, they can bump it against something and the bleeding will start again.

[Eli]

Thanks I just wanted to make suire that I wasn't doint that too him unjustly. or without reason. Or rather having it done.

[Mygala]

It depends on the size and severity of the blood feather. If it's a huge one, there is the risk of serious blood loss before it coagulates within the shaft. It might also be in a condition or place that can cause the bird pain whenever it is bumped or touched.

In that case, pulling is probably the correct thing to do.

However, sometimes relatively small contour feathers will break and lose some blood. If they are not too big, they will stop bleeding fairly quickly. The blood in the shaft will coagulate, forming a solid "core" to the feather. Many times, these feathers can just be ignored, as they will go away over time, and it isn't worth the risk hurting the bird just to remove what has become a useless feather.

You need to weigh each individual bird and situation. Personally, I HATE pulling feathers, except as a very, VERY last resort.

bob

[Bex]

Alright, thanks everyone for your replies and concerns for the little guy. Who is now unfortunately known as Dilbert. (after the comic) In an attempt to make my husband like him I let him name it. It is growing on me just because so many people don't like it, I suppose I like 'different' things.

So needless to say we got the cockatiel, I took him from the shop right to the vet where I work. They don't know 100% what is wrong, it could possibly become folliclular cysts, but there is no evidence (I think the vet was erring on the cautious side and letting me know the potential worst case scenario). But as far as she and the techs could see it was probably just a really bad wing cut. They pulled 2 feather which were growing in deformed probably from banging them as they grew in. Since I brought him home last Monday we have only had 1 problem, he broke one feather after he fell off a friends finger as she put him back into the cage, the feather fell out and he was fine. But only 1 in the whole week so I think we are on a roll! When he flies/falls he hits the ground rump first (his tail squishes under him) so I do think that he was just freaking out in his cage at the store and can't land properly so his feathers take a beating. But no night frights since I had him, i kept him in the bedroom so I could hear anything as soon as it happened (i left a light at first and then turned it off). Maybe the other birds moving in their cages spooked him???
So far so good, I am trying to leave him in the cage a lot, I am giving him time to adjust but also time to grow the feathers in in peace, so I haven't had him out as much as I would like. 2x a day briefly to socialize and to check his wings. But I love him to bits already and I know I did the right thing, it is just nerve racking knowing the bird are getting has problems already so thanks for everyones help.
Also, Bob, I totally agree that the cauterizing thing was not a good plan. I had never even heard of it and I put this post out there (and took it to the vet) because I knew there had to be a better plan. My plan all along was to wait and see first, because I hoped it would just fix itself so to speak. I just wanted the input of people who had the experience. So thanks again to all who replied, if you would like to see my new guy, I have put 2 pics on my photobucket account.
beckygaunt/animals - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
I am currently trying to add pictures to that, but I put his up first!
Becky

[Mygala]

Glad you have him at home, and that things are working out. Keep us posted when you get a chance.

bob

[BirdsLiveHere]

Hi again...I'm so glad that you have the cockatiel. Our youngest tiels are 8 mo. old and two are almost 1 year old now. They all had their wings clipped when we brought them home and boy they have had the hardest time with those tail feathers being broken again and again since they land on those tails! Sad....the youngest one finally grew 4 tail feathers back out and wouldn't you know...the other night he had a rare night fright and now he has no tail feathers again. I'm not going to clip their wings again....He can now fly and I had hoped he would keep those tail feathers.

I'm glad that you have a night light for your new bird and are taking special care and time with him! Do you clip your birds wing feathers or let them grow out to fly? I'm always interested in how it is working out for others - not clipping them.....