Help! Fast!

[Guest zoeandkiwi]

I understand,

When the feather matures the blood flow stops, because the feather no longer need the blood to grow right?

So if thats the case, and the broken feather can no longer grow, then the blood supply should dry up like a mature feather.

[Guest eterri]

If you cut one or it breaks, it will bleed profusely and not really heal, so over a period of days as the feather constantly gets knocked around and moved, it will bleed again and again, and the bird can actually die of blood loss.

If you pluck the broken feather out of the follicle, though, there are muscles in the follicle that will cut off the

blood flow.

( http://www.mytoos.com/bloodfeather.html )

 

I'm looking for more information but from what that says, it can start bleeding again even over the next few days.

Edited June 26, 2005 by eterri

[Guest zoeandkiwi]

okay well that brings me back to the original problem. If there was a feather to pull I could not find it!

 

There was a clot of blood on the tip of what I thought was a feather. But I ended up only pulling away the blood and there was a hole or something to the wing. There is no long feather sticking out, so what would I look for

[Guest eterri]

From the picture you posted, you found the long feather. What you're looking for now is the feather shaft or what's left of it. You mentioned a hole...what did the hole look like?

[Guest Andy]

where the blood was there should be the base of the feather still in the skin and thats what needs pulling basically, but i wouldnt think you should do it yourself unless you are 100% confident about it, good luck!

[Guest zoeandkiwi]

I was really flustered first off, then when I tried to pull the feather , as I pulled away the blood clot, it looked like I had been pulling at the part of the wing that holds the feathers, this is when kiwi screamed in pain. I totaly freaked out and I still feal horible. I dont know if I actually seen a whole, or what.... the mind plays tricks on you.

 

I just looked at kiwis feather again and I can see anything that resembles the remains of a feather shaft. Poor kiwi is getting pretty upset with me.... I think he hates me know!

[Guest eterri]

Kiwi's just scared and probably in a little pain. He doesn't hate you! :/ Just like a little kid, he'll come around once you have a treat in your hand instead of a towel.

[Guest Andy]

aww poor little guy, its sad that they cant understand that its in their best interests , o wonder if he might of pulled it out himself if you are confident that its not there?

[Guest zoeandkiwi]

Thats what Im wondering... Also Im pretty sure he started to bleed at the beginning of the night. I did not notice untill morning...

 

Im cleaning their cage and area right now, and there is so much blood that was spattered on the back wall... and some of its up so high! He must have flapped his wind through it all.

 

If its not their, thats great!

If it is, and its small enough that I cant see it, it would be hard to bump it then wouldn't it?

 

This happened yesterday morning... So far their has been no more blood... And he is not a gracefull bird

He always plops onto the floor or *** miss a perch in the cage... My favorite is the bail jump though. When I try to get him to step up he jumps straight up into the air and over the side of the cage... with no aim towards any thing at all! (Laughing out loud)

 

Cleaning up all this blood makes me think I got really lucky that I did not loose him!

[Rainbow 0]

I'm sorry I missed this over the weekend. How is Kiwi today?

 

I've only had one experience with a broken blood feather. I pulled it with needle-nosed pliers (had some help - it's a two person job if you've never done it before, which I hadn't) and then took her to the vet. I found out since I had gotten the bleeding to stop they may or may not have pulled the feather. From what I remember, and from what I've read, the first thing you should do is apply pressure to stop the bleeding before you pull the blood feather. If the bird is not struggling, it should clot fine on it's own, which I'm guessing is what happened to Kiwi since you didn't notice it until the next day. If it stops fine, and the bird doesn't seem to be in shock, as long as the bird doesn't keep knocking it, it may not even need to be pulled. I know the wound can keep re-opening, but most birds will be careful not to touch it against anything as it probably hurts (similar to us and a paper cut, I bet - but that is just my own idea and nothing else.) They will tend to preen the feathers around the broken one more often, and if it really bothers them they can pull the feather themselves. I've had birds pull out bent feathers before just because they couldn't preen them back the way they wanted them. As long as Kiwi can get to the broken part if it is really bothersome it can be pulled out without human help. I would be less worried about pulling it if it is one of the interior feathers - they have several feathers on each side to cushion. And end feather might be different. For your own peace of mind I think I would take Kiwi to the vet and let them look for the feather that broke, and if they think it needs to come out at this point they will pull it.

[Guest zoeandkiwi]

Kiwi did not go to the vets. I just got back, and he is doing fine! It does not look like its bothering him at all.

 

All Better

[Rainbow 0]

That's great to hear!