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Urgent What is this and what causes it?

Littlbird

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Lorechelle
I rescued a 40 year old yellow naped amazon in December 2016.
She's seen Avian vets and has been deemed healthy.
She has some history of self mutilation.
She is Wild caught and was dropped at a vets office and left there so there's no known past history.
A few days ago I noticed one strange feather in her tail that wasn't opening and was beginning to hurt her. Like bad!
I rushed her to the closest Avian specialist and he found another.
He just called them "blood feathers" but obviously they are abnormal as they would have never opened.....
2 were pulled from her tail. (At the expense of 113$)
Pic inclosed .
Now she has a long one on the nape of her neck.
I can't find information on these online as the search of blood feathers, ofcourse ends up in plain, normal pin feather growth and I can't afford 100+$ every growth that occurs!
I'm desperate to know if ANYONE knows about this, as all of my Avian friends as well as myself have never seen nor dealt with anything quite like this before.
HELP!!!!!!!!
Thank you 20170510_192920.jpg
 

Macawnutz

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Your baby is just not preening herself, it happens. You could have broke open the ends yourself and not pulled them. Blood feathers are new feather growth, they are completely normal and should not have been pulled. She just needed help opening them.

Try it out on the ones you have. You will see the ends are dry and the casing can be opened. Do not preen the soft casing as its still growing and can cause bleeding. Do you understand?

You could have preened this much of the feathers for her.

2017-05-18 09.10.09.jpg
 
Last edited:

Littlbird

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Florida
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Lorechelle
Yes I understand. The 2nd feather furthest from my hand still has blood where you circled off.
The one on her nape, if I even touch the top, she goes nuts! I used to preen my green cheek conures but I have never seen them grow this long, ever!
The vet said that they would have never opened into a normal feather?
She is 40 years old and does pick at herself.
Could she be damaging these as they grow in herself?
Thanks so much for responding!!!!
 

Macawnutz

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Within the circle there may be a bit of area that is unpreenable, I go by feel and not sight when preening my birds. ;)

My hyacinths don't preen their tail feathers, when they first arrived I found feathers 20" long in casings. I assure you they would have been alright given more time, also with a bit of help from you. I have no clue what your vet is thinking.

All new feathers are uncomfortable for birds. It's common for them to not want you to touch them. More baths can help with pin feathers, also help from you when she allows it.
 

WendyN

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Would it help to spritz it with warm water?
That seems to help Joey.
 

Littlbird

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Lorechelle
She is blind in her right eye due to a past injury.
No one knows what happened.
It's an ulceration but doesn't pain her
 

rocky'smom

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you could also set up a pan of lukewarm water on play stand and let her take a bath. or take her in the shower and get her pretty wet.
 

Littlbird

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Lorechelle
Yes I do. She doesn't like to bathe so I spritz her down.
Every once in a while she will try to bathe in her water dish which is very comical because she can't fit. I've tried endlessly to set up larger dishes to no avail
 

Rolanda

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She's a Very Pretty Girl. Nice warm bath/sprays may help. Feathers coming in make them grumpy.
 
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