Pictures 6yo Parrotlet weird growth

[Rosie_swi]

Hi all,

I've just joined here to ask for some advice. Rosie is a ~6-7yo parrotlet who has been with us since she was young. She's our first parrotlet, but we have lots of experience with budgies over many years and have never seen anything quite like this. Over the last few weeks she's grown a odd white growth on her face, at first we thought it was a normal pin feather but it has been present too long now, and is thicker and longer than it should be.

She's let me have a good look at it, it feels hard like the shaft of a feather but rougher. It doesn't seem to cause her any pain when I gave it a gentle squeeze between my nails, but she objected when I got too close to the root of it on her skin.

If any of you have a experience with any thing similar or any advice that would be much appreciated. Is it just a malformed feather which will eventually fall out or something more sinister to be concerned about?

Thanks,

Leanne

 

[Ali]

@fashionfobie @Zara @Shezbug

 

[Zara]

Welcome to the Avenue

Have you visited a vet?

@enigma731 @Hankmacaw

 

[Rosie_swi]

Hi, no we have not visited a vet yet. Unfortunately we've had a bad experience with our local vet with one of our budgies in the past, they're not avian specialists. We'd have to look further afield for specialised avian care, and thought it would be worth getting advice online first.

 

[fashionfobie]

I second getting a vets opinion. I personally have not seen a growth or feather present in that form. I do not have advice other than it would concern me if it were one of my parrotlets and I would visit the vet.

Association of Avian Veterinarians

 

[Rosie_swi]

Thank you for the link! I will certainly make some calls.

 

[Hankmacaw]

It very well could be a feather that grew weirdly. I think I see a tiny hole at the end of the object. Regardless, it is strange enough that a vet probably needs to look at it.

Good luck finding an avian vet - I drive 1 1/2 hour to see my vet.

 

[enigma731]

Is it coming out of her ear? I can't tell but it looks like roughly that area.

 

[Rosie_swi]

It's not coming out of her ear, but it is fairly close to it.

 

[Destiny]

If I saw that on my dog, I would think "skin tag", but I don't know if parrots get skin tags. If it is a skin tag, they are usually benign growths, but may need to be removed if they form in an uncomfortable location or if it continues to grow.

 

[enigma731]

They do get skin tags but that's huge for one.

 

[Shezbug]

I also agree with those who have said to see the vet. It does look like a skin tag but it seems overly huge for little bird. I hope you find one fairly close... mine is about a 2 hr drive so I hope yours is closer

I am curious..... do you think it is more like skin tissue or is it more like the feather shafts or maybe nail??

Please let us know what the vet says about it.

 

[enigma731]

My guess would be it's an especially weird looking feather cyst. But I'd want a vet to confirm and treat.