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Accident: All Tail Feathers Pulled.. Will My Tiel Be Okay?

kukubirb

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kuku the birb
*i would appreciate if you guys would take out some time to read and answer a few questions as i am very anxious, scared, and upset. it would mean alot to me*

Unfortunately, today my 1 year old darling cockatiel got into a freak accident. She was flying around in my study room (as usual) and sat down in the middle of the office chair glides right at the very moment my father pulled the office chair back (unknowingly ofcourse). We heard her squeak for just about a second and then she was back to flying around as if nothing happened. When we looked under the table, there was a huge mess of tail feathers and smaller feathers! It honestly looked like her whole tail had been ripped off.. There was no blood on spot. All the feathers were clean except one of them was a blood feather (but im guessing did not have alot of blood). She was acting so casual about it, it seemed like nothing had happened. I heard its a defense mechanism. When we picked her up to see: only three tail feathers were left (all to the right side. none in the middle or on the left) and there was one tiny circle that was bleeding (im guessing from that one blood feather i was talking about earlier). Other than that, some more smaller feathers have come off too above the tail due to which we can see quite a bit of her back bare and pink (right above the tail area)

*ATTACHING ALL PICTURES. pls ignore the trashcan there were so many smaller feathers i had to put them away as it was hurting me to see them*

We took her to the vet and he said she will be alright. However, he said that he *thinks* there is a bit of the feather left and he cant pull it out because its in her skin and would require cutting, stitches, and alot of pain to my poor baby. Instead, he let the tiny blood area clot by putting some medicine and put a cone around her neck so she wouldnt preen on it. Before the visit to the vet, she was veryyy active. However, ever since shes got the cone in, shes been super anxious, walking around and looking uncomfortable. Other than that, her balance is a bit off too now...

Now i have a few questions that have been making me super anxious. I feel helpless; hence, if anyone could answer, i would be very grateful.

1) Will she be okay? Is this life threatening? I dont want anything to happen to her. Shes like my baby.
2) Will she grow out new tail feathers and body feathers? Or have they been permanently damaged (esp the feathers on the back since i can see her skin bare)
3) How long will it take for them to grow out? Will they all grow out together or in stages?
4) How can i care for them when they grow since they will all be blood feathers?
5) How can i help her retain her balance? Is the *very slight* balance problem because of the tail?
6) The blood feather that came out - did it have alot of blood? Will the blood feather that came out clot easily? How long will it take to heal? Can it get infected?
7) When and how will the blood feather be replaced if a bit of it is left inside her skin?
8) Lastly, any special care during this whole process as i am concerned that she wont be able to fly around the same way.

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL THOSE THAT TAKE OUT THEIR TIME IN ANSWERING. God Bless <3 Wishing good luck and health to all your 'tiels!
 

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Khizz

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Sorry to hear you and your baby have had a bit of a shock. I'm not experienced on blood feathers so I'll leave that to someone else.

Cockatiels will occasionally drop their tail feathers as a defence mechanism. I guess the idea is a predator would grab the tail feathers so they drop them so they can get away.

What this means here is that she will have a bit of a duck butt for a while and her balance will be off, but it should grow back within a few weeks. It will be a bit uncomfortable for her but you can help by offering baths and helping her scratch her pin feathers when she wants it :)
 

Ripshod

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6-8 weeks for the larger tail feathers to grow. You can help this by offering the white from a boiled egg once a week (protein).
And yes you're right. The tail helps a tiel balance so she will be a little wobbly for a while.
The remains of the blood feather should be shed in her next moult. Any potential future intervention should be non-invasive
The vet didn't see any problems with damage to the follicles or he'd have mentioned it. She should be fine.
 

Lady Jane

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Sorry about this. The tail feathers should be replaced but it could take up to 8 or 9 months, at least for a budgie. Until then I think safety should be your main concern, especially if you have dogs and cats in the area. Maybe get another kind of chair that does not have wheels. I always say the floor is a dangerous place for a bird.
 

Kassiani

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My cherry-headed conure had a fright and dropped all but three of his tail feathers. He is currently molting, and these feathers were dropped, not pulled. He is now growing in new tail pin feathers all at once! I think your sweet baby will be OK!
 
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