Not sure if it's a blood feather..bleeding has stopped..what now?

[danadear]

Not sure what happened. Willow was on my shoulder, something fell from a shelf and startled her and she jumped down. I picked her up to make sure she was ok..seemed fine. About five minutes later I noticed drops of blood from her tail area..then she started bleeding more. We got the bleeding stopped but still not sure if it is a blood feather. We are going to take her to our breeder tomorrow but she will not leave the area alone. Should we keep looking at it to see if we can find the problem It looks pretty nasty but cannot tell what happened. I am a little freaked out. She seems a little nervous but otherwise okay. Won't stop messing with the area though.

Should we try to stop her from preening her tail..not sure how we would do that. She is in a travel cage beside me and will sleep in our room tonight.

 

[Stevo]

I would be tempted to clean the area to find the source of injury, but being wary of starting the bleeding again. The reason I would do this would be to confirm if it's a case of a broken blood feather, which could then be pulled to remove any further bleeding risk/potential, or a cut that might simply need to be left alone to heal. Very hard to offer an opinion without actually seeing her though

 

[Macawnutz]

Do you have cayenne pepper on hand? Be ready for it to start again and have supplies on hand. You may also have to pull the feather if that is the problem. I would try to gently check the area.

 

[Birdiemarie]

That's what I would do, too. Putting a paste of cayenne pepper will help stop bleeding, infection and pain from a cut and you can also use it to plug a broken feather. It may also help her to stop fussing with it if the discomfort is gone. But if it's a broken feather you may need to pull it if she won't leave it alone so it doesn't start bleeding during the night. Is there someone there to help towel and hold her for you?

 

[danadear]

Now we actually think it is a gash or a small cut..ugh. We have toweled her a second time and doused the wound with hydrogen peroxide. Should we apply the cayenne pepper paste for pain? If so..how do you make it? Poor thing..how big does a cut have to be to require stitches?

 

[JLcribber]

Apply the paste for pain, bleeding and antiseptic value. Don't use the hydrogen peroxide (or any other human ointment).

As long as the bleeding is under control there's no need to panic until you can get to the vet (which you should most certainly do). The bleeding will stop on its own from a cut the same as it would with us (natural clotting).

 

[danadear]

Paste of cayenne and water only?

 

[Deej]

Yes, just mix enough water in the cayenne pepper to make a paste.

 

[danadear]

Thanks everyone. I do not like these birdy blood situations. It sucks! She is relaxed finally and sleeping so I think I will wait til morning to make her mad again by toweling her.

 

[JLcribber]

Thanks everyone. I do not like these birdy blood situations. It sucks! She is relaxed finally and sleeping so I think I will wait til morning to make her mad again by toweling her.

If it's not bleeding in the morning and she leaves it alone there's no need to towel her. The struggling can cause things to bleed again.

 

[danadear]

Well all was well last night and this morning..until we let her get out of the travel cage that is..her rambunctious little self promptly hopped down and it started bleeding again. We put the cayenne pepper paste on and returned her to the travel cage. She is none too pleased. Will get her to the vet on Monday. How often do cuts on parrots require stitches?

 

[Macawnutz]

It started bleeding again? It sounds like a bad cut, they will not be able to stitch it if it is days old. My scarlet had stitches in his keel. I think you need to find a vet that is open today to look at it.

 

[JLcribber]

It started bleeding again? It sounds like a bad cut, they will not be able to stitch it if it is days old. My scarlet had stitches in his keel. I think you need to find a vet that is open today to look at it.

I agree.

 

[danadear]

Uh oh..just read this. Will call to find one.

 

[Macawnutz]

How is she doing?