Broken Tail Feather and Tattered Wings

[Tagtastic]

As I was writing this she fixed the broken tail feather herself but I think the shaft is still in there....so I need to do anything about this or will it fall out on its own?

 

Also, her wings were tattered like this when I got her. I am not sure if it is because of a bad clip job or what because it is only the 3 or 4 of the primary flight feathers. Any suggestions? I don't think she is chewing on them because they look the same as when I got her a month a go.

 

Thanks!

[Dave007]

As I was writing this she fixed the broken tail feather herself but I think the shaft is still in there....so I need to do anything about this or will it fall out on its own?

 

Also, her wings were tattered like this when I got her. I am not sure if it is because of a bad clip job or what because it is only the 3 or 4 of the primary flight feathers. Any suggestions? I don't think she is chewing on them because they look the same as when I got her a month a go.

 

Thanks!

 

If she's not chewing the ends then yes it was a bad clip and many birds who've been clipped don't grow all the feather back evenly. Many birds are irritated with new feathers growing back unevenly and will pick at them. Because it takes a long time for flight feathers to grow back evenly many birds go after the longer feathers. And sadly yes, it's gonna take a very long time before your bird has an even set of flight feathers so expect damage now and then.

The shaft of a feather is like a follicle. New feathers grow through the shafts and blossom. The shafts should always be there after wing and tail feathers fall out. No shaft, no feathers. When a bird's head is molting and you take your finger and rub the head starting with the neck towards the top of the head, you'll finger hundreds of shafts where the new feathers will come out from. Go to a store like Walmart and purchase a gallon jug of 100% ALOE VERA JUICE and put some in a mister and spray the area plus under the wings frequently. Use full strength. A bird who's been clipped is an itchy bird. The juice calms that down. The gallon jug costs about $10. Actually, use it on his full body frequently. 2 or 3x a week.

[Tagtastic]

Go to a store like Walmart and purchase a gallon jug of 100% ALOE VERA JUICE and put some in a mister and spray the area plus under the wings frequently. Use full strength. A bird who's been clipped is an itchy bird. The juice calms that down. The gallon jug costs about $10. Actually, use it on his full body frequently. 2 or 3x a week.

 

Got the Aloe Vera Juice! I do have a couple of questions. It says refrigerate after opening, so do you warm it up before misting? It seems if it is refrigerated it would be too cold to mist her with it. Also, do you have any suggestions on misting. So far she has tried to bathe twice in her water bowl but if I provide a bowl big enough or take her in the shower she acts scared. I want to make it a good experience. -Thanks!

[Dave007]

Got the Aloe Vera Juice! I do have a couple of questions. It says refrigerate after opening, so do you warm it up before misting? It seems if it is refrigerated it would be too cold to mist her with it. Also, do you have any suggestions on misting. So far she has tried to bathe twice in her water bowl but if I provide a bowl big enough or take her in the shower she acts scared. I want to make it a good experience. -Thanks!

 

Yes, you can refrigerate it. It will last a little longer. The reason for keeping it cold is because aloe juice is actually used by people who have digestive problems. MDs tell these people to use it because it helps with that problem. It's also very good to put on the skin of a bird. Now more than likely your bird won't like being misted. Many don't but if it's necessary, it has to be done. The bird may screech or yell or growl and it means nothing concerning his attitude and feeling towards you afterward. Some people immediately stop using the juice the minute the bird reacts like that because they feel like they're harming the bird but that's not true. The method used that will make the juice most effective is to mist directly on the skin. Outer feathers are waterproof so any fluid just rolls off a bird. The nozzle on a mister can usually be turned so that the fluid comes out in a stream like a water pistol. If he's a screecher/ growler, get close to the bird with the mister and use 1/2 squirts and aim between the skin and wing feathers. That it'll make the skin wet. Eventually, the bird preens and the outer feathers get wet. The same goes for the tail feathers. Actually, using the juice regularly even if there's no problem is great for a bird. Getting the bird soaked is good.

As far as temperature, the juice can be used cool or room temperature. When bathing, most greys like to bathe in cold water.

Don't worry about a good experience. It needs to be done. Don't worry about the bird's attitude. Many greys hate being bathed but are happy later on when they spend long periods of time. I bathe my greys frequently and afterward, they preen for up to 3 hrs. There's an article here about the juivce. I'll try to find it and give you the link.

 

The link-----

 

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?189967-100-natural-aloe-vera-juice

Edited May 28, 2011 by Dave007