Feather concerns?

valareha · May 22, 2013

Hi all,

Brought my new female Caique home on Sunday. Things are great , she seems happy and adjusting well. She was hatched on 12/23/12 and raised in a cage with her brother in her breeders home with cats,dogs,and kids so she is already used to the activity at our home(2boys 2smalldogs)

Here's my question. I noticed when we picked her up own Sun day that the end of her tail feathers and the edge of her longest wing feathers look raggedy. Is impossible that she or her brother over preened her or that she was too big for her previous cage? I never see her preening her feathers and there is nothing at the bottomof the cage. Anything I should be watching out for?

Thanks for your help!

Donna

MikeyTN · May 23, 2013

Birds will frill their tail and wing feathers from the cage bars and the bottom grate. Especially babies!!!! Bathing will help to straighten out most of them unless they were frilled pretty good. It's nothing to worry about. Congrats on your new baby!!!

Lintini · May 23, 2013

^^ Yup!!! What he said!

valareha · May 24, 2013

Thank you both

We have her first vet tomorrow, she is such a pleasure and loves to be outside with me in the sunshine

Today I noticed while giving her a light shower that ther are two small bare spots where you can see skin not (down) at all one on each wing looks like 'boney' ands would be equivalent to below the shoulder, same place on both wings..is this normal?

Thanks again, love this site!

Donna

MonicaMc · May 24, 2013

If it's on both sides of the wings and a very small spot at that, then yes, I would say it's normal. This is seen on many different species when wet or the feathers parted just right.

valareha · May 24, 2013

Thanks Monica - can you tell she is my first bird and I'm like a new mom?!?! Lol

Karigan · May 24, 2013

Totally! One thing you can do as well is shower your bird. After I did that, my greys were sleek and gorgeous!

MonicaMc · May 25, 2013

If your bird will let you, part the feathers on the birds rump, right above the tail. Also, take a look at the underside of your birds beak!

Those are two other areas that are good to know what they look like!

Here's what you are kind of looking for in the tail region.... that little white feather, which is like a wick
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/123/393359639_4924fdea20_o.jpg

You can kind of make out the preening gland in the youngest chick in this photo... right above the tail feathers that are starting to form (best if you view original sized image)
2012 Baby White Bellied Caique | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

And the underside of the beak... where there appears to be a whole between the birds beak and skin (often not captured well in pictures)
Untitled | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
"Uh, no, wait- Why are you stopping?" | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

If you aren't familiar with a birds anatomy, discovering these "oddities" can be scary for new owners! But getting to know what they normally look like may be important in later years!

Feather concerns?

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