What does your Ekkies oil gland look like?

I would really appreciate it if people were able to post pictures of the lumpy oil gland on their ekkies tails. I don't have enough experience to know what is 'normal' for many things about them, and with pickle i have learned that it is safer to assume that nothing about him is normal. So i would really like pictures of healthy ones that i could compare it to please?...

Since i don't see him rubbing it much anymore i am worried it might get blocked or swollen from dis-use since he doesn't have many feathers to preen really. lol i can only imagine if i had to squeeze a giant birdy pimple on his tail. XD

Can you see it without moving his feathers? You should not be able to see it. But I have heard of them becoming infected or developing cysts on them.

I've never seen my ekkies oil gland. I don't think its visible??

Don't have a ekkie pic, but this is of a male GCC & they're basically the same.....



Apparently the pics still aren't coming through for me & I even reduced it to 5k size.....if you still want the pic & I have several others, send me a private message with your e-mail & I'll send them.....

c3honey84 said:

Can you see it without moving his feathers? You should not be able to see it.

Click to expand...

lol he has no feathers anymore so now its pretty obvious. but we could always see it by parting them a little bit...

Perhaps i should try posting a picture of his one tomorrow (hes in bed so i cant go attacking him with a camera right now) XD

That is pickle this morning. The gland doesnt really look red, or inflamed, but it is a bit hard. I just wanted to make sure that the lump under and around the actual gland was still normal sized/looking (despite the lack of feathers obviously)

The gland looks the right size but I'm unsure about the swelling around it.

Without sounding crude and insensitive, can I ask what his prognosis is? Due to PBFD I mean. What does the vet expect his quality of life will be from here forward?

Pretty much its just see how he goes. Obviously it can change at any time. And im asking myself that question every day. especially when he has a grumpy day, but at the moment he is still social and has more happy playful days than bad ones. He can still navigate his cage without his wings, and is eating healthily.

At the moment his beak and feet (toenails) are healthy, though a little long, and don't seem to bother him at all yet. So , so far it just looks like the virus is affecting his feather growth and immune system. And though by definition his feathers must be irritating, his behaviour and personality has not changed from how he was before he was bald. And he doesn't get scabs or hurt himself or anything, aside from his follicles he leaves his skin alone.

That is why i have to be super vigilant about everything about him. The Vet and I dont think it will actually be a direct result of the PBFD that eventually gets him, but i am afraid he will get some other disease he wont be able to fight, or that he will jump off some high place and seriously injure himself. (im looking at completely redesigning his cage to his climbing needs and making it so he can never fall too far).
(hes still a bird and i cant completely stop the 'taking flight' reflex even though he was never flighted anyway he insists on jumping instead of climbing down sometimes - because its quicker i guess...)

Honestly although we havent reached that stage yet, my vet doesn't have much long term hope for him, (the only experience they have had with PBFD was another bird a few years ago who had to be put down quite young because it displayed acute symptoms, not chronic symptoms like Pickle). and i know that he will not have the same life as other parrots.

They are a great vet even though i only had 3 avian vets to chose from in my state, because they were very good with pickle, didnt dismiss 'unlikely possibilities' like testing for PBFD in the first place (unlike other vets) and was candid with me and listened to my concerns, but it still seems like they have to research some things about Pickle the day before i bring him in > I don't think they have seen to many eclectus. So first hand information from other pet owners is just as important to me as their opinion.