Eclectus male with singular yellow feather, problem?

chris-md · Aug 15, 2015

Parker is feathering out quite nicely! But I noticed today one of his feathers on his Lowe abdomen (between his vent and legs) is a bright golden yellow!

He had a complete work up a month ago and everything was fine, so this can't be liver disease. He's mostly on a fruit/veggie diet with a dried fruit and nut mix as a back up base.

Should I be worried about this?

Newbsi · Aug 15, 2015

I had seen a post from someone else about a single yellow feather. I cannot remember when that was.... hmmm
I went back and i have looked. I cannot find it anywhere. I can see the picture in my mind clearly (because eclectus are one of my favs

I can see the male ekkie and a picture of a single yellow feather on his back or wing.
I suppose... I am going crazy

Dinosrawr · Aug 15, 2015

Newbsi said:
I had seen a post from someone else about a single yellow feather. I cannot remember when that was.... hmmm
I went back and i have looked. I cannot find it anywhere. I can see the picture in my mind clearly (because eclectus are one of my favs I can see the male ekkie and a picture of a single yellow feather on his back or wing.
I suppose... I am going crazy

If I recall correctly, there was also a case of a green feather on a female. I have seen yellow feathers, but when I have it was because of an extreme case of a nutrient deficiency and it was also an image I posted because I was so shocked.

Hopefully some of the eclectus experts respond soon too!

chris-md · Aug 15, 2015

Thanks guys. Here's a good photo of the suspect

Newbsi · Aug 15, 2015

Eclectus female has a new pure yellow feather on her neck

Says it can be common in plucking ekkies. I hope that is all it is.
(still cannot find that post, it is driving me crazy!!!)

Tate · Aug 16, 2015

I noticed the other week my eclectus boy has 2 yellow feathers, but only the tips are yellow. He had been plucking his neck and after vet visit been treating a bacterial infection. Since finishing the treatment im pretty positive the plucking has stopped (he would wait until the feathers were half grown in and yank them out, but now there are many almost fully grown in and none have been touched. yet. fingers crossed). The yellow feathers however are not on his neck, ones on the tip of a wing feather and another on one of the green/red feathers on the side of his belly. We'll be off the to vet again soon to make sure he's cleared of the infection and i'll be asking about them.

I have seen lots of pictures of badly plucked ekkies that would only regrow yellow feathers in some areas due to the damage, looks to me that might be the case with Parker, in which case there's nothing to be done about it, but i'd bring it up with the vet just to be sure in any case

drlisaort · Aug 16, 2015

Good news on your baby! Oliver has one teeny, tiny spot of yellow on his Left shoulder that's been there since is feathers grew in as a baby. He's never plucked and is showered regularly and has a very good diet of "real" foods. His yearly vet checks always come out excellent health. So, maybe it's a natural pigment...

chris-md · Aug 16, 2015

This is a relief, I've only ever heard of them as a function of disease. Intriguing to know this could simply be genetics, or just plucking damage. Either way I will go forth without concern

. Thanks all!

Pinkbirdy · Aug 16, 2015

My male Ekkie has a yellow feather on his forehead.

Llamalark · Oct 11, 2015

And mine has a teetsie one on his head which made me curious, but now I just found he has a coverlet growing in that is completely yellow. Of course I booked it over here to see if any of you knew anything about this. Apparently it's going around

Thank you for your post!!! Mine just turned 3, hasn't had bloods done in 1.5 yrs, is in full plumage, isn't a plucker, and is under a full spectrum light every day. Only his diet changed this summer from mostly edemame, apples, and corn to a local New Mexican cook mix, called Avian Choice, which he loves, that's full of rices, barley, oats, cracked corn, split peas, lentils, millet, and seed. IS THIS KILLING HIM??? *dramatization.

chris-md · Oct 11, 2015

My guess: not a great diet and pretty deficient. You have a lot of grains and seed, not a lot of other critical veggies and fruits like broccoli, spinach, papaya, cauliflower carrots, you name it. Variety, variety variety! In Parkers diet, grains/seed are the topping on his meal, not the main part of it.

I'm glad this got resurrected, Parker actually pulled out this feather a couple weeks ago. Will be interesting to see if it grows back yellow.

Anansi · Oct 12, 2015

Agreed. You need much more by way of veggies. Especially dark leafy greens. I love most of what Chris has said, though I actually wouldn't recommend spinach, or at least not as anything other than an occasional treat, as it is known to block calcium absorption due to the oxalates it contains.

Get some dandelion in there! That is a juggernaut of nutrition! Endives are also great. And Sprouts are among the most nutritionally dense foods you can feed your parrots.

chris-md · Oct 12, 2015

Anansi said:
Agreed. You need much more by way of veggies. Especially dark leafy greens. I love most of what Chris has said, though I actually wouldn't recommend spinach, or at least not as anything other than an occasional treat, as it is known to block calcium absorption due to the oxalates it contains.

Get some dandelion in there! That is a juggernaut of nutrition! Endives are also great. And Sprouts are among the most nutritionally dense foods you can feed your parrots.

Kidney stones, much?

littleredhen77 · Oct 14, 2015

my male ekkie has one yellow feather on the side of his neck, i read that sometimes they just grow them due to pigment issues, and to watch it, if it falls out and grows back yellow in the same place, its nothing to worry about

just what ive read though, i dont have much experience with these guys yet

Violet_Diva · Nov 10, 2016

My new arrival has 1 yellow feather on his back. His previous human said that he's always had it so I'm not too worried about it. He's had some moulting in the past where his ragged tail was replaced and also had a bald monk spot on his head which grew back nicely. I am a little concerned about the quantity of seed he may have been eating. But as he's only nearly 2, I'm hoping that any potential liver damage is recoverable at this point.

chris-md · Nov 10, 2016

LOL thread resurrection!

No, no liver damage. It molted in yellow again, which he promptly chewed off. He's got a couple yellow feathers under his wings as it turns out. Definitely plucking damage.

Eclectus male with singular yellow feather, problem?

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