Parakeet bleeding, unsure why

[Jetta]

Hi all,
We recently adopted a Bourke's Parakeet, she's around 1 year old. We've had for 3 days and today I noticed blood on her feather. Upon examining her, she has two bleeding spots on each feather. They don't appear to be from poor clipping. I've included a picture. She isn't very tame, and I know she wasn't handled much.

Can anyone help me understand what caused this? (I suspect poor care from previous owner). It's too late in the night to find a vet, so is there something I can do to stop this now? Would cornstarch be appropriate?

Thank you!!

 

[Allee]

Cornstarch is perfect.

 

[Jetta]

Here is another picture. Hopefully a little clearer than the last.

Thank you

 

[gracebowen]

I would and apply pressure if she lets you. I'm no expert but I suspect broken blood feathers. When a feather is growing in it has a blood supply and if the feather breaks it bleeds. I would just towel her and apply pressure. When I got my tiel he seemed to break at least one blood feather a day for a month. He did have a bad clip but he was also tame. He recently started flying and due to bad landings he only has half of his tail feathers. He still occasionally breaks one.

 

[EAI]

It looks like broken pin-feathers to me. For now, cornstarch would help clot the blood and prevent from further bleeding or you can use Kwik. Wondering, could it have been due to a night fright?
IMO and experience, I would take her to a vet ASAP just to be safe.

 

[gracebowen]

Ps his first broken tail feather occurred when transferring him from travel box to cage less than 5 minutes after I got him home. I spent a few seconds totally freaking out. Then I applied pressure and all was well.

 

[Jetta]

Wow, thank you for the quick response! We already love this little girl, so I was pretty panicked. We've had our cockatiel for over a year, but have never had to deal with this.

 

[Allee]

Jetta, I'm sorry for sounding so abrupt the first time I posted. I wanted to let you know it was safe to use cornstarch.

From the photo and your description, it looks and sounds like a broken blood feather. If that's the case, even though the corn starch stopped the bleeding, if the feather is bumped or raked against something, there's a good chance of it breaking open and bleeding again. The blood feather will need to be removed. If you don't feel comfortable removing it yourself, I would have a vet examine the bleeding feather.

If you want to remove it yourself, you can. Stretch the wing out, wash the area with water, use needle nose pliers, or forceps if you have them, tweezers usually aren't strong enough. Pull the feather steadily without jerking. Once the feather has been removed, there will be no chance of more bleeding. Wash the area again and use corn starch if you need to, but you probably won't. Blood feathers are a little tricky, blood is still feeding the feather, when it's broken, the broken quill acts like a straw and the bleeding continues.

 

[Jetta]

Thank you! I will do that. Though I think I'll find a vet to do it for the first time. She's so small and bitey.

 

[Allee]

I don't blame you a bit. Be sure to watch it closely for new blood. It may be fine with the corn starch alone but better to be safe.

Those tiny beaks can hurt when you upset the owners.

 

[Hawk]

Here is another picture. Hopefully a little clearer than the last.

Thank you

Looks like a broken blood feather, hard to tell by photo. As Allee pointed out...corn starch is very good at stopping the bleeding. But I would still see the vet to confirm if it is a broken blood feather and not some other injury. Infection can easily set in, if t is a broken blood feather/ it needs to come out for it to stop bleeding.

 

[EAI]

I think you had a good reason to panic, i mean there's blood! I remember i was in full scale hysteria when I first had to deal with a broken feather, nearly calling an emergency vet. ...and I might've been on the verge of tears because I thought i'd lose him.

I'd follow Allee's advice (if you're comfortable) for removing it to prevent further bleeding. But yeah, a vet visit wouldn't hurt to make sure that he's 100% well.

 

[Allee]

Reid, the first time I was forced to remove a broken blood feather, I panicked. I was seriously thinking of calling an ambulance. It was the middle of the weekend, the closest emergency clinic for avians is more than three hours away. After the first time it wasn't quite as scary.

 

[EAI]

I think the first time I had to do that was with Gizmo and my hands were shaking!...now it's like a routine thing (which scares me the most).

 

[Hawk]

I think the first time I had to do that was with Gizmo and my hands were shaking!...now it's like a routine thing (which scares me the most).

It's never a fun thing to try, my Zon for example, you don't touch her wing feathers unless you want to lose a finger. She out right says "No...stop it."

My Grey one time I had to do emergency removal of a trapped toy in it's beak. (Had to be on a weekend when no vet was available, and emergency vet was 3 1/2 hours away)

Anyway, I picked up a new ball for him, ( Actually a ball inside a ball that had a jingle bell thingy inside that, like a bell from Santa's sleigh, only smaller). The bell thing was very flimsy, I had no Idea that bell of that type was inside the ball. He managed to get it out, had it wrapped around his lower beak big time and going down his throat. I used a very fine needle nose plyers to unwrap it and get it out. Very stressful with a screaming bird and My mutilated hands taking a beating from it.

But vet checked him out Come Monday and there was no cuts or abrasions in his mouth...whew. Was a heck of a scare, and a serious lesson on bird toys. I carefully examine all toys now.

Try holding a Grey down on it's back and hold it's beak open....ouch!