Cockatiel with bruised or infected blood feather? Help

[themagickite]

Hello, I hope this is the correct section.

My cockatiel has what looks like a bruise on her head. A new feather is sprouting in that spot. It is very tender and she recoils when I touch just that spot. I'm worried it could be infected.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[Laurasea]

darn poor thing!! Thats a pretty deep bruise , do you know how she got?

I just can't tell if its infection. I'd probably have it checked by a vet.

Warm dilute betadine in water just one drop or two to barely tinge the water. You can get a lit spray bottle and mist that spot. It will stain stuff and get feathers. But it's a safe way to clean, and help healing. Or hold a gauze soaked in the solution gentle on the spot. But if it do soar misting might be easier.

But I'd see a vet, if its infected and need feather pulled and antibiotics, we can't help with that..

 

[Scott]

Welcome to the forums, sorry it is during a time of great concern. Agree with Laura, wound is potentially infected. A visit with certified avian vet, if available, will properly diagnose and treat. Potentially a minor issue with appropriate care. Please keep us updated!!

 

[themagickite]

Thanks so much for the helpful replies!
She has an Appointment with an avian vet booked for Tuesday. I will monitor the spot and and attempt your suggestions. Poor thing is very needy at the moment and she wants lots of attention. I'm don't know how she got the bruise,

 

[WhiteFlight]

She has an Appointment with an avian vet booked for Tuesday.

Hey Magic,

Recommend monitoring it frequently. It's been my experience the birds will give a problem feather too much attention. If it ruptures she's going to bleed. Blood feathers can be problematic on stopping a leak.

If it does bleed, Tuesday will likely be too far out for safety. It should be removed. That can be accomplished through the following considerations:

• Screems from large birds can damage hearing. I am not familiar with cockatiels. Consider hearing protection.
• Have an assitant secure the body with the head reasonably straight.
• Secure the flesh at the base of the feather with your thumb and index feather.
• Grasp the damaged feather as close as possible to the flesh with forceps, tweezers that will bite/hold, or your other thumb and index finger.
• Remove the damaged feather with a quick snap.
• Clean-up and apply a very small amount of first aid antibiotic such as Neosporin to the port.

I had parakeets long ago. I acquired my Umbrella Cockatoo when she was eight months. She will turn thirty-two years old on the ninth of next month. I remove all damaged feathers. It's been my experience that damaged blood feathers will falter, fail to mature.

 

[WhiteFlight]

Additional considerations:

• When you grasp the damaged feather, the tube will collapse. Be prepared for the rupture. Avoid letting it interrupt the speedy process.

• Recommend reflecting calm and confidence. Speak to the bird in a calming tone.

 

[themagickite]

It was starting to look a lot better so I decided to leave it. Today There is no sign of any bruising and I can't locate the blood feather anymore. She's in very high spirits and no longer flinching! I can't believe how quickly she healed.

 

[Laurasea]

She looks fluffed and kinda like she doesn't feel good. Keep an eye on weight and poops.
I don't know what her normal eye looks like. But mine has that slight swelling in front of eye, tge red skin towards nostril and reddish nostril . And he has a chlamydia infection. Since your burd it white maybe her skin there always looks pink. And I don't know if cockatiels have a puffy eye ring normally.. I will lookbat some pictures. Watch for green urine.

Ok looked at some pictures of Normal albino. And its possible that us periorbital sinus swelling in yours. Since I have sick burds I know I'm extra careful...so please be careful, I'd weigh every day fir a week to be sure not dropping weight, but if yiu think yiu hsve any symptoms in her please get to a vet right away.
You can click my name, and look at my album of Pikachu to see the periorbital swelling .

I hope was just a blood feather that got damaged and bled under the skin.

Keep an extra close eye on her.

Weight can be checked on a digital kitchen gram scale. More than 3% weight-loss see a vet. Tho any symptoms should have yiu seeing sn avain vet. The scale is just a great tool to catch hidden infections or problems.