Foot scales missing

[Corvid333]

A while back my Quaker, Socrates, got a scab on his foot, I think he picked it off a bit but it healed okay. But before the scales came back he got a new scab. He has not had scales of his foot for a long time, the scaleless section has gotten bigger. How can I help them to grow back? I thought maybe he could have a cone, incase he is biting them off but it seems a bit extreme.

 

[Owlet]

Do you have a picture?

 

[Corvid333]

Yes, but I can't figure out how to upload it

 

[Corvid333]

I have put a photo in the gallery under "off topic"

 

[Owlet]

Missing Scales - Parrot Forum's Gallery

picture in question so someone who has advice doesn't have to dig. I honestly have no clue it just looks like raw / healing skin to me. Not really like it's actively being damaged but you say the patch is growing so slightly at a loss.

And the 'scales' aren't actually scales like you would find on a snake, they're just ridges and textured skin, similar to a thumbprint so they should always grow back (I think... I could be completely wrong...) and if you look closely you can faintly see some forming

 

[Corvid333]

Thank you for putting it up
So his foot first got that scab that started all this a year ago, it kept looking like the scales would grow back so I'd leave it. But it just didn't I think maybe because he picks at it or because he keeps injuring it. I saw him trip on his bars a mount ago and he cut his foot because it had no scales.

 

[ChristaNL]

I think it is more like callus than scales actually - so the skin will thicken if it gets a chance to do so.
Now it the question : is he overpreening his foot so much the skin is too smooth and not protecting him enough?
(and if so..how to stop him doing that)

 

[Laurasea]

Great photo. I am unsure on this one, my first thought might be autoimmune????

 

[Corvid333]

I feel hew may be over preening, that may be why he keeps getting scabs there but I'm not sure. That's why I was thinking a cone could help. If it's an Autoimmune issue how could I find out?

 

[EllenD]

Birds don't have "scales" on their feet, it's just very thick skin allowing them to be able to walk/perch/hang etc. So it's not something that is going to "grow back" at all, it just has to callous/thicken over time. Since he had a wound and a scab there, that means that the full-thickness of the skin there was totally removed, and it's going to take a long time for it to thicken again. Nothing at all urgent or to worry about here, this happens anytime they get a wound on their feet or toes.

If you actually observe/see him picking at his foot constantly then that's a totally separate issue...Don't put a collar on him while you're waiting for that skin to thicken again, because that could take months and months, and there's no reason to have a collar on him all that time as it's normal for it to take that long to grow back...Now if you see him ACTIVELY chewing on his foot/feet then that's a very common nervous/neurotic behavior for Quakers to exhibit, it's akin to Plucking, and they usually end up hurting their feet and making them bleed badly. You'll be able to catch him if he's doing it enough that it's a problem...Otherwise it's just going to take time for that skin to thicken again...