please help with quaker tail feather

[Skitizer]

Hi everyone I'm new to this website! I've had my quaker,Pickles, for 3 years (he's 5) and I'm so glad I got a quaker parrot! He's a bit of a snot at times though :09: anyway, onto the problem. I came home and took him out of his cage when I noticed one of his tail feathers wasn't in line with the others and was just hanging. I thought it was just a feather that came loose. He ended up snapping his tail feather a little bit away from the base. Its still on there but just hanging. Should I cut it off? I don't want to yank it or do anything that would put him in pain. Should I just leave it there? Is it going to cause pain or make him angry? Thank you to anyone that helps!!

 

[MonicaMc]

You could clip the feather off at the part where it broke or leave it be and he can take care of it on his own. It doesn't particularly matter either way and he'll be fine!


Welcome to PF!

 

[Frumpydumple]

If it's not a blood feather I'd just leave it.

 

[Allee]

Welcome to you and Pickles! I would also leave it if it isn't a blood feather. Lol, quakers can be little snots. I have a couple of quakers, they are hardly ever snots at the same time.

 

[Kiwibird]

Personally, I would give a light tug and see if it's ready to come out. Kiwi gets "misaligned" feathers from time to time, and usually they are ready to come out anyways, so I'll help the process along. If a feather is ready to go, a very light tug will take it out, but if it's firmly in place, you don't want to pluck him! If it's not ready, then I would clip it at the break. However, if he puts up a big protest about it, I wouldn't traumatize him over a damaged feather. Either way, he will molt it out and grow a new one in it's place at his next molt.

 

[mrgoogls]

Everyone has given you good advice. It will just molt out with the next molt. Until then you can clip it at the break or let him take care of it.