Poor Kyo lost some tail feathers :(

[Kyoto]

I'm feeling pretty terrible. I just took Kyo to the bathroom for a shower, as I have done frequently (it's literal 4 feet away from her room). When I was carrying her back to her room, she decided to jump off me and fly towards Dougal our cat!! I panicked and grabbed Dougal to chase him away, and I accidentally stepped on Kyo's tail feathers in the process... and she screamed and tried to fly away, and three of them came out.

Poor baby. I feel absolutely horrible. I'm just glad it wasn't worse than a few tail feathers. I checked her over even though Dougal didn't make any contact with her, checked to make sure they came out completely, and gave her a big nutriberry. Poor baby. She seems to have forgiven me, but man do I feel awful. I'll only ever take her over that 4 foot distance in her carrier from now on, that's for sure. ><

 

[JamesC]

Never fun when accidents like that happen. Glad that you didn't have any contact with Dougal. And glad that Kyo is ok and forgiving.

I had an instance once with Tootsie when I was putting her in her travel cage. She knows that the cage means she is going to the evil vet to be "tortured". Had my hand around her body with a bit of pressure on her tail as I was guiding her in. She lurched forward and every single feather of her tail came out. It was a natural reaction, I learned. Stress can cause feathers to come out easy. She was fine but I felt horrible. She was a Snubbed Tailed Conure for a while until they grew back in.

 

[Kyoto]

I was just so scared when she yelped that I had hurt her, but was relieved to see it was just her little tail. Poor baby. Just woke her up to check in on her, seems cranky and normal as she usually is at this time of the night when woken from her beauty rest

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I had something similar happen to me years ago with a budgie I had. I was trying to catch it before it ran under the furnace and all I got were the tail feathers.

 

[Kyoto]

I didn't know this, but I guess they have the ability to release them under stress. Had no idea that was a thing.

 

[TacoNTiki]

Makes sense...if a predator has them by their tail feathers they can break free if they release. Never knew that either. Glad Kyo's okay.

 

[RavensGryf]

Makes sense...if a predator has them by their tail feathers they can break free if they release. Never knew that either. Glad Kyo's okay.

That does make sense .
I'm glad all is well, and that it was only feathers... Whew ! I think many of us have had accidents before, and when they're near misses we are so thankful.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I didn't either. But thinking about now, it makes sense. Their flight feathers are probably the strongest and hardest to remove.

I don't worry about Skittles and predators. He usually makes other people the prey.

He hears noise in the hallway and flies right to the door as if he's saying "oh no you don't, this is MY house".