tail feathers

[awhitright]

I have ten parakeets, one of them is a male green opaline, he has a broken wing from having wings clipped at the petco where I purchased him. He recently lost his long tail feathers, I thought just molting, but the remaining tail feathers are very shaggy looking, like uncombed hair. What's wrong?

 

[Allee]

How long have you had them? Has the wing injury completely healed? It's possible he's over preening a bit due to the discomfort. What kind of cage has he been in? It sounds like he's wearing his tail feathers off climbing around the sides of his cage. Plenty of space, a variety of perches and he should be back in good feather soon.

 

[Ann333]

I have noticed that birds from petco have rough looking tail feathers and i think Allee is right it is probably from them climbing the bars of the cage. Should be fine when he molts though.

 

[awhitright]

I have had him for over a year, he has been in a very large cage 3'x4'x2' with other parakeets. The wing was broken and healed at the time I purchased him. I didn't realize it was broken at first. I asked the clerk at the store why his feathers were sticking up and she said they were just ruffled from being handled to put him in the carry out box. But the feathers didn't ever lay down and I realized the wing was broken and healed at an odd angle. He can fly but often ends up on the floor. I thought that maybe the other birds might be picking on him and damaging his tail feathers but I've never witnessed this happening. Just lately I bought another green opaline, a female, and put them together in a smaller cage 2'x1.5'x 2'. I'm hoping that when she comes into breeding condition that they will mate. I also bought her from Petco and her tail feathers are also a bit rough looking but not as bad as his. Hoping this is just a molting thing.

 

[Allee]

It could be a normal molt. It's also possible one of the other birds grabbed his tail feathers and gave them a good yank while you weren't looking. He's been in an appropriate cage since he's been with you, so I doubt he's been clinging to the walls often enough to damage his tail. If his feathers are in good condition, he should be fine, I'd just keep an eye on him. Now that he is in a cage with only one other bird, you will probably see new tail feathers soon.

 

[awhitright]

an "expert" from England told me to dip the tail in hot water and smooth it...does this sound right?