How to Remove a Bloody Feather From a Pet Bird
Until a feather grows completely in, the shaft (middle section) has a blood supply. These blood feathers are sensitive and can bleed if broken, especially on the wings and tail. The broken feather can be the result of any number of accidents. But often it's the result of a young playful parrot that hit its tail or wing on a toy or the cage bars. Since the tail and wing feathers have a large shaft and greater blood supply, the broken feather may bleed uncontrollably. In these cases, pulling the feather is the only way to stop the bleeding.
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Instructions
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Have one person restrain the bird in a towel. Do this by wrapping the bird in a towel with only the wing or tail with the broken blood feather exposed. Take care not to put pressure on the keel (chest) or nasal passages, as this would prevent the bird from breathing.
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Extend the wing out gently if the feather is on the wing and identify the broken feather and where it is attached to the skin. You will get a better view of where the feather is attached to the skin by looking at the underside of the tail or wing.
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Use tweezers or needle-nose pliers that are appropriate for the size of the bird. Tweezers are for cockatiels and other small-sized birds while larger birds need needle-nose pliers.
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Grab the base of the feather with the tweezers or needle-nose pliers as close as possible to the follicle (where the feather grows from).
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Pull straight back gently, but steadily. You want to pull the feather out smoothly and without jerking to prevent damage to the follicle. Don't aggressively yank the feather out.
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Apply pressure with gauze or another towel to stop any bleeding from the follicle. Continue to watch your bird for any bleeding for the next couple of hours. Usually bleeding from the follicle after the pulling is minor or nonexistent.
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Tips & Warnings
If your bird is on an all-seed diet, do not attempt to remove a blood feather without contacting your veterinarian. Birds on all-seed diets often have liver disease, which can lead to uncontrolled bleeding.
If you have never seen a blood feather pulled, contact your avian veterinarian for advice and guidance before pulling the feather.
If the follicle was damaged, your bird may not grow feathers from that follicle or may develop a cyst. Your avian veterinarian can exam the follicle at your regular vet visits for signs of damage.
