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cindy
Egg
Joined: 06 Aug 2005
Posts: 8
Location: portland, me |
| extreme wing feather loss |
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No time to make this pretty!!
Please share any thoughts as soon as you are able. Our Amazon, 2 1/2 yrs. old has, in the last two days, lost 8-10 feathers from one wing. She doesn't appear to be unhealthy or stressed and has an appetite, although not as much as usual, (I think). She has full flight ability and has been unable to stay up as of tonight. It's 7:00 pm here, so it'll be a long scary night till I can call her Doc. Should I bother him tonight?
Thank-you for being there!! |
Thursday October 12, 2006 11:32 pm |
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Cathy
Kamikaze pilot
Joined: 02 Apr 2005
Posts: 6673
Location: Omaha, NE USA |
You mean she can't "stay up" as in stay up right, she keeps falling down? Yeah, I think I would bother the Doc tonite, at least call him & explain to him what's going on, let him be the expert judge.
Is it an avian vet you will call? I hope so!
I'll be waiting to hear more. |
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Thursday October 12, 2006 11:40 pm |
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cindy
Egg
Joined: 06 Aug 2005
Posts: 8
Location: portland, me |
Hi Cathy,
So great of you to reply so quickly. Sorry, no she's not falling down. She's just not able to stay aloft in flight. I've been reading the 'Amazon forum topic on molting since I wrote this and am becoming more informed. Could it be that?
Again, thanks!
Cindy |
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Friday October 13, 2006 12:00 am |
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Cathy
Kamikaze pilot
Joined: 02 Apr 2005
Posts: 6673
Location: Omaha, NE USA |
Oh, you really had me scared there when I first read your post! But now I see I was just completely misunderstanding, thank goodness!!
Sure, it could possibly be a molt, tho it sounds a little extreme & a molt isn't usually so concentrated in just one area that I'm aware of. But at least now it's sounding like much less of an emergency situation. |
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Friday October 13, 2006 12:06 am |
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cindy
Egg
Joined: 06 Aug 2005
Posts: 8
Location: portland, me |
I feel much better, thanks. I'll watch her closely in the a.m. and call her doc. to see if he has reason to think she should be brought in. As I write this, she's chowing down her dinner! Always a good sign!! This was a good reminder for me that I should stay more current with the wealth of suport and info made so available by this great 'family'. It takes a village!!
Cindy |
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Friday October 13, 2006 1:08 am |
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Cathy
Kamikaze pilot
Joined: 02 Apr 2005
Posts: 6673
Location: Omaha, NE USA |
Please be sure to let me know what the vet has to say.
I'm glad to hear she's eating well  |
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Friday October 13, 2006 3:10 am |
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fruitynutbird
Fledgeling
Joined: 03 May 2006
Posts: 226
Location: Sydney, Australia |
She's going to need lots of good nutrition, especially protein, in order to replenish all the nutrients she has used up to regrow all these feathers (feathers are mostly made up of keratin, which is a protein).
Feathers also act as insulation. Would she get a bit cold after losing so many big feathers, I wonder?
It might be a good idea to pad her cage floors and other landing areas with soft material at the moment, to try and prevent any injuries, eg, broken blood feathers or even broken bones, should she fall.
Good luck!
Andrew |
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Friday October 13, 2006 6:49 am |
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Jrmno1
Flying tumbler
Joined: 28 Aug 2005
Posts: 2310
Location: Ohio, USA |
quote:
Originally posted by fruitynutbird
Feathers also act as insulation. Would she get a bit cold after losing so many big feathers, I wonder?
I wonder how valid this commentis, (Not to take anything away from Anderw). But the flight feather (I believe that is what was lost) should not retain much heat . It would be the dawn feathers on the body that would retain the body heat.
As far as the problem, I have heard this very smae topic discussed in another thread. Bird feathers are designed to fall out if they are, attacted by a pederture (sp) like a cat, then the cat is left setting there with a mouth full of feathers, while the bird is flying away.
I do not know, but this sounds like it could be a problem simlar to this. Where maybe he got hung up on something or maybe he just got scared. If this is a single instance, I would not be to concerned, but always, always check with the vet if you have any concerns. We here at fluffies can only make suggestions.
John |
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Friday October 13, 2006 11:27 am |
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fruitynutbird
Fledgeling
Joined: 03 May 2006
Posts: 226
Location: Sydney, Australia |
John, you are right that the down feathers are the important ones when it comes to insulation. Heat loss is not really an issue in this case.
Thanks,
Andrew |
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Friday October 13, 2006 12:57 pm |
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Kellyanne
Flier
Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 659
Location: Ottawa, Canada |
I had a similar problem with my cockatiel, Lily. I arrived home after work and 12-15 of her wing feathers were on the floor around her cage. None were blood feathers. I brought her to the vet. The vet said that she must have had a bit of a 'freak out', and violently flown around her cage. Ie. something must have scared her and she did a major 'flap off'. Is this a possibility in your case? |
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Friday October 13, 2006 2:28 pm |
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