Plan ahead so that if and when your bird breaks a blood feather, you're equipped to act fast. Use a blow dryer on its lowest setting to dry them completely or allow them to air dry. Try and have everything handy so you don't have to search for things with your bird in hand. I will use diluted 35% in a warm soapy water bath, but only long enough to rid the stain of any dried blood or yellow staining. Using a gauze pad or two, gently apply pressure to the affected area for 10 - 15 minutes. Hey guys, it's me again with a question for my lovebird who is in distress. This article has been viewed 38,822 times. This article was co-authored by Hayley Heartfield. 2. Take a deep breath and calm yourself. There are a couple of reasons why this method is frowned upon by modern veterinarians. Expert Interview. In 95% of these cases, the affected feather will continue to grow normally and the follicle will remain intact and produce healthy feathers in the future. 3 After you have plucked the blood feather, place a pinch of cornstarch on the affected area to help aid clotting, and use a piece of sterile gauze to apply pressure to the feather follicle until the bleeding has stopped. Store them outside for 24 hours in a dry place without sunlight. Change out her food and refill her bottle with fresh water. You can do this by taking clean gauze and applying pressure to the wounded area, leaving it there for 10-15 minutes. Our birds can easily break larger blood feathers in play, if they get it caught in between the cage bars, or if the bird falls off of a perch when it becomes startled. Develop the tech skills you need for work and life. Bird Electrolyte Support Ingredients: 2 C. fresh water 1 teaspoon of honey or Karo syrup 1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking soda (Bob's Red Mill Baking Soda) 1/2 teaspoon table salt. Avoid packing your coagulant into the hair follicle. Do NOT scrub the feathers as this will damage them. The bumpy spot is where the follicle ends in the bird's body. Apr 26 , 2012 #1 . A garment steamer is more suitable if you are working with many feathers. Water. Feathers make a good ornament or jewelry. For tips on how to keep your birds cage clean so it doesnt need as many baths, read on! Once dry, you can place the feather in a safe location where it wont get damaged. ", "I've been wondering how to clean a bird, so thanks.". Submerge the feathers in the solution and let them soak for at least half an hour. If there is bleeding from a blood feather: Restrain the bird. Removing blood feathers improperly will cause more harm than good. In a clean bowl, add a bit of warm water with some mild soap or cleaning solution. Most birds preen their feathers regularly to keep them clean and in good condition. Make a paste from baking soda and water or mix cup borax with 1 cup baking soda. Birds are very sensitive to reading our emotions and they pick up on our cues about how to react. The most common diseases that can be transmitted through feathers are bacteria and viruses. Next, hold the feather under running water and let the water rinse away any remaining dirt. Imagine how painful pulling one of these feathers would put a bird in a deadly case of shock. She graduated from the University of Houston where she majored in Classical Studies and minored in Painting. Bird doctors Rehabbers first draw blood, weigh the victim, and check the bird's vitals. jmd4419 . It may not display this or other websites correctly. Hayley studied Animal Science at Texas A&M. Thank you for your support. Use a blow dryer on its lowest setting to dry them completely or allow them to air dry. % of people told us that this article helped them. These feathers have a steady blood supply and can heal themselves, usually in about 24-48 hours in the case of a minor injury. Use steam to fluff the feathers you can use a steamer or the steam from boiling water. Covering them with boric acid is another way to keep them intact and protect the feathers from insect infestation. http://www.hagen.com/hari/docu/firstaidbleeding.html, http://littlefeatheredbuddies.com/info/health-bloodfeathers.html, http://www.newyorkbirds.net/bleeding.html, https://unchartedsupplyco.com/blogs/news/basic-first-aid#1. Finally, find the stem of the blood feather, grab the shaft with forceps, and pull out the feather in one quick motion in the direction of feather growth. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 249,668 times. Make sure that the perch is low and place your bird inside. Blood feathers are developing bird feathersmost commonly found in the wings and tailthat replace older ones. Replace any liners at the bottom of the cage with fresh material. Broken blood feathers is a common problem, especially when a birds wings are trimmed to avoid flight. While the feather would not look attractive, it will all fall out during the next molting of your bird. When a blood feather breaks, it's a bit like an open faucet, depleting the blood supply. Fold the bag closed and shake the contents for 30 seconds. Your bird may pick his feathers with such fervor . You can use a heat lamp or heating pad to warm your bird up. If you have many feathers, do it in batches. Lay it out on a paper towel to dry when youre done. You can find a bird-safe electrolyte recipe for it here. Then, gently extend the wing using your index finger and thumb. This will also kill any bacteria or fungi present on the feathers. green leafy vegetables, like kale, spinach, turnip greens, collards, Swiss chard, mustard greens, parsley, romaine, and green leaf lettuce. We are here today to show you how to clean bird feathers. If this does not stop the bleeding, try applying cornstarch, baking powder, or all-purpose flour to the area, then apply pressure with more gauze for another 10 minutes. Congratulations! When you pull the feather out, you end up ripping out a bunch of skin tissue and potentially causing damage to ligaments and bones, too. Then, after the feathers are pest- and germ-free, clean off the dirt and debris. Broken blood feathers are a common problem for birds, and thankfully, they typically heal well. For tips on preventing the wound from bleeding, read on! The supplies you will need are a plucking instrument (strong tweezers, hemostat, or needlenose pliers), cornstarch, and sterile gauze. Causing your bird intense pain will affect your bond with it and could possibly result in a very nervous pet. Avoid drying it with a towel. After youve controlled the bleeding, leave your bird to rest in a quiet, warm place lined with a towel. Gather the feathers in a clean container. As I mentioned above, pulling the blood feather out isextremelypainful for your bird and can put your bird into shock. You could put some flea powder in the container instead of cedar, too. Fill a container with an inch or two of water. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Although this is a simple procedure, seek help from a veterinarian if you are in any way uncomfortable. Hayley Heartfield is a Bird Specialist and the Owner of About Birds, a Pet Bird Shop in Montgomery County, Texas. How To Support a Bird With a Broken Blood Feather, Hopefully, youve got a bird first aid kit. It is best to store feathers in an airtight container. After sanitizing, wash feathers with hand soap diluted in water. If youre worried that the feathers storage conditions are too humid, you can put some hygroscopic crystals in the container. Since the bleeding clotted should lil duck be ok if I leave it alone? I would keep it simple and use just plain warm water. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. By using our site, you agree to our, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d0\/Pull-a-Blood-Feather-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Pull-a-Blood-Feather-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d0\/Pull-a-Blood-Feather-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid281410-v4-728px-Pull-a-Blood-Feather-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"