Cockatiels have become one of the common pet birds due to their great personality and their beautiful appearances.
Their colors are typically pleasing to the eyes as well, and anyone can agree that they have very great feathers.
However, what should you do if you have spotted a feather bleeding in their body and wings?
Carefully check why your cockatiel’s bleeding under its wings.
If you confirm that their bleeding comes from their broken wing feather, then it is likely the case of blood feathers.
Blood feathers are usually young or new developing feathers that have blood flowing through it.
If these new feathers get damaged, then your bird may bleed heavily.
If it has become serious, you should take your bird to the nearest avian veterinarian as soon as possible.
Why Is My Bird Bleeding Under The Wing?
Your bird may appear bleeding under its wings if there are new, actively, growing feathers.
These growing feathers are called blood feathers or pin feathers.
These are normal occurrences for birds that are replacing their old feathers.
Your bird may appear bleeding because these pin feathers have blood supply from your bird’s skin.
Blood feathers are extremely sensitive, so better be extra careful when handling your bird.
In case a blood feather is pulled, serious complications may happen.
It can turn like in an open faucet where blood will constantly drip out.
The feather follicles in the skin of your bird may also get damaged, permanently stopping any new feathers to grow.
What Do I Do if My Cockatiel’s Wing Is Bleeding?
Damaged or broken blood feathers are an emergency situation for birds.
This is especially the case for smaller species like budgies and cockatiels.
Since once a blood feather is wrongly pulled and gets broken, it will turn like an open faucet.
The broken feather will let the blood continuously and freely flow out of the bird’s body.
This can significantly become a life-threatening situation as small birds cannot tolerate blood loss.
If you spotted a seriously damaged blood feather, remove the feather shaft to stop the bleeding.
Wrap your cockatiel in a towel to minimize the stress to your bird and so you can properly remove the shaft.
Remove the feather shaft very carefully, but swiftly using a tweezer.
Grasp it as firmly and close to the bird’s skin and pull it from the feather follicle.
After successfully removing the feather, apply a pinch of cornstarch to aid clotting.
Make sure you also apply a sterile gauze and apply pressure, so the bleeding will permanently stop.
It is best to seek an avian veterinarian to ensure that there are no complications.
However, if the broken pin feather is really serious, do not try and attempt to do the procedure on your own.
Let the professional do the treatment just to make sure that your cockatiel will be safe.
Will a Blood Feather Heal On It’s Own?
Luckily, a blood feather will heal on its own.
If it is only a minor injury, it will only take 24-48 hours for it to heal properly.
This is only in a presumption that the bleeding is completely stopped and the feather has been safely and successfully removed from the bird’s skin.
You can also help your bird recover completely by feeding them nutritious diet and food that are great aids in blood clotting and feather recovery.
Pay attention to food that can be a plenty source of vitamin K.
These foods include spinach, kale, turnip greens, mustard greens, and collard greens.
It is also best to readjust and feed them a well-balanced diet to keep your cockatiel healthy.
How Do I Know If My Cockatiel’s Wing Is Broken?
The most obvious sign if your cockatiel has its wings or one of the wings broken is their inability to fly.
If you spot your cockatiel struggling to flap their wings, then something may definitely be wrong.
Their wings will also be hanging down in an unusual and uncomfortable position.
Your cockatiels may also find it difficult to keep their wings close to their body once it is broken.
Birds that have broken or injured wings might also experience extreme stress and shock, so better to keep an eye on them too.
Immediately take your cockatiel to the nearest avian veterinarian to check the injury and help your bird to recover its broken wing.
Wrapping Up
Cockatiels may appear bleeding under their wings or tails due to blood feathers.
These feathers are the new, growing ones that act as the replacement feathers.
They will have blood supply from the bird’s skin, until it develops and matures.
These feathers are sensitive and can easily be broken.
A broken blood feather is an emergency situation because it will let the blood flow freely out of your bird’s body.
Immediately and carefully remove the broken feather, apply first aid, and take your bird to the nearest avian veterinarian.