Cage injury?

[Alybri]

My little one is about a year and a half old. He has the spot on his cheek that looks like dried blood. He's had it before. And there are a bunch of little pin feathers there. I was wondering if they have blood feathers in their cheeks. I always thought that the blood feathers were only in their wings. I took him to the vet the last time this happened and she did a skin scraping and checked for mites, but that wasn't the issue. Anyone have something similar happen? Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[foxgloveparrot]

I haven’t thought about that but I guess they have blood feathers in their cheeks? They get pins all over their heads so…

 

[Zoruace]

Blood feather are everywhere not only wings!
So it’s likely blood feathers..
You can try to clean it with a cloth in warm water..
AFTER THE BLOOD FEATHERS HAVE BECAME FEATHERS THAT IS

 

[Alybri]

Blood feather are everywhere not only wings!
So it’s likely blood feathers..
You can try to clean it with a cloth in warm water..
AFTER THE BLOOD FEATHERS HAVE BECAME FEATHERS THAT IS

Thank you. The last time it happened was in October. So I guess he could have molted those by now? He is sensitive to the touch on that cheek, so it's probably not ready to be cleaned yet. I appreciate the feedback.

 

[Zoruace]

Thank you. The last time it happened was in October. So I guess he could have molted those by now? He is sensitive to the touch on that cheek, so it's probably not ready to be cleaned yet. I appreciate the feedback.

Yeah ill wait till the pins are ready before i clean it
You dont want to make it bleed by accident

 

[HeatherG]

Thank you. The last time it happened was in October. So I guess he could have molted those by now? He is sensitive to the touch on that cheek, so it's probably not ready to be cleaned yet. I appreciate the feedback.

A photo would be great.

i am wondering if his ear could be sore or irritated and your bird is rubbing/scratching his head and scraped himself? If he doesn’t want his cheek touched it sounds like more than irritation of those tiny tiny pin feathers.
Is he holding his head funny? Doing anything different? Please let us know.

thanks!

 

[Alybri]

A photo would be great.

i am wondering if his ear could be sore or irritated and your bird is rubbing/scratching his head and scraped himself? If he doesn’t want his cheek touched it sounds like more than irritation of those tiny tiny pin feathers.
Is he holding his head funny? Doing anything different? Please let us know.

thanks!

The irritation is on his right cheek really close to his beak. The sore isn't on his ear which is good. He's still acting the same. Eating and sleeping the same. Still a happy little velcro bird The only thing that's different is that he doesn't like for it to be touched. Thank you so much for getting back to me. In the picture call me you can't really see between his feathers really well, but that's what it looks like when he's at rest.

 

[HeatherG]

Ok. Looks like maybe some feathers stuck together with blood? How odd. All those feathers ARE filled with blood when they emerge wrapped up in little spikes. I suppose injuring a blood feather JUST SO could make it bleed.
Well I’m glad the injury is far from his ear opening. I guess if all is well otherwise I would just watch him and make sure he’s eating and drinking the same.
Thank you for satisfying my request for a photo. Now I can’t imagine something terrible.

 

[Alybri]

Ok. Looks like maybe some feathers stuck together with blood? How odd. All those feathers ARE filled with blood when they emerge wrapped up in little spikes. I suppose injuring a blood feather JUST SO could make it bleed.
Well I’m glad the injury is far from his ear opening. I guess if all is well otherwise I would just watch him and make sure he’s eating and drinking the same.
Thank you for satisfying my request for a photo. Now I can’t imagine something terrible.

You're welcome. Thank you!!

 

[Laurasea]

It looks like an injury. Can you feel say heat in that area or swelling?

You can use a drop of betadine in water to make a light tea color anda qtip to pat on the area. But if it is an injury might need a vet check to make sure everything is ok

 

[Alybri]

It looks like an injury. Can you feel say heat in that area or swelling?

You can use a drop of betadine in water to make a light tea color anda qtip to pat on the area. But if it is an injury might need a vet check to make sure everything is ok

It doesn't feel warm to the touch. The last time I took him to the vet they did like a scraping so that they could look for mites. She said that if it got worse to bring him back. It's not worse, it's just not better.

 

[Laurasea]

Hmmmm
Mites are so rare i wouldn't worry about thst at all....
I'm not sure what to think....how long has this been going on?
But I'm a big believer in betadine. Apply dilute to area 3 times a day for a week. See if that helps. Skin usually heals quickly. If not better in a week then its more than I can help with

 

[Alybri]

Hmmmm
Mites are so rare i wouldn't worry about thst at all....
I'm not sure what to think....how long has this been going on?
But I'm a big believer in betadine. Apply dilute to area 3 times a day for a week. See if that helps. Skin usually heals quickly. If not better in a week then its more than I can help with

So the first time it happened was in August. It healed some in between then because it didn't bother him when I touched it. But I noticed that the feathers were a little bit more puffed out on that side recently, like within the last week. And then I went to touch it and it was bothering him again. So I don't know if the blood dried to those feathers, and then he reinjured it and bled a little bit more, or what. The betadine is a good idea though. I think I'm going to try that.

 

[HeatherG]

It looks like an injury. Can you feel say heat in that area or swelling?

You can use a drop of betadine in water to make a light tea color anda qtip to pat on the area. But if it is an injury might need a vet check to make sure everything is okIt looks like an injury. Can you feel say heat in that area or swelling?

You can use a drop of betadine in water to make a light tea color anda qtip to pat on the area. But if it is an injury might need a vet check to make sure everything is ok

So the first time it happened was in August. It healed some in between then because it didn't bother him when I touched it. But I noticed that the feathers were a little bit more puffed out on that side recently, like within the last week. And then I went to touch it and it was bothering him again. So I don't know if the blood dried to those feathers, and then he reinjured it and bled a little bit more, or what. The betadine is a good idea though. I think I'm going to try that.

i see what laurasea means. I enlarged the photo and it does look like there’s and injury under the feathers that made him bleed. Is there any way his face could be sore or itchy causing him to rub it and injure himself? Or is there another bird in the household that might have bit him?

In addition to betadine on a swab, diluted hydrogen peroxide on a swab could clean the area and the sore so you can see what’s going on. But it is concerning that it keeps coming back. I wonder if there’s something in the skin that doesn’t feel good and is getting rubbed and irritated?

 

[Alybri]

I enlarged the photo and I

I blew up the photo and I see what you mean. It’s not only the feathers stuck together but under them that bled!

if he has had this problem in the same spot before, could something on his jaw or face be hurting or itching, causing him to rub and injure himself?

i see what laurasea means. I enlarged the photo and it does look like there’s and injury under the feathers that made him bleed. Is there any way his face could be sore or itchy causing him to rub it and injure himself? Or is there another bird in the household that might have bit him?

min addition to beta dine on a swab, diluted hydrogen peroxide in a swab could clean the area and the sore so you can see what’s going on.

I do have another bird, but they're never near each other because they don't like each other that much. There's no way they can touch each other. I suppose if it's itchy or sore, he could be rubbing it against something, but I never see him do it during the day, and I work primarily from home. That's why I'm so confused. I don't ever see him injure it. He is covered at night to sleep though. Hydrogen peroxide is a good idea to. Do you know what the ratio would be for the dilution?

 

[HeatherG]

I do have another bird, but they're never near each other because they don't like each other that much. There's no way they can touch each other. I suppose if it's itchy or sore, he could be rubbing it against something, but I never see him do it during the day, and I work primarily from home. That's why I'm so confused. I don't ever see him injure it. He is covered at night to sleep though. Hydrogen peroxide is a good idea to. Do you know what the ratio would be for the dilution?

I have heard 50% hydrogen peroxide in water (starting with the bottled stuff) is good to clean blood from fur. That’s what the vet’s office uses to clean up after injections.

could he be scratching himself or sticking his head through something sharp on his cage?

 

[Alybri]

I have heard 50% in water (starting with the bottled stuff) is good to clean blood from fur. That’s what the vet’s office uses to clean up after injections.

Thank you! I appreciate everyone's help!

 

[HeatherG]

Thank you! I appreciate everyone's help!

Willow was not happy about me typing and not petting so I had to try a few times.

 

[Alybri]

Willow was not happy about me typing and not petting so I had to try a few times.

 

[HeatherG]

I just felt Willow’s face in that area. It seems that could be an injury at or near the bill commisure (where top and bottom jaws come together) or at margin of the bill.