Tail Feather Trauma

[19266022]

Our little jess was walking around the house this morning when our 9 year old boy walked out of his room with a hand full of guinea pigs and stood on his tail. I think jess must of took off when he got stood on but i didn't see what happened. I came running when I heard jess' scream. He seems to be OK but he now has not even one tail feather. He sat there and picked I few more feathers out and then went on like nothing happened. I took a picture of the feathers that were pulled. And a picture of him now with no tail feathers. Should I take him to our vet?

 

[OOwl]

It might not of been your son standing on his tail. We had a situation about 9 months ago where a cat jumped up in the window sill (outside) right beside my Grey's cage. He scared him so bad that he immediately "blew out" every single one of his beautiful tail feathers, all at once. They didn't get caught in anything. I was sitting there when it happened. He literally just released them. I think it was some kind of defense mechanism at work so an animal can escape a predator (or imagined one), even if that means growing a new tail. I saved all the bright red feathers and my guy grew back his tail in a few weeks, no worse for wear.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Looks like Jess blew the feathers clean off. The shafts all look intact, and I, too, believe in a few weeks he'll be sporting a brand new tail.

If he's acting fine and eating and pooping normally, I wouldn't take him to the vet. His self-esteem may suffer a bit at the moment since he's a bit 'naked' back there, but this shall pass.

 

[itchyfeet]

Oh wow! Years ago I went to an IRN aviary, with a good few hundred birds of various mutations. We saw one without it's tail but otherwise healthy looking, and thought it was sibling/spousal/aggressor abuse type stuff. Ya' learn something new every day!

 

[WilliamKenyon]

Poor guy must be so embarrassed . At least the feathers will grow back beautiful and colorful.

 

[Kyoto]

This exact thing happened to Kyo last week, when I stepped on her tail. He will be just fine. but it sure is scary!!