BaLding long tail?

29 Mar 2012, 22:50

Hey all,
My female long tail was looking a bit scruffy on the head a few days ago, so. Got her out (with some difficulty) and gave her a look over... She looked ok, but missing a few feathers.
I put her in the quarantine cage, and since then she has lost all the feathers on the top of her head, leaving an ugly "crust" on the top.... Not sure what to do with her. They are both distraught at losing each other, so I'd like to reunite the pair ASAP but don't want to put her back in as she is.
I sprayed her for mites,no change...
Can anyone help?
Thanks
j

29 Mar 2012, 23:27

Jayburd wrote:Hey all,
My female long tail was looking a bit scruffy on the head a few days ago, so. Got her out (with some difficulty) and gave her a look over... She looked ok, but missing a few feathers.
I put her in the quarantine cage, and since then she has lost all the feathers on the top of her head, leaving an ugly "crust" on the top.... Not sure what to do with her. They are both distraught at losing each other, so I'd like to reunite the pair ASAP but don't want to put her back in as she is.
I sprayed her for mites,no change...
Can anyone help?
Thanks
j

Jayburd, if only the feathers are missing the best cure is putting her back in the aviary, I always thought it's some kind of allergy that affects the bird. Plenty of clean water, sunshine and air circulation is all the bird needs. However, it will take couple of months for the feathers to start growing back. I often wash (using medicated shampoo) and dry the bird well before putting her back into the aviary, just make sure it's a sunny day. This works every time for me. Do you know how old is the bird?

29 Mar 2012, 23:34

Stick to few a pairs in the aviary and stop messing with them when they are stressed.

30 Mar 2012, 02:35

Found the first signs of stress in my doublebars when I had too many in a cage was feather loss around the head and face. Being in a large cage without enough sunshine made them very scabby looking .

Put them out in a aviary and within a month they were looking 100%

May not be whats ailing yours but just thouht Id share .

30 Mar 2012, 07:46

Jayburd
You may have interupted something,it could have started as mating or pair bonded preening.
The extra feather loss may have been caused by her movements around a smaller strange cage.
A tip to look at,in general terms when a healthy bird has been perching in the same spot for a little while it will
roost on one foot. If you see a bird with one foot raised the odds are that it is quite healthy.
By chasing it and others around you could have disturbed all the other birds. I am sure Jacarinis and Cordons
wouldn't have enjoyed your activity.Don't panic
What would I do now,put her back as quick as possible.You will see if they have bonded because when they are released there
will be head bobbing and they should be quite vocal. Becareful with your birds but don't cosset them.

30 Mar 2012, 21:16

Thanks guys, I'll put her back in first thing in the morning if it's warm enough.
However if air circulation good water and sunlight were all she needed why did that happen in the first place?
Net surfer I got her from SamDavis so I think she's a pretty young bird.
It's not mounting at least, I just didn't like the look of the scabiness on her head.
Thanks Orix, I'll have a look early tomorrow and see how many legs she's sitting on.
Thanks everyone,
J

30 Mar 2012, 21:43

The single leg perching has always worried, that's interesting e.orix

31 Mar 2012, 01:04

Jayburd wrote:Thanks guys, I'll put her back in first thing in the morning if it's warm enough.
However if air circulation good water and sunlight were all she needed why did that happen in the first place?
Net surfer I got her from SamDavis so I think she's a pretty young bird.
It's not mounting at least, I just didn't like the look of the scabiness on her head.
Thanks Orix, I'll have a look early tomorrow and see how many legs she's sitting on.
Thanks everyone,
J

There must a reason why, I can only guess. When this happens to my birds it is almost always with the birds kept indoors, more often older birds but then again could have been mosquitoes that caused it or other birds plucking its head feathers etc. As for why, SamDavis should have an idea why. Anyhow, if its a young bird the feathers will regrow if its an older bird or a runt "who knows", may not be good for breeding! If he says it's a young bird than it should be OK! Keep an eye on the other bird he may be plucking her.

31 Mar 2012, 06:59

Both your longtails are young - not sure exactly but certainly less than 12 months old. You say the baldness is on the top of her head which to me sounds like some other bird has been plucking her (competition for a nest site maybe?). If it was the back of the head I'd say its her mate being a bit too keen to do what mates do. I once had a single diamond in my holding aviary who managed to pluck the heads and backs of dozens of finches within just a week or so - and longtails were his main target for some reason. With the longtails the feathers seem to grow back within a few weeks - assuming the criminal has been jailed of course!

Just reread your initial post. Maybe the feathers which fell out in the small cage had already been dislodged and then as E Orix says she's banged around in the cage a bit making them actually fall out.