pin feathers

[goowoman999]

My quaker parrot, Hulk, has a good number of pin feathers on his head. he likes to be pet on the head with one finger but when I try to touch and get rid of his pin feathers with two fingers he moves his head and sometimes bites and gets really angry with me. My budgies have never had pin feathers before so i am very inexperienced with this. Are there any good ways for me to hold him so I can get rid of the feathers or should i just take him to the vet?

please help!
Grace, Hulk, Porkchop, and Kiwi

[janetafloat]

Why do you need to take him to the vet? The pin feathers will sort themselves out in time, just spray him with water regularly , I think that helps. If he doesn't want you to touch them, I say don't touch them!

[Eric&Rebecca]

Pin feathers are extremely sensitive so that's why he's biting you because it hurts... not because he's angry as such. There's no need for you to be removing them, some owners loosen the keratin by using two fingers but if your bird has a water bath offered or a misting spray daily the water will soon soften in time and there will be no need to pick them

You certainly don't need to go to the vet no more than a child needs to go to the dentist for a wobbly tooth. Just make sure you mist him or offer water to bathe in and don't pet him on the head for a while if its painful. Its a very small change.

Most pin feathers lose the kertain sheath within a couple of weeks he will preen them or scratch them out eventually.

Trust me, they are far more inconvenient for him than you!

[goowoman999]

Thanks so much!