# Arnie got feather extensions



## Belinda (Oct 9, 2010)

Arnie had some imping done today, because she (I'm convinced she's a girl) kept trying to fly but would fly awkwardly and hard to the ground and I was sick of it and worried she might hurt herself badly. So after a couple of hours at the vet today and a ridiculously expensive procedure, apparently she can fly now but she's too scared to! She'll try soon I'm sure but I've been encouraging her to fly to me and she just runs around in circles and dances on the spot doing the take off wings. Haha. So I left her on her cage and now she's dropping kitty litter on the floor trying to get my attention because I won't go over to her. I didn't tell my boyfriend because he thought the idea of imping sounded ridiculous, I'm going to wait and see how long it takes him to notice!


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

you can attach feathers to birds??? im a bit confused!


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

From what I found online it's normally done on a falcon or hawk to help them fly...but I'm not sure about the exact procedure. It says grafting...how do you graft wings?


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## Cassie (Jan 7, 2009)

Wow. I just googled it and it looks like a great idea. I wish I'd known about it when I got Smudge. Because I think we live locally, which vet did you go to to get that done?


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## tielmom (Aug 4, 2010)

Okay...I am really confused, you can add feather extensions to your tiel? Please explain to us because we are all ears and really curious


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## Cassie (Jan 7, 2009)

Tielmom, google 'home-imping' and look at the first result. The website is Petalia. It looks like a great idea.


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## Belinda (Oct 9, 2010)

Cassie, Arnie visits Brisbane Bird Vet at Chermside and the procedure is exactly as described on the Google link you referred.

Here are some pictures of Arnie's new wing - it's her right wing that was added to - as you can see the feathers look a little different but now she has a complete wing! (she still doesn't know how to use it properly and would rather scale a dining room chair trying to get to me. Haha. silly... You can also see her little bald patch behind her crest in these photos.)

The procedure took 1 1/2 hours - I just went and did some shopping whilst I waited. Apparently she did 4 test flights at the vets and she was flying ok. Her landing aim was terrible though - she flew straight at the beak of a larger parrot. I assume that's why she's hesitant to try and fly at the moment...


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## dianaxgalvez (May 3, 2010)

:O This is amazing ! ! !


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

awww bless


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## Annie (Nov 20, 2009)

You know, Belinda, Arnie is one of the sweetest tiels I have seen on this forum!!! Looks like a little yellow chick.  So, birds can have feather extensions just like how humans can get hair extentions! Wonder if you can put their feathers on rollers and curl them too....


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Annie said:


> You know, Belinda, Arnie is one of the sweetest tiels I have seen on this forum!!! Looks like a little yellow chick.  So, birds can have feather extensions just like how humans can get hair extentions! Wonder if you can put their feathers on rollers and curl them too....



Lol next it be make-up and little dresses for the girls


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## Cassie (Jan 7, 2009)

That must have been so expensive. Arnie is so lucky. I don't know that vet. I go to Brisbane Birds and Exotics at Mt Gravatf.


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## Cassie (Jan 7, 2009)

Oops. Sorry. I meant Mt Gravatt.


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## AMSD (Nov 2, 2010)

We go to Brisbane Bird Vet in Chermside also  they are fantastic


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## Cassie (Jan 7, 2009)

I live on the Southside so it's a bit far for me. You'll have to get Arnie a spray tan now to set off her lovely extensions.


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## Belinda (Oct 9, 2010)

I live on the Southside too... I didn't know about Brisbane Birds and Exotics! But so far very happy making the trip to Chermside. It's funny how many Qlders find this forum! And yes, it was very expensive but she's my baby and I figure it's better than having to pay for surgery if she breaks her breastbone! (she already had an accident and had to have painkillers whilst it healed, didn't want her to do anymore damage!)

Also Arnie is flying around now, usually only to find me if I walk into the kitchen though. She gets lost trying to find me, landing on the top of cupboards or down the hallway. I bought her an Aviator harness - can't wait to train her up to fly in it, if she'll let me! haha.


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## Belinda (Oct 9, 2010)

Annie said:


> You know, Belinda, Arnie is one of the sweetest tiels I have seen on this forum!!! Looks like a little yellow chick.  So, birds can have feather extensions just like how humans can get hair extentions! Wonder if you can put their feathers on rollers and curl them too....


Aww thanks Annie! Though Arnie has been acting a bit the ratbag lately - not as sweet as she looks sometimes!


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## AMSD (Nov 2, 2010)

Looks can be so deceptive can't they?
HAHA So cute but sooooooo cheeky!!

We were going to go to Brisbane Birds and Exotics when we discussed it before even getting the birds (we are planners in this family! haha) but the breeder gave us the BBV business card and recommended them highly - that is how we ended up there and it works for us, were live really close by and love our vet!  

So happy to hear that Arnie is beginning to cruise around the house now! 
I read that you were getting her DNA sexed in another thread? Did you get the results?
I was a little confused because I have read 'he' and 'she' haha


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## Belinda (Oct 9, 2010)

No the results have yet to come back! Currently it's so confusing in our household - I call Arnie a she and my boyfriend says he's definitely a boy (he named Arnie) so we thought we could possibly rename him/her Shiloh (after Brad and Angelina's daughter with gender identity issues) haha...


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## AMSD (Nov 2, 2010)

LOL! That could work  I hope you get your results back soon.
The vet was convinced Dexter was a girl but we KNEW he was a boy.
She said we would know for sure if his face turned white - and now here we are with our beautiful whitefaced boy. I really didn't want to have to change his name so it worked out well.


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## AMSD (Nov 2, 2010)

That being said, almost any name can be unisex these days! My sister just named her female puppy Tyler. Arnie still works for girl if she is a little girl


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## Belinda (Oct 9, 2010)

Princess Arnie... that will annoy my boyfriend so bad hahaha....

Was this the vet from Brisbane Bird Vet who told you your tiel might be female? If so, he may have Arnie's sex wrong too - he said that Arnie had the "face of a girl" haha...


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## AMSD (Nov 2, 2010)

We see Amy at BBV and she said that he had a girl face too lol
In her defense, he did look like a girl... But he acted like a total boy!


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Belinda said:


> Princess Arnie... that will annoy my boyfriend so bad hahaha....
> 
> Was this the vet from Brisbane Bird Vet who told you your tiel might be female? If so, he may have Arnie's sex wrong too - he said that Arnie had the "face of a girl" haha...


you going to wait till arnie is molted or dna sexing, i still think arnie is a boy deep down but who knows


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

I would make up some signs to put on your doors to say that the bird is out, so Arnie does not fly outside. I also read something about Arnie with kitty litter I would not let him play with kitty litter even if it is clean.


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## shelagh (Nov 2, 2010)

xxxSpikexxx said:


> I would not let him play with kitty litter even if it is clean.


I thought the same at first, but if it's the recycled paper kitty litter it wouldn't hurt, right?


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## Belinda (Oct 9, 2010)

The kitty litter I use is made out of recycled paper and I use it to line his playgym floor and as a foraging toy. Our vet uses the same brand for his birds so I presume it's completely safe for him to pick up, you can check it out at www.fibrecycle.com.au

As for the door signs, that a really good idea. We always keep our outside doors closed and he's often with us anyway so we can keep an eye on what he's getting up to and into, but that's a great idea


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