# Crooked Tail Feather



## mareeder (Jul 31, 2013)

Hello!

So Pip is our brand new 3 month old Cockatiel, and we are brand new bird owners. We brought him home yesterday, and we released him from his carrier box into his new cage and noticed that one of his long tailfeathers is askew. It looks like it got bent while in transport from the breeder to our home.

Is a bent tailfeather something to worry about? He doesn't appear otherwise injured.

Thanks!


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## Amz (Apr 10, 2013)

Nah, that's not a big deal. It'll probably break off where it's bent, but it won't hurt him at all.


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## cknauf (Aug 27, 2012)

Nope, it isn't a problem, but expect some more: baby cockatiels are notoriously clumsy, and break their tailfeathers all the time. Unless it's a blood feather (info here, and you'd know if it were a blood feather), it's nothing to worry about. It will fall out on its own, or he'll preen it out.


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## mareeder (Jul 31, 2013)

Thanks all!

It may just need some rearranging, but I won't know that until I handle him. We're taking it slow and leaving him in his cage for a few days.


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## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

It's really common for baby tiels to snap a tail feather. Like said above, it will come out, or preen it over. You can still handle him, but if the tail hurts, just avoid the tail if it bothers him too much (But it really shouldn't)


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## hysteriauk (Jun 24, 2012)

zippy recently bent one of his tail feathers, it finally broke off where the bend was after zippy had been preening the area a few times , it has not caused him any issues whatsoever


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