Birds that Experience Wounds, Bleeding or Trauma

First Aid for Wounds

Bleeding Beak or Nail

• Gently restrain your bird.
• Apply pressure to the area using gauze or a paper towel.
• Apply styptic powder or cornstarch to coagulate the blood.
• Watch bird closely over a short period of time to make sure that bleeding doesn’t reoccur.
• If bleeding continues for more than a few minutes, call your avian vet.

Broken Blood Feather

• Gently restrain your bird.
• Using needle nose pliers or heavy duty tweezers carefully grab the feather shaft close to the skin and gently pull the feather out.
• Apply pressure to the empty feather follicle for 1-2 minutes using gauze or a cotton swab.
• Watch bird closely over a short period of time to make sure that bleeding doesn’t reoccur.
• If bleeding continues for more than a few minutes, call your avian vet.

Skin wound

• Gently restrain your bird and apply immediate pressure to wound.
• If bleeding does not stop, use styptic powder.  You can also use flour, cornstarch or baking powder if you do not have styptic powder.
• Once stopped, clean the wound with antiseptics like, betadine, hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine.  Use a cotton swab or ball.
• Watch bird closely over a short period of time to make sure that bleeding doesn’t reoccur.
• Seek medical attention in case if continued bleeding or infection.