Bryanston Avian, Exotic and Small Animal Clinic

25/07/2025

19/07/2025

Let’s talk BLOOD FEATHERS:

A blood feather (new feather) is much the same as us growing out a new strand of hair. It’s natural, normal and needed and it is how old or damaged feathers are replaced.

Parrots usually undergo a moult every 6-18 months (old feathers fall out and new feathers grow out). The new feathers which grow out contain a blood vessel running the length of the feather - hence ‘blood feather’.

These feathers can sometimes break or become damaged to the point where the feather begins to bleed. Let’s follow this with an example:

Imagine sipping on a beverage of your choice using a plastic straw. Now imagine that straw was damaged and had a little hole in it. The straw is still useful but some of the liquid seeps out of the straw.

Similarly, a blood feather will bleed if broken or damaged along Its length and this can send owners into a panic. Birds have a highly efficient respiratory system which allows for a little more blood loss when compared to humans so:

Do not become too distressed. It’s probably not as much bleeding as you think it is. Take control of oneself and then…

Options:

- use corn flour (mezina) or even flour as a clotting agent (find the bleed on the feather and pack it with foour to slow and stop the bleeding).

- pull the feather out of the follicle much like you would pull a hair out AT AND WITH the root. This will disconnect the blood feather from the source of blood. Then apply pressure to the follicle (hole where the blood feather grew out of) until the blood has clotted and bleeding has stopped, (usually 30 seconds to a minute).

Once a feather is pulled out it generally takes 6-8 weeks to grow out another feather (if the follicle is not damaged). To make sure feather cysts do not ensue please contact your avain vet.

In the picture you can clearly see the difference between an old/mature feather (middle) and the blood feathers on the side.

Moral of the story: power to the people in the form of knowledge so that you can save on those emergency vet bills 🙂

P.S. it is usually a good idea to remove damaged blood feathers even once bleeding has stopped. This minimises the chances of infection and further bleeding from trauma.

10/07/2025

🐰👏 LIQUORICE HAS BEEN DISCHARGED 💪🐰

What a happy day to get the news that Liquorice is perkier, eating and pooping like a champ again! This little girly is such a special bun to us not because of her disability, but because of her bravery and fighting spirit.

Thank you Dr Georgie and the Bryanston Avian, Exotic and Small Animal Clinic team for getting her back on track! We are so grateful!

Going forward, Liquorice will get monthly checkups to assess her situation and keep her as comfortable and mobile as possible. For now though, she is back home with her permanent foster mama, Jeanette and her bunny sister where no doubt there are treats to be had

Can you help us with her bills though? We would really so appreciate any assistance with settling Liquorice’s medical expenses which came to just under R2000. This includes a very generous discount as well as all the meds she still needs. Her hospitalisation being an unexpected expense this month, any donation no matter how small would be very helpful indeed. If you do not have our banking details, please click over to the comments where I will be sharing them. Thank you!

30/06/2025

26/06/2025

Ring Ring

Please remember that Tomorrow morning our Sanctuary Fundraiser Telethon starts at 6am through to 9pm. You can call or WhatsApp your pledge to 082 719 5463 or 082 579 3017.
We'll do Facebook updates right through the day with details of every pledged amount.
We're raising funds to pay for our property😉

11/06/2025

Jemma cat inspecting and helping with stock take during her consult yesterday 🩶🤍 hope everyone is keeping warm ❄️

06/06/2025

STRAY!! Please help us find this MaCaw’s owner💛💙 found 29/05/2025 in Johannesburg CBD. Age and details required ie:microchip or ring number, colour, which leg etc

Currently at Bryanston Avian, Exotic and Small Animal Clinic

29/05/2025

STRAY ALERT!!
Found 29/05/2025 in Johannesburg CBD. Age and details required ie:microchip or ring number
Currently at Bryanston Avian, Exotic and Small Animal Clinic

26/05/2025

26/05/2025

23/05/2025

Sophia and Phillipe 🤍 this cute duo came in for a check-up with Dr Mel before their sterilizations next week