Feather growth after molt, porcupine tail

[Cleopatra Opal]

I preen my cockatoo's head feathers, all the time. She can't reach those. Her casings are not difficult, though. I generally scrape the length of the casing on one side of the pin feather, which releases the tention enough to then de-glove the feather. Perhaps bringing a sharp file or even a knife in with you to scrape one side of the pin feather might help the process along.

The file is a great idea! Some of them are very tough, and I don’t want to injure her trying to break them up. Thank you!

 

[Fluffy_Butt_Hutt]

If she stays this way and it becomes concerning that the casings won't come off, try fully soaking the quills for thirty minutes to soften it. If you do this, Epsom salts are optional, but keep the water around skin temp and not cold. Then, they should open a bit better. Also dry her well before putting her outside.