Help! My quail swallowed a zip tie... i think.

[NancyWis]

While showing a friend my quail, we noticed a zip tie protruding from one of their chests. I have NO idea here it came from, but as best I can guess, it swallowed it and the pointy end ( which didnt seem that sharp) managed to pierce and protrude the quail's chest. I can't pull it out because the knobby end is IN THE QUAIL. I trimmed the end so it is only sticking out about an inch and a half. Should I cut it as short as I can and hope she passes the end? Should I make a tiny incision and pull it out the front?

She doesn't seem too bothered by it and is still laying eggs.

 

[Nabiki]

I think that is going to need to be surgically removed. I'm not a vet, so take my advice with a grain of salt, but the two options that come to mind for me are take her to a vet or cull her.

Even if you cut the end, it has pierced her body. It's not going to just pass through her digestive system. If it has pierced intestines or stomach, you're looking at eventual sepsis and a slow, painful death without medical treatment.

 

[jus10inla]

.. pics ?

 

[NancyWis]

I think that is going to need to be surgically removed. I'm not a vet, so take my advice with a grain of salt, but the two options that come to mind for me are take her to a vet or cull her.

Even if you cut the end, it has pierced her body. It's not going to just pass through her digestive system. If it has pierced intestines or stomach, you're looking at eventual sepsis and a slow, painful death without medical treatment.

Looking at a diagram of the digestive system, I'm guessing it came through the crop. So if I cut it, the ball end may be free to pass through the crop and digestive system.
She is eating and drinking and running around like nothing is wrong. It has been a few days since I noticed it.

 

[NancyWis]

.. pics ?

.. pics ?

 

[Cool-breeze7]

I know quail are talented at finding ways to die, but this is impressive. I agree with earlier advice. If it where me I’d either get a vet or cull.

I can tell you from many years with zip ties, you will not get it cut clean enough to avoid a jagged edge. If you try to let the bird pass it, it will cut up something else before it comes out, if it comes out at all. No idea if it would be life threatening or not but I don’t advocate finding out.

 

[NancyWis]

I couldn't bring myself to cull an otherwise robust bird. I trimmed the zip tie as close as possible to her chest (the other birds were starting to peck at it.) It has been 8 days since I trimmed it, and she appears to be doing well. When I picked her up the other day (and she was difficult to catch) I couldnt feel or even see where the tie had poked through her skin. She has continued to lay eggs.
I had named her Miracle a couple months ago when I found her in her brooder box with a severe head injury - she looked like she had been scalped! Possibly by an aggressive male? I moved her to her own cage and treated her with an antimicrobial spray my daughter had given me. She was acting fine, but looked horrible. I was sure she wasn't going to make it. But her feathers grew back quickly and you would never know she had been injured.
She is just living up to her name!

 

[CliftonQuail]

I couldn't bring myself to cull an otherwise robust bird. I trimmed the zip tie as close as possible to her chest (the other birds were starting to peck at it.) It has been 8 days since I trimmed it, and she appears to be doing well. When I picked her up the other day (and she was difficult to catch) I couldnt feel or even see where the tie had poked through her skin. She has continued to lay eggs.
I had named her Miracle a couple months ago when I found her in her brooder box with a severe head injury - she looked like she had been scalped! Possibly by an aggressive male? I moved her to her own cage and treated her with an antimicrobial spray my daughter had given me. She was acting fine, but looked horrible. I was sure she wasn't going to make it. But her feathers grew back quickly and you would never know she had been injured.
She is just living up to her name!

I wonder if you'll eventually find the zip tie in an egg, or in the manure tray.

 

[NancyWis]

I wonder if you'll eventually find the zip tie in an egg, or in the manure tray.

Hadn't thought about an egg

I have them in a flight pen that I rake out every week or two. I 'm not really inspecting droppings...

 

[NancyWis]

Hadn't thought about an egg

I have them in a flight pen that I rake out every week or two. I 'm not really inspecting droppings...

But now that I think about it, I can't see how the zip tie end could make it into an egg. Little stones or sand or other non digestible don't end up in eggs.