update on morgan

[birdmommaof2]

hello morgan is still waddling around and i notice when he is going across the floor his right leg goes striaght back and his left goes straight in the middle like it supposed to do and his poor butt had some nasty skin on it i had to peel it off and of course it bled but i cleaned it and now it looks ok i feel bad when i have to do that and of course i have major cuddle time afterwards so i am just wondering am i doing the right thing by doing that oh and he is growing 8 tail feather stubs right now 4 blue and 4 yellow and blue from what i can see i am just always worrying about my baby he is healthy happy in all other senses except walking perching and climbing but i need some words of wisdome cause its tough but i have his diaper off for 1/2 hr to hour everyday and he is doing well with that but every once in a while i see what looks like poo and its wet yucky skin no its not gangreen lol i checked and asked but he said its from the diaper what diapers are good for wicking away wetness that are not that expensive please help me out and let me know

[SDavid]

Hi. Thank you for the update. I'm glad he seems happy and is doing better. I'm no vet but peeling the sking off of his but while it's healing doesn't seem like a good idea. Especially if it bleeds when you do that. Maybe it would be better to just let the healing take it's course. Also, does he HAVE to wear a diaper. I'm thinking that his poop up against his skin would cause further irritation and maybe infection of the healing area? Just guessing here of course. Can you put towells down or something for him to poop on instead? It would probably be better for him to expell his poop and not have it pressing up against his sensitive skin. Another guess but do you bathe or mist him frequently. That may lessen any irritation he has. Best of luck.

[birdmommaof2]

i bath him twice a day and morgans diapers allow him room for pooping and its only a small section of tail that is the problem less then a dime size and its the skin that is peeling off its self it only bled for a lil no more then a second but still i felt bad and no i cant put down towels its too messy and his feet get caked up so bad to wear he cant move at all and he was unhappy when i did that so i just started cuting a hole trhough the diaper and his tail can breath so that is seeming to work so thanks for the input and also aloe vera is helping his healing skin so he is doing ok it just scared me this morning

[ljhassell]

Instead of aloe vera, Id try Wheat germ oil- great stuff for damaged skin for birds.

[ROYJOY]

try leaving him undiaperd, and unmedicated, a few hours a day for a couple days to let it dry out a bit. i know this leads to other kinds of mess, but it might aid the healing in the long run. put him in a tall card board box during the dry out time, to limit the mess. your doing a great job, he's still getting better. when its over you'll look back on this and smile.

[huntress]

Remind me again why he has to wear the diaper for so long so I can think of more ideas?

[birdmommaof2]

he cant walk to perch or poo so the diaper allows him to get around without getting poop caked on his feet and chest cause he is always on his belly but holds himself up with his beak he skin is fine now but i just feel bad and when i dont have the diaper on him he hurts himself more like right now he is growning new tailfeathers and well with the diaper off he will smash them and then he will bleed so i am protecting his new tailfeathers comming in until they are strong enough to handle outside of the diaper which will be weeks or so they are about 4 inches long and i am trying my hardest he doesnt mind his diaper but i do leave it off everymorning and evening for 2 hours or more at a time so i am doing every physical thing possible to help him

its pretty hard to own a macaw that has nerve damage and cant walk perch or run but he sure can use his wings and waddle