Turkey has swelling on his snood...?

[Sunny Side Up]

This evening we acquired a young Blue Slate tom turkey. His snood is still short, about 2 inches long. It is swollen at the base, where it attaches to his beak. Otherwise he is looking & acting fine.

The lady who gave him to us said that this just happened today, she supposed it was due to getting bumped or bonked in his cage. That he also has been acting fine for her, and everything else looks great from his bright eyes, good appetite, active behavior, and healthy poops.

What could this be, & how can I help our new friend?

 

[ivan3]

If it is bruise, or other mechanically induced insult, don't worry - snoods/caruncles have developed to take a considerable amount of damage (sparring with other males). We've seen abrasions, contusions, lacerations and just about every other kind of injury that can be delivered by beaks and claws. A bit of blu-kote, plain neosporin, betadine for the worst cases but all heads and snoods healed/heal up nicely with minimal intervention.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Thank you for the reassurance. There isn't any visable wound so I don't think any antiseptic is needed. And he is still acting/eating/drinking/pooping just fine, so I don't think it is affecting him adversely. And I guess that the snood grows & shrinks depending on his mood or the weather? Sometimes it sticks out like a little thumb, other times it drapes off his face. The boys named him Squidward after the character in Spongebob, here are the photos I put on my FB: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150901232122426.410268.597517425&type=3&l=147931cc16