Our patagonian conure, KC, has turned 6 years old,  she is DNA sexed female, and has always been a sweet playful bird. 

About a year ago, KC had a horrible night fright, it was awful.  As time went on after this night fright, when she came out of the cage she didn't fly much ( she has always had full wings and superior flight control) then she didn't want to come out of the cage at all.  I was worried and made a vet appointment, they were booked for a week, so I made it for the following week.  In the meantime, I was able to herd KC out of her cage, again she could barely fly, and as her wings were outstretched I saw the problem and "Gasped!"  under her wing was a big , ugly hole, it looked raw and painful!  She must have hurt herself during the night firight but I didn't see it because of the location, literally up in her armpit.  I called the vet and they squeezed me in the next day.  KC had to be stitched up and placed on antibiotics. She pulled some of the stitches out but she mostly healed.. but not all the way. 

As time has gone on, she picks at that area when she is nervous and that is mainly when I open the cage or want her to come out.  The wound is all healed she jus twon't let feathers grow in and I see her go underneath her wing when she is nervous When I try to get her to step up from in the cage she will step up, but as I bring her towards the door she panics and jumps off, if I try again I will get a bite.  I have left the door open to see if she will come out on her own , she won't.  We used to always play on the floor with her toys, so I open the door, and lay on the floor and call her name and jingle the toys, she gets excited and yo ucan see she wants to play, but she won't come out.  I have tried having her in her old cage to see if the change will get her back on track, no difference , she still wouldn't come out of that cage.  I have tried being calm and relaxed around her, upbeat, I know if I worry around her all the time she will pick up on it.  I miss my friend, I miss my play buddy. 

She has had a full blood work up and it was great.  Our vet thinks her wing is still sore and tender, and when she comes out of the cage she wants to fly and that brings pain, so she may associate coming out of the cage with pain.

forcing her out by herding her towards the door, makes her pick at the armpit area.  And I don't like forcing, but I feel if she stays in her cage any longer, she will never get up the nerve, she'll be stuck in this rut.  It has been almost a year!

Does anyone have any thoughts? advice? anyone ever been through this with their bird?  I miss my KC