May 9, 2014 20:55:31 GMT
sadbudgie
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 20
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Post by sadbudgie on May 9, 2014 20:57:20 GMT
Hi! I work at a pet store, I got no experience with budgies, my field is the aquariums. But today we received some new birds to the store i work at, among them a bunch of budgies, one has a foot that doesnt work. Its mostly pulling itself around with its beak, not using its wings, rolling around, not putting any weight one either of the legs, but when i hold her i can clearly feel her left foot working fine, her right however isnt doing anything.
I took her home, as soon as she came here shes doing better mood wise. Shes finally eating a little bit and drank a little. I dont have a cage for her, the travel cage she came to the store with is way too small to stay in, she has to pretty much bend her neck to try and perch in it, and she doesnt like being on the floor. So here she has a box lined with soft wiping tissue with a small food and water bowl, but I'm letting her freeroam, so she can find a place shes comfortable with. Shes been on my lap, on the couch and is currently sleeping on the top of my door. I'm just glad shes finally resting and not just freaking out.
No vets open here til monday, i took her home since i couldnt stand the thought that no one would be there to make sure she eats and drinks, especially sunday when no one is by the store.
Any ideas what i can do to hold her over until monday comes? Anything i should do? or shouldnt do?
I checked her leg, theres no swelling or bruising and nothing that looks or feels broken...
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Post by birdguhl on May 9, 2014 22:36:00 GMT
Hi and welcome to the forum. Good on you for taking care of her. I guess the main things are to get her eating and drinking, and keep her warm and not stressed until she sees a vet. Is she very young? Young budgies have bars that go right down to above the beak. If she is young, maybe she hasn't been ready to leave the parents. Others will have some other ideas, no doubt, but well done again. I hope she has a good night's sleep.
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May 9, 2014 20:55:31 GMT
sadbudgie
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 20
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Post by sadbudgie on May 9, 2014 22:53:58 GMT
She has bars all the way down to her beak. I'm keeping the room warm If she was taken too young, how will this effect her in the future? And thank you for the fast reply. This is where shes sitting now, in her box. She was sleeping until i put the phone down there to take a picture,
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Post by Hezz on May 10, 2014 1:04:18 GMT
You have done a good thing. I take my hat off to you for bringing her home. As we don't know how old she/he is, she may not be flying yet. Boil her up an egg - hard boiled, cooled and mashed up. Give her a small amount of this at a time, and keep the rest in the fridge for later. If it seems too dry moisten with a drop of cooled, boiled water, so it is more of a paste - this may help entice her to eat, and provide her with necessary protein.
Regarding the leg, it may simply be that it has been hurt during the move from aviary to store. I hope so; then she will have some hope of getting the use of it back. Chances are she may have hatched with a deformity or the leg may have been injured while still in the nest-box. Does she try using her wings at all? Flapping them?
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May 9, 2014 20:55:31 GMT
sadbudgie
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 20
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Post by sadbudgie on May 10, 2014 1:52:43 GMT
I made her a bed of some unpaired socks, so she now rests more comfortably and with her head still being able to be up high. Shes ate quite a bit here about an hour ago, she drinks a little bit. I'll take your advice and boil her up some eggs she can have. Can i do some carrots or orange with it? She was hanging out at the top of my door when we first got home, she was more comfortable being up there, the door is broad, so she could lay down without the fear of falling off, and she went up there by her own, her wings work perfectly and has full control over her flight. She now prefers to stay in the box next to me instead in the sock bed. I got something to put on top of the box before i go to work in the morning so she doesnt fly and hurt herself, but she doesnt like having it there, shes not flying anywhere at the moment so i'll postpone it as long as i can. When i moved her from her box at the petstore she hissed at me like crazy, shes stopped doing that. That worries me a little, she also bit me the first few times i lifted her, but she stopped that too. can it be a sign that shes becoming lethargic even if shes been eating and drinking? edit: She just perched for a while, a little wobbly, but both feet are right under her body.
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Post by BudgiesBuddy on May 10, 2014 5:33:19 GMT
Welcome to forum Well done for taking care of this small budgie, which looks under six weeks old. As she perched for a while, it maybe she has hurt her foot during travel, and I hope the injury is not very serious. Just make sure that she has to use that foot as little as possible. Keep us posted.
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Post by BudgiesBuddy on May 10, 2014 5:38:17 GMT
You are an animal loving person, so I can't stop myself from giving you an advice. Which is, if possible get in touch with breeders and find out what types of food they feed their chicks. This way you can feed them the same at pet shop and also pass on the knowledge to new buyers. This will stop many problem which can happen in their early lives.
As for the biting, she may not be tame, or she is doing so because of being injured by handling.
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May 9, 2014 20:55:31 GMT
sadbudgie
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 20
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Post by sadbudgie on May 10, 2014 5:59:39 GMT
Theyre not tame when they arrive to our store, the breeder dont handle the parents or the chicks, she only bit me twice though, she flew over and has spent the morning laying on my blanket on my couch, i gave her some neck scratches and she made cuddle sounds (or at least i think so) and fell asleep again, she just woke up, been a little chatty and is currently preening around my thumbnail.
The breeder has told us to use adult food for small parakeets when they arrive at our store. But if shes only 6 weeks old, should she be on chick food? If so, for how long?
Sorry im bombarding you all with a thousand questions.
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Post by BudgiesBuddy on May 10, 2014 6:03:54 GMT
The question show your concern about there budgies, so don't worry about it The chicks get soft-food from parents which breeders put there for them during breeding. So she should be more comfortable with soft-food. All mine love it more than the seeds initially when they are separated from parents. Glad to know that she is being comfortable around you. It's the signs that her injury is on the mend.
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May 9, 2014 20:55:31 GMT
sadbudgie
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 20
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Post by sadbudgie on May 10, 2014 6:30:41 GMT
I'll see if the store carries any chick food, shes eaten some mushed up eggwhites though, along with the seeds Nothing wrong with her appetite if nothing else..
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Post by mizloco on May 10, 2014 7:30:52 GMT
Well done for looking after this baby bud.
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Post by Hezz on May 10, 2014 11:02:45 GMT
It is so lovely to be reading your posts, showing your concern for this little budgie, who really wasn't in your field of experience, but you have taken it in to give this little one the very best start in life. I wouldn't be surprised if you end up keeping this little one; you are forming bonds already, I feel. But if you do decide you cannot keep her, please do ensure she goes to people/person who can do the very best for her ...... with you she is learning to trust humans, thus the less chickering she is doing to you as she learns you mean her no harm.
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May 9, 2014 20:55:31 GMT
sadbudgie
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 20
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Post by sadbudgie on May 10, 2014 16:04:58 GMT
She ate all her seeds and her eggmush and drank all her water while i was off at work, so im happy. We didnt have any chick food, apparently special order only. I got her some broccoli for calcium (should i boil this, or is it ok "au naturale" ? ), still got some egg left i can mush for protein. And the regular seed food goes down fine, so not worried about that Last time i had a bird in the house was when a customer had a lovebird with a broken leg she needed babysitted while she was on vacation. I think that put me off birds, because of the noise it made, my god, those shrieks. Im not sure how the noise level of the budgies are, but shes sitting on the doorframe and chirping a bit, if thats their normal noise level i could see myself buying her for myself. Not me, my dog or my neighbors would be able to take the lovebird level of shrieking again If i dont take her, it wouldnt be my decision who gets her, it would be the store, and at the store its a first come, first serve kinda deal. BUT! Before thats even an issue, lets see if she lives in the upcoming week or not...
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Post by birdguhl on May 10, 2014 16:29:16 GMT
You're doing brilliantly with her. Sounds to me like she wouldn't have made it thru the weekend if it hadn't been for your vigilance and intervention so if you do decide to keep her I hope there is no question of you having to fork out as well!
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Post by skysmum on May 10, 2014 16:40:59 GMT
Well done for looking after this little soul, i too think he could have hurt his leg being transported. Your doing a great job and no you don't have to boil the broccoli, most veg is served raw .
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