Jun 18, 2020 17:17:05 GMT
bubbles7467
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 3
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Post by bubbles7467 on Jun 18, 2020 17:27:25 GMT
I came downstairs this morning to find my lovely budgie with his right claw curled over and he is unable to steady himself and stay on a perch. He is currently hanging onto the sides of the cage as seen in pictures. He is closing his eyes quite often which makes me think he is in pain? He is however still chirping fairly cheerfully to his mirror reflection and is still eating. Would anyone know what this issue is and what has caused it...? And how I can help him? thank you in advance
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Post by blue48 on Jun 18, 2020 18:51:09 GMT
It looks very swollen in the first picture but less so in the others so maybe it's just the angle. Still it looks sore and if it has happened overnight he must have injured it somehow, poor little soul.
Has he got a little platform he can stand on to rest it, rather than hanging on the bars?
Others can give you better advice than me.
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Jun 18, 2020 17:17:05 GMT
bubbles7467
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 3
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Post by bubbles7467 on Jun 18, 2020 18:57:35 GMT
Thanks for the reply - he’s managed to rest on a perch but he’s looking rather sorry for himself... He’s been falling off his perch quite frequently as of late... my theory is he’s fallen and landed funny. He is a 13 year old budgie though so I’m not sure if these types of injuries are to be expected at his age ? I’ve had the winged fella since he was 6 weeks old and has never had any issue whatsoever until now!
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Post by Hezz on Jun 18, 2020 20:44:24 GMT
It could be something that has happen related to his age. To me it can't be causing him too much pain or he wouldn't be using it - each photo shows him using the foot as usual. Can you unfurl the curled toe at all? If you can, I would try doing this and giving his little feet and toes a warming massage, maybe get him a heated perch if you can but be careful that it doesn't get too hot. Heat might just help him be able to stretch it out so that it can perform properly. It may stay put but it may not. You mention that he has had trouble perching lately. I would lower all his perches and padd the bottom of his cage so that he doesn't hurt himself if he does fall off. Also give him ways to move around his cage using perches connecting or ladders. At 13 years of age, he deserves to be spoilt a little.
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Post by Marianne Marlow on Jun 18, 2020 21:53:13 GMT
I'm wondering if it's arthritis. I had a boy that developed this at age 10. All I could do was give him comfy perches that were easy to grip.
I agree about very gently massaging his leg and toes, I used to do this for Hector.
Do you have an avian vet you could take him to?
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Jun 18, 2020 17:17:05 GMT
bubbles7467
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 3
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Post by bubbles7467 on Jun 19, 2020 4:54:05 GMT
Thanks for the help - I will definitely be getting him a more suitable, perch and perhaps some ladders! would anyone be able to show me a pic or link to what a comfier perch actually looks like lol? As for the uncurling and massaging, he really despises being touched I don’t really want to give him too much aggravation if I can help it... or do you think it’s something I should really persist with? I don’t have an aviary vet anywhere near unfortunately, and I think the one I do know of is emergency only... kind of a last resort if I can help it.
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Post by jellybean on Jun 19, 2020 7:59:24 GMT
What a great little guy, I hope his foot improves with some TLC.
To get to the ripe old age of 13, he is certainly a much loved little bird.
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Post by Hezz on Jun 19, 2020 12:14:34 GMT
If he isn't used to being handled then trying to give him a little massage is probably going to cause him and you more stress than it's worth. His joints don't look to be swollen and while we now know he doesn't like to be handled, can you try to feel if any of his feet/toe knuckles seem to feel hotter than the rest of his feet? A heated perch could help with his aging bones, as could a simple heat lamp down one end of his cage so that he can go in and out of the warmth if he needed it. Because his toes have curled inwards, if you could (instead of massaging his feet), when you see the toe curled in, just straighten it to go the right way onto the perch will be a great help to him keeping that whole foot in use. A comfortable perch is whatever fits his particular needs. For some it might be a flat perch. I have a disabled hen who has a back toe that curls inwards, so for her on that foot a thin perch works better. I really think you and he would become more comfortable with him being handled if only for very short periods, as in having that toe re-aligned each and every time you see it in the wrong position. If that doesn't work, the toe will set into its permanent position. Mostly it will depend on what you see as being of the greater benefit - getting the toe into the correct position for his greater health or leaving it be for the less stress on both of you. Only you can really weigh that one up.
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Jan 7, 2023 9:21:41 GMT
rdm
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 12
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Post by rdm on Jan 7, 2023 9:30:13 GMT
Hi there. Sorry to drag this post back from the past but I was wondering if you could let me know what happened with your lovely little budgie after you noticed his foot was like this?
The same thing has happened to my lovely wee boy Dante and I can’t find much online about it. I’m not lucky enough to live near a specialised avian vet although the regular vet has had a look at him and couldn’t help much, she gave him a steroid injection and told us to keep an eye on him.
His foot was first like this on Tuesday, and sadly his health has got worse since. His droppings are now very runny and he’s sitting puffed up with his eyes closed most of the time. I’ve had budgies for long enough to know this is most definitely not a good sign, but he is only 5 and has been in perfect health up until now, so I’m hoping he can get better. Any advice from anyone is greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
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Post by Loz on Jan 7, 2023 9:43:54 GMT
I'm so sorry for Dante's and your troubles. These are worrying signs.
I hope one of our experienced forum members will be along soon to provide advice.
Could your local vet not liaise with an avian expert over the phone? Some vets are prepared to do this. For example, my local vet received such remote help from Anton Vets in Andover.
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Post by Hezz on Jan 8, 2023 1:11:57 GMT
Hi there, rdm. The OP of the thread has not been back on the forum since the last post of theirs on this thread - 19/6/2020. Did the vet not give you any pain medication for your bird? It could be that he is in pain rather than ill. Budgies’ feet do seem to get themselves into all sorts of injury situations. My nine-year-old boy has recently added this problem to his feet although it doesn’t seem to be causing him pain any more, one toe never did make it back into the original position, but luckily it is the short toe not the longer back toe. He does seem to stumble a little at times while moving around, but that might have as much to do with being fat as what his toes are doing. A couple of home remedies you might like to try to help him along - the gel in aloe vera leaves are great for topical application, it can act as a soothing cream. The other thing that may help is adding cayenne pepper to his water - it is a natural pain reliever. Unfortunately it does settle out and you will need to give the water a stir a few times a day. Somewhere around an eighth of a teaspoon into 100mls should help. If he is a bird that is used to being handled, you can moisten a bit of the pepper and roll into a little ball and pop this (good luck!) under his tongue.
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Jan 7, 2023 9:21:41 GMT
rdm
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 12
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Post by rdm on Jan 8, 2023 8:59:53 GMT
Hi, thank you so much to both of you for the reply. We had Dante back at the vets yesterday and have now been given an antibiotic to try as well. No pain medicine given so will give him some cayenne pepper, will see how I get on putting some under his tongue although I think it’ll end up having to go in his water. I had no idea it’s a natural pain relief for them, so thank you for the advice on this! I also have an aloe Vera plant so will do this on his wee foot as well. The vet didn’t mention liaising with an avian vet but she did make me aware of one that is around about 45mins to 1 hour drive from where I live. This is great although I worry about the stress that much travel might put on my wee boy, although he is usually a good traveller and I want to try everything I can to get him back into good health. His foot is pretty much still the same although he seems to be able to work with it slightly better now. Much like your wee budgie, his longer back toe is mostly in the right position, although the smaller back toe doesn’t sit right at any time. His droppings have become slightly more solid, although the sold part is very very dark in colour. Will see how I get on with everything and keep you updated. Thanks again for the advice
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Post by Loz on Jan 8, 2023 9:49:54 GMT
Dante's situation sounds a lot like my two-year old Mr Hibs' troubles. He's been left with the two front toes on his right foot being rotated and barely functional. He uses his claws to hook onto bars and he can run along OK but he is clumsy and stumbles on occasion. He was terribly ill at the time it occurred and the emergency vet we saw only offered PTS but we engaged the help of an avian vet who talked the other vet through what to do over the phone.
I never got to the bottom of what happened to Mr Hibs but he's living a full life now.
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Jan 7, 2023 9:21:41 GMT
rdm
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 12
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Post by rdm on Jan 8, 2023 14:23:13 GMT
Dante's situation sounds a lot like my two-year old Mr Hibs' troubles. He's been left with the two front toes on his right foot being rotated and barely functional. He uses his claws to hook onto bars and he can run along OK but he is clumsy and stumbles on occasion. He was terribly ill at the time it occurred and the emergency vet we saw only offered PTS but we engaged the help of an avian vet who talked the other vet through what to do over the phone. I never got to the bottom of what happened to Mr Hibs but he's living a full life now. Thank you for commenting. Can I ask what PTS is? Also do you remember what advice the avian vet gave? It’s lovely to hear that Mr Hibs recovered and is living a full life now Dante has just taken some cayenne pepper under his tongue and seemed to like it!
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Post by Loz on Jan 8, 2023 15:05:25 GMT
Wow, good work both of you getting the cayenne into Dante! Mr Hibs needed anti-inflammatories, anti-biotics and food concentrate for a week and he hated every second of it. His face was so mucky!
The avian vet was unable to be definitive. He said it was an injury or something like a stroke/tumour. He was diagnosing over the phone with a vet who knows nothing of budgies, to be fair.
After all this time, I feel it was an injury but how it happened, I've no idea.
Edit: PTS is Put To Sleep 😞
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