Heated Perch Burns?

[Mangoismybird]

I was just playing around with my SC2 when I noticed some pink marks on his feet. They seem to me to resemble burns, or maybe just worn down skin. Either way, I have never noticed them before, and I'm worried that perhaps his heated perch is burning him.

In preparation for the cold winters we get, I made sure to buy my a heated perch just before the winter came. He avoided it for about a month, but now uses it often, and occasionally sleeps on it. He does not seem uncomfortable and does not seem to mind when I touch the pink marks on his feet, but I'm still worried that he is in pain.

I've turned the perch off for now. The marks are on both feet, and do not seem to have bled, so I doubt they are cuts or from any sort of spontaneous injury. As for the other perches n his cage, he is a rope perch (which i regularly replace), four different sorts of wood perches, a nail-filing cement perch, a round dowel perch (which he rarely goes on) and a ladder. Although he's a pretty small 'too, he has a nice big macaw cage, and certainly makes the most of it. He does still fall down sometimes, so perhaps the marks could been from repeatedly hitting the bars at the bottom of the cage?

Otherwise I am clueless. Please help! I am going to get in contact with my vet tomorrow.

[Michael]

Sounds like bumble foot. It's when parrots get sores on their feet from poor perches. I can't entirely rule out burns but I've seen the same symptoms without a heated perch.

I used to think that "natural perches" can't cause it but they sure can! I had my Cape in a cage with numerous natural, rope, and NU Perches. Yet a vet noticed he had excessive sores on his feet. I was pretty shocked as I spend a lot on perches for my guys. Well the vet helped me realize the problem was that the highest perch in the cage was a Java perch that he slept on. I thought it was strange cause the perch was "natural" but the vet concluded that it is too smooth/slippery like a dowel and in effect causes the same problem. I replaced that Java perch with one of my NU Perches that I invented and the problem went away within about a month or two! What I realized is that even natural perches are often too smooth and dowel like which is why I came up with my artificial but super bumpy kind of perch.

What I recommend you do is analyze what perch he sleeps on and what perches he spends the most time on. Heck, replace them preemptively just in case anyway.

Post a picture of the feet if possible for analysis.

[Pajarita]

I agree with Michael 100%, sounds like bumble foot. I don't like heated perches, they are nothing but a gimmick, if you ask me (parrots in the wild don't have heated anything), because what you need is a warm room for them, not a warm perch. Parrots feet are usually on the cold side so I would assume that standing on something heated is not in their best interest (you can't believe everything the manufacturer tells you about any product and the bird industry has A LOT of things that are not safe for birds).

I also don't like concrete, sand or manzanita perches. The first two because they are too rough on their feet and the third because it's too smooth. Best thing is to use natural tree branches with the bark still on them.

For now, take all the perches out and put branches in there but wrap them in something soft so his poor feet can heal.

[Mangoismybird]

Thank you so much Michael and Pajarita. I looked up pictures of Bumblefoot, and I think you're right, he has a minor case of it. I'm going to post pictures shortly of both my perches and his feet. That way maybe I can rule out which perches I can keep and which I should get rid of.

Again, thank you. Is it worth taking him to the vet still, or should I just try switching out the perches and see if he's okay?

[Michael]

Depends how bad it is. Minor sores happen. For more severe ones they have medication. Cant hurt to go to vet but for minor soars they will just recommend changing perches. Post pics for more help.

[Pajarita]

If there are no open sores and just red, irritated spots, you should be able to take care of the problem eliminating the perches that are causing it and wrapping 'good' perches in something soft (some people use vetwrap but it doesn't feel soft enough to me so I wrap paper towels or toilet tissue -several layers- that I secure with tape) until the spots have disappeared.