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Foot injury

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Foot injury

Postby Pinky4289 » Fri Apr 24, 2020 8:49 pm

I have an African grey parrot. Yesterday he screamed bloody murder when I picked him up which is very unusual for him! I started to check him all over and finally saw the issue. His toe/foot on one leg seems injured. It looks a bit swollen right at where the nail enters the toe. **see picture attached!**
He can move it, but prefers not to squeeze it around my finger.(but can do it) He is favoring that foot but will use it. There is no blood, puncture etc. His leg is perfectly fine and so are the rest of the toes. He really only screams if I try to move that toe. He is eating, drinking and not stressed at all.
Is this a vet visit? Or this an injury that can heal on its own?I have been unemployed for 5 weeks and the nearest avian vet is a good drive and money is very tight. I’ll take him if need be, but if a vet is just going to say it’s sprained or jammed and theres nothing to do I can’t afford to waste the time and money. Any advice?
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Pinky4289
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 1
Number of Birds Owned: 2
Types of Birds Owned: Congo African grey
Blue and gold macaw
Flight: Yes

Re: Foot injury

Postby Pajarita » Sat Apr 25, 2020 8:46 am

Welcome to the forum! I honestly do not see anything really wrong with the toe... I mean there is no wound, redness or even much swelling, it's not 'crooked' at all (as when they break it) and the 'soles' look healthy and not thin-skinned at all so although I do not doubt that the toe bothers it (are you sure it's a he? the wings look pretty long on the picture), it could be just a matter of a small sprain... Birds in captivity are exposed to all kinds of 'unnatural' surfaces and, sometimes, they get their claws snagged somewhere (happens most with materials that are made out of loose weaves) and, when they pull to get them loose, they sprain their toes.

I would just keep my eye on it and give the bird the most comfortable perch - offer it different surfaces to perch on and observe your bird when it does- does it put the foot down at all? does it put it down more when the surface is flat? or does it put it down more when there is a smaller or a bigger perch (this refers to circumference? does it prefer a soft versus a hard surface (as in a cotton rope or a perch covered with a soft material)? Once you figure out what is most comfortable, make a number of perches the way it prefers them and see if that makes it feel better.
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: Foot injury

Postby Pajarita » Sat Apr 25, 2020 8:46 am

Welcome to the forum! I honestly do not see anything really wrong with the toe... I mean there is no wound, redness or even much swelling, it's not 'crooked' at all (as when they break it) and the 'soles' look healthy and not thin-skinned at all so although I do not doubt that the toe bothers it (are you sure it's a he? the wings look pretty long on the picture), it could be just a matter of a small sprain... Birds in captivity are exposed to all kinds of 'unnatural' surfaces and, sometimes, they get their claws snagged somewhere (happens most with materials that are made out of loose weaves) and, when they pull to get them loose, they sprain their toes.

I would just keep my eye on it and give the bird the most comfortable perch - offer it different surfaces to perch on and observe your bird when it does- does it put the foot down at all? does it put it down more when the surface is flat? or does it put it down more when there is a smaller or a bigger perch (this refers to circumference? does it prefer a soft versus a hard surface (as in a cotton rope or a perch covered with a soft material)? Once you figure out what is most comfortable, make a number of perches the way it prefers them and see if that makes it feel better.
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes


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