disabled parrots

[Mitzi]

I have a cockatiel with only one leg. Breeder said she was born without the other leg, not even a stump. My female greencheek conure can not get to excited or she seems to have some sort of seizure she goes limp on one side and can not grasp with her feet and pants like a dog. I try to keep her calm at all times but if she has a episode I just hold her until it passes.

 

[Halome]

I joined this forum specifically because there is a large community with disabled birds! Can't wait to learn from you all.

My Sun Conure, Petey, splays her legs quite a bit. It's a bit of a story, but here:

Miss Petey is about 17 years old and was initially thought to be a boy when my best friend's family adopted her over 15 years ago (Hence the boy name, Petey). About 7 years ago, my friend calls me from college to exclaim "PETEY JUST LAID AN EGG!!!" With that news, we figured out that Petey is not in fact a boy at all! Flash forward another year or so and Miss Petey became egg bound and had to have surgery to remove the egg.

So long story short, something happened during her egg binding surger and now poor Miss Petey's grip and foot coordination is not good at all. She can waddle around, fly, and all still. She just can't perch without something supporting her under her bottom as well. She uses her beak as a third foot like a pro, however!

I'm mostly on here to look in to additional enrichment ideas for her, since she can't perch and maneuver around play stations

 

[Beanurita]

Welcome!!! My love bird, Pickles, has splay leg! She doesn't know it thought and is very active and mobile!!! She holds her legs together better when the surface is rough where she can grip better but anything slick like our hard wood floors or table top she is totally splayed. It's funny to see her running cause she waddles really fast!!!

 

[Halome]

Beautiful bird!! Here's my girl, she's a cuddler! (she's napping in my sleeve right as I type this, actually)

 

[Beanurita]

Beautiful bird!! Here's my girl, she's a cuddler! (she's napping in my sleeve right as I type this, actually)

That's awesome!! My Sun liked to snuggle too but my dusky conure was the BEST snuggled!!

 

[Crazy4parrots]

Baylee's wing
Despite this she learned to glide!

 

[jakibros]

I have a Quaker baby, that has 1 foot turned in, and other foot, missing 3 nails., He gets around quite well, he can walk, and stand, & climb just a problem perching. Soon he will be going into his own cage, once his Mom weans him 100 %. I trying to set up his cage, thinking of flat platforms for him, even thinking of, finding a vendor that can make a ramp, to get to platform, so he can climb up to it.Any venders make ramps for to attach to a platform ? View attachment 176068

Hi, believe it or not I purchased some ferret cage ramps for my Lily. You can order them with covers so it will make a nice comfy bridge. Found them on ebay. They are 5 inches wide. You can also look in the hamster aisle at your pet supply store. They have lots of little bridges that would be perfect for little feet. Good luck!

 

[fidsmom]

Thanks jakibros. Sweetpea my baby Quaker, has surprised me, he now perches quite well, I put in a platform and a perch n feed platform, along with flat perches, and he manages quite well, Thanks for the good idea.

 

[Sparky04]

Sparky had a host of problems; neurological problems, twisted wing (unknown if genetic or injury, probably genetic), and she was missing the toenail and tip of one of her toes. Despite that she adjusted and learned to fly pretty well. She did a lot better with a better diet and environment our home provided than the rescue. But her neurological problems eventually took her from us.

Junior is old and has arthritis and her liver disease makes her more tired than she was before. But with her medications, she continues to go strong. Everyone thought she was going to die that first night at the vet, but it's two years later and she continues to prove everyone wrong.

Duncan has multiple old wing fractures that were never set. Combined with her plucked belly, back and undersides of her wings, it keeps her from doing more than gliding to the floor.

 

[Tess]

Loki, my cockatiel, is missing nearly half his upper beak and also has deformed feet. He gets around very well, but does require a special diet. He has a hard time eating on his own, so he's syringe fed. He's the sweetest, most loveable little guy. I can't imagine my life without him.

 

[Beanurita]

LOKI LOOKS JUST SO SWEET!!!

 

[iamwhoiam]

Loki is very cute. It's great that you have taken him into your life.

 

[rocky'smom]

my Rocky has a bad cataract in his left eye. now he has cancer and is doing his very best to keep on this side of the bridge.
when his cataract was Diagnosed, i was told to put him down, his quality of would not be worth his living it. that was over 4 years ago. i keep his wings clipped short, watch over him 24/7 to keep him safe. if the house is too cool, there is a heating pad on his cage, along with a light to keep him warm. if the house is too hot, we step into the shower and cool off. he has learned to stay to the top of his cage and knows that is where he is the safest.
and his mom

 

[ILoveBirds77]

I have a male budgie named Abby, he is a great bird, but he got bumble foot and it deformed his foot. he no longer has use of his foot, except standing on it. He finds it hard to perch, he easily falls, so normally we just grab him instead of him perching on your finger.

 

[Tess]

Thank you very much!

 

[BeanieofJustice]

My Sam has a broken wing that didn't heal very well, he can only extend it a fourth of what he should be able to (he was this way when my friend got him, and said that re-breaking it and trying to fix it wasn't worth the risk). That doesn't seem to slow him down anymore, he's a very good climber but he still has some balance issues. When I first met him I was told when he got scared he'd drop like a rock onto his bad wing. I've never seen him do that - but he's got a lot that he can climb on here. Rope perches are a no because they move when he sets foot on them, any I've tried he just climbs around. He's still very much a goofy, happy macaw.

 

[parrotpassionss]

I'm just wondering who has disabled birds? my green cheek conure Tara has a neurological disorder where she walks around like she is drunk and I have to pay careful attention weather wise because she is worse when it gets cold.

Also have a disabled Alexandrine parrot named Silly she has feet that curl in, she gets around well though just a little awkward. We had one budgie that had just one leg and he got around amazingly well.

Would love to hear some of your stories

Jess

Hi Jess

I recently have received two male alexandrine parrots they have broken breast bones that broke ages ago and healed broken and bad spines and one has real bad feet i think from a stroke and the other has arthritis in his feet am taking them to an avian vet tomorrow and hoping the vet will tell me they are coping and dont need to be put to sleep. As one vet already said disabled birds should be put down in which i completely disagree unless it is in pain and suffering. How does silly come with her legs.

Regards
Gloria

 

[Crazy4parrots]

I had Kiwi Splayed leg lovie.. He died in march 31st.

His other leg had a deformity on the fémur (it was too short) But despite that he could fly very well. Did Not land very well. BUT could climb very well, talk a few words & fly. I miss My baby boy.

 

[SueA555]

My Pionus had a non-functioning foot -- an accident when she was a baby, I was told. She has no idea she is disabled! She climbs around with no problems.

 

[Chihuahua]

My boy Orion apparently has had chopped up flight feathers for 4 years... he can still get decent lift though. The trim job was awful and the feathers have yet to molt.