Might be getting a baby quaker with just one foot.

[Chinnychews]

A friend is coming to town and she has a 9 week old baby quaker who only has one foot. Something had gotten wrapped around it in the nest and by the time the breeder noticed it the foot was dead.
First question is to get it or not to get it?
What kinds of accommodations need to be made so that the little bird can perch comfortably on its perch?

 

[Birdbabe]

He will grow up just fine, maybe a couple flat perches, a soft rope perch. It's awesome how they adapt. As for adoption, follow your heart.

 

[iamwhoiam]

Birds adapt and this one has had one foot at a very young age and knows nothing different.
Besides Birdbabe's suggestions also get some platforms and possibly ramps. You may want to keep food and water dishes low so that they are
easily accessible. Best to get a cage that is wider than it is high. If you decide to adopt this baby observe and monitor him so you can determine how to best accommodate his special needs.
My sparrow has both legs and feet but only one foot is functional and he just uses that for gripping and pulling himself up a little. Neither of his legs are functional so he can't perch but he has been this way since he was a baby and he has been able to get around and do what he wants and needs to do.

 

[Alien J]

@Chinnychews I'd say, if you have the time, finances and love for a special needs bird (and I'm pretty sure about the latter), go for it! Not many others would.


@iamwhoiam I'd love to see some pics of your sparrow!

 

[iamwhoiam]

@Chinnychews I'd say, if you have the time, finances and love for a special needs bird (and I'm pretty sure about the latter), go for it! Not many others would.


@iamwhoiam I'd love to see some pics of your sparrow!

Pictures - I found a baby sparrow... | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum
and

 

[Chinnychews]

@Chinnychews I'd say, if you have the time, finances and love for a special needs bird (and I'm pretty sure about the latter), go for it! Not many others would.

Another friend of mine took him, but she will have another available soon who is missing an eye. He might be coming on Thursday.


@iamwhoiam I'd love to see some pics of your sparrow!

 

[Alien J]

@Chinnychews I hope your friend and the bird have a long, happy relationship! Congratulations on your upcoming new baby!

@iamwhoiam congratulations to you and Spee! I've helped a few sparrows in my day... never got to keep one as they were all able to be released... I did write a little song for one (all) of them that goes to the tune of Puff the Magic Dragon. Maybe I should post it sometime... somewhere...?

 

[SandraK]

You can also wrap his ramps/flat perches with vet wrap (or the stuff people put on horses' fetlocks) so his leg doesn't go through the ramp/perch bars. Also consider using timothy grass mats as flat perches that can be ziptied to the cage sides. I've done that for my Quaker Loofa who has splayed legs and arthritis.

Most babies though never got the memo telling them that they are handicapped and as a result have always worked with what they have. It doesn't stop them from getting around - a Quaker beak is pretty much a third leg. Even an adult tiel I have who lost the use of one foot due to a broken leg still makes her way around and perches pretty much wherever she wants ... and her OH follows her around faithfully making sure that she's okay.

 

[iamwhoiam]

@Chinnychews I hope your friend and the bird have a long, happy relationship! Congratulations on your upcoming new baby!

@iamwhoiam congratulations to you and Spee! I've helped a few sparrows in my day... never got to keep one as they were all able to be released... I did write a little song for one (all) of them that goes to the tune of Puff the Magic Dragon. Maybe I should post it sometime... somewhere...?

Thanks. It's great that you have been able to help baby sparrows. You should post the song. Would like to see the lyrics.

 

[Mitzi]

I have a one legged cockatiel. She gets along just fine with cage modifications. She has a flat piece of wood with a perch resting on top of it. She perches on the perch but has the flat piece of wood underneath it in case she wants to rest her leg. Her food and water bowls or on the bottom of the cage and are shallow ceramic dish so she can reach inside to get her food and water. The only other thing is to make sure the other birds can not get to her as she has to fly away of hop on the one leg. When she lands is more of a crash landing as only one leg. She just turned at least 19 years old as how long we have had her. Breeder said she was young when we got her but not sure if he was telling the truth as also said a cat eat her leg.

 

[Alien J]

You should post the song. Would like to see the lyrics.

OK, here's the lowdown...

This was back in Ohio, where I come from, and one morning after a particularly bad thunderstorm, I spied a little sparrow in the doorway of a donut shop. I picked him up and took him home. He didn't appear to be injured, but he couldn't fly. He barely moved.

I called him Puff.

My hamster had passed away just a few days before, so I put the little fella in her cage with food and water.

After a day and night of rest he was hopping all over the place, and seemed like he was ready to get back to being a bird. So, I let him go fly happily into his birdy future.

Then I wrote these lyrics to the tune of Puff the Magic Dragon


Puff the tiny sparrow,
Came and spent the day.
I gave him food and drink and rest,
Then he flew on his way.
I knew him just a moment,
But his memory won't depart,
Cuz, Puff the tiny sparrow,
Flew straight into my heart.

Oh, Puff, the tiny sparrow,
I hope your life's not hard.
And maybe someday you will build,
Your nest in my backyard.

You may be at my feeder,
You may be in my tree,
But surely you will always be,
A happy memory.

 

[iamwhoiam]

@Alien J Those are excellent lyrics. You did a good job with that. You should take up song writing.
So sorry about your hamster.
Good that you were able to take "Puff" the sparrow into your home and give him a chance to recover.

 

[Alien J]

Those are excellent lyrics. You did a good job with that. You should take up song writing.
So sorry about your hamster.
Good that you were able to take "Puff" the sparrow into your home

No need to be sorry about the hamster! It was many years ago and little Suzie was the longest lived hamster I'd ever had (over three years). She really was a sweetie, though!

Glad you enjoyed the lyrics! I have quite a few songs I've written that steal another's melody. I wrote one for a dog I adopted (Last Chance was his name - an angel of a dog) that goes to the tune of The Brady Bunch theme song.

And one about my dog, Another Chance (known as A.C. or Ace) who came to me after Chance passed away (at the age of 17) that goes to the tune of Chantilly Lace. Of course, depending on your age, you may not know either of those tunes!