My cockatiel keeps chewing its healing toe and bleeding everywhere

[Willzilla]

How can I stop my cockatiel from doing this? Its had cuts no it toe for a while the rest have healing i have washed and clean them and stuff but quite a few times now she will chew at her toe and will bleed everywhere! She hasnt bleed that much this time but I need to do something! She isnt really tame I have her in a suitable cage inside but i cant grab her easy. I have to get her to run through a door into a smaller cage then take ages to grab her with a glove on so far to wash her feet and someone told me to put cornflour on it too then wash it off which I tried.

I just need to know how to stop her biting at it again and again after I clean it up.

 

[Renae]

I think it would be worth taking her to the vet - what I would be really worried about every time she picks at it and makes it bleed, is infection. It must be really irritating her too.

You can make a bird collar yourself to stop her from picking at it:

Link that shows you how to make it: http://petcaregt.com/blog/bird-elizabethan-collar.html

Not many are for this idea though. My Cockatiel had one on for a very short time after he had his toe-nail surgically removed, and then he had a bandage - which could be another option, but she may pick at the bandage too.

 

[Sharpie]

If she's not letting it heal, it may be painful and infected. You're going to have to stop her from picking at it. Either a bandage or a collar of some sort. She will not like it. If it is infected, she will also need antibiotics as well. It does not sound like a fun prospect with a bird who's not tame, but you've already tried to let her heal on her own and it doesn't sound like it's going to work.

 

[Tielygirl]

I would take her in to a vet before the toe dies... if shes always picking at it it probably hurts...

 

[Anne & Gang]

honey, you need to take her to a vet...it sounds infected and there is really nothing you can do..it probably itches and is painful..that is why she keeps picking at it

 

[suncoast]

She could have a tiny thread or string wrapped around it. She needs to go to the vet so s/he can get a good look at what's going on.

Ginger

 

[*K*J*B*]

I agree with everyone else. She needs to be seen by a vet. If she is picking at it and not letting it heal, it's probably hurting her.

 

[Willzilla]

I think she might be picking at it because she is so bored though. She has a reasonable cage with quite a few things to do I will move it to the window. She will be ok for a day or too then I will go somewhere and came back (like school) and she would have made it bleed a bit again. Im going to try this collar I dont think it is infect and maybe in a few days I will take her to the vet if things arnt getting better at all. Also the only time I can take her is when im at school so I have to organize it and cant go in the weekends.

Thanks for your advice

 

[Willzilla]

I tried the cone which wasnt very good (it would work just not mine) I rang the vet and they are able to help tomorrow so I have an appointment which im glad about.

i thought it was going to cost more but it should be ok.

 

[Anne & Gang]

really, honestly please take her to a vet..dont guess at the infection and dont try to put a collar on her yourself..

 

[Willzilla]

Yes I have! The collar almost worked but I didnt want to do it. Ive got antibiotics and i clean the tow with salty water and cleaned it well. Hopefully the antibiotics will work alright I think they will and also she is getting tamer with me. She is still acting normal and stuff in every other way so I dont think that could be a sign of sickness. Atleast I REALLY hope it isnt

 

[Renae]

dont try to put a collar on her yourself..

Um why? I done it and I know tons of other bird owners who have had to use one for birds that have plucked and such. There is nothing wrong with them, they aren’t going to kill the bird.

Glad you got antibiotics for her, they should help and hopefully she will stop picking at her toe.

 

[*K*J*B*]

Did you get to the vet today? How is she doing now?

 

[Willzilla]

We went to the vet yesterday and she is doing better already I think and her toe hasnt been bleeding today!

She started chewing the tap on the collar and i really didnt want that. If I had done it tighter it would have been ok maybe I will have to do it properly one day. But it doesnt matter now I think this is much better too because she has freedom!

 

[Willzilla]

Her toe is swollen but healing really well so far! She is walking on it more and doing more too. There are almost no scabs now too. Now I know what to do if this happens again and the antibiotics are only $4!

I am glad I tried other things first because now I have more experience with the subject and know a bit more than if I had gone straight to the vet.

 

[Anne & Gang]

so glad she is doing better...keep us posted