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Newly Disabled Budgie..

Porter

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Daffy has gotten to the stage in his life where he is getting older.

He will be 11 years old come ... this coming May.

For a store bought budgie he was and has been active and happy despite multiple problems over the years.
But he had an incident a few weeks ago where he fell.. and we had to seek out expert help.

It seems he suffered some brain damage and now can't tighten his toes and has a little trouble balancing.
For a little while he wouldn't eat and I had to go through several stages of feeding him things that would give him more weight and so forth. He won't eat his pellets anymore so I've switched him to Nutriberries and fresh greens and veggies.

He gets a variety every day but his digestion isn't ... the greatest anymore so I can only feed him two or three things at a time changing it up every day. He gets fresh mint; mustard and collared greens and apple in his chop today. Tomorrow it will be more legumes, carrots and brocoli. With his nutriberries in the morning and his greens at night.

Now he is.. as alert and good as he will get or so I have been told.

He still eats alright and is bright and alert. I just don't dare put him in an ordinary cage... if he has too much space he tries to fly and flies into things over and over again. He will sit quietly on my bed or on my hand but the littlest thing startles him now.

For right now his 'cage' is his hospital cage aka a ten gallon tank with things to perch on and toys to play with.

I don't know what else I can do to help him in his last few months.. or hopefully years of his life.



Any help would be appreciated.
 
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Porter

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What I really need to do is figure out a permanent cage solution.
I've been eyeing a few hamster cages... and a Budgie cage that is 18x18x18...

The plastic platforms that come with the hamster cages though... would be useful as he can't climb the cage bars at all anymore or grip normal perches.
 

Lady Jane

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I am so sorry this happened to your little one. If he is safe and content with your current arrangement why do you want to change things around? Birds don't like change, but love their routines. Eleven years of budgie life is exceptional so you have done well by him. He is a lucky little guy to have you. Is he able to climb?
 

Porter

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He can climb a little.. I just think the space he is in...
20x10x10 is a little small.

I might just turn the current set up I have into a duplex and set up a series of platform perches.

He can't grip at all with his feet however, when he walks he stumbles and I'm terrified that if he is any further up than say five to seven inches he could hurt himself.
 

Tiel Feathers

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I’m so sorry Daffy got hurt. He sure has had a wonderful life with you!:heart:
 

iamwhoiam

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So sorry about Daffy's issues. The set up you have right now is working but are you considering moving him into a cage? You could get one that is not very high and is wider than it is high. Platforms and flattish perches would be beneficial. The food and water dishes are on the bottom which makes them easily accessible and you have padded the bottom of the cage.
If you keep him in the tank how would you attach additional perches or platforms?
You could do a little bit of physical therapy with him if he will let you do that. Manipulate and lightly massage his legs and feet. Physical therapy could be beneficial but check with the vet about this because you don't want to stress him or cause any pain.
 

Porter

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Well what I feared would happen Did.
Daffy had a fit in the aquarium and I ended up having to rig a temporary 'cage' for him.
Since I have no spare cages and I can't put him in with maiboch ... I had to steal Porter's cage and shove him in the budgies shared flight cage.
On short notice this is the best I can do... xD
from a 19wx19lx40h cage (Porter prefer's tall cages don't ask me why..)

I rigged this.





I know its slightly small for each of them... but at least no one is going to get hurt right?

Daffy being cute.
 

Porter

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So sorry about Daffy's issues. The set up you have right now is working but are you considering moving him into a cage? You could get one that is not very high and is wider than it is high. Platforms and flattish perches would be beneficial. The food and water dishes are on the bottom which makes them easily accessible and you have padded the bottom of the cage.
If you keep him in the tank how would you attach additional perches or platforms?
You could do a little bit of physical therapy with him if he will let you do that. Manipulate and lightly massage his legs and feet. Physical therapy could be beneficial but check with the vet about this because you don't want to stress him or cause any pain.
You are right, he isn't really hand tame but he allows me to move him around at the moment.
I've tried some light stretching of his toes at the request of the vet but not much more than that.
 

iamwhoiam

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My sparrow got fed up with his tank, too, when I was alternating him between tank and cage. He has two non functional legs and only one foot that he can grip with a little bit. I was trying to get him used to a cage but didn't want to put him in it when I wasn't around because I was afraid he would get hurt. I had a lot going on and he was in the tank for 3 days (no time spent in cage). He threw a temper tantrum and started banging on the glass of the tank and cackling loudly so I put him in the cage and he stopped tantruming. No more tank for him. How does Daffy do with the wire platform? You may want to wrap with vet wrap.
 
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Porter

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Its actually not wire. Its threaded with a plastic mesh that allows for his feet to grip without falling; and I placed a fabric cloth through and under his favorite 'sleeping' spot apparently.

I wasn't done setting it up when he discovered the fleece 'cuddle buddy'. He darted in and wouldn't come out. I had to take a picture it was adorable.
He's currently cuddled up and sleeping there right now.

Daffy hates vet wrap. I tried it the first time he got sick... he won't go near the stuff.

So I do double the laundry because he needs his 'soft spots'.
 

iamwhoiam

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You are doing a good job creating a set up for Daffy. Seems that he has shown improvement so maybe he will continue to improve and regain more function in his feet.
Wonder why he hates vet wrap. Maybe he doesn't like the texture.
 

Porter

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You are doing a good job creating a set up for Daffy. Seems that he has shown improvement so maybe he will continue to improve and regain more function in his feet.
Wonder why he hates vet wrap. Maybe he doesn't like the texture.
More likely that he's just spoiled. But yeah he didn't like the texture.
It has to be cloth... or wood.

Any other type of perches.. including rope? He won't touch.
 
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