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B&G Handicapped Foot

Birdspeaker

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Bryan
I've looked through tons of posts and have quite a few ideas about setting up a cage for a new foster of ours. She's a 20+ year old B&G. (I've seen posts mainly with smaller birds) I noticed she was falling and latching with her beak. Went to the vet. Her one toe was broke and completely broken at some point, turned out and healed that way and one next to it has no feeling. I'd like to see if I can build some ramps and platforms. Can this be done with something as simple as 2x4 boards? I'm handy but stink with design..lol
 

Hankmacaw

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Would like to see a picture.

Did you vet recommend amputating the toe with no feeling a setting the broken toe. My GW female has only two toes on her left foot and she gets along just fine. There are many birds with no toes that adjust to the condition. The one thing you don't want with your macaw is for her to be in constant pain.
 

Birdspeaker

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No, she made no recommendations. I can definitely inquire. No history of the bird. See if you can see from this picture. She does waddle a little but seems like it's from imbalance rather than pain. This more than likely occurred some time ago.
 

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Hankmacaw

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If the nails are trimmed she will be much better off. They are all much too long. In fact if the toe that is turned has the nail trimmed quite short, that toe will not bother her at all. It may need to have several trimmings before the quick is driven back far enough.

Is your vet an avian vet, I ask because I'm surprised she didn't recommend trimming her nails when you were in to see the Dr. Can you post a picture of her head and beak so I can see whether her beak is too long or not?

How long have you had her? What is her name?
 

Birdspeaker

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The pic is before I visited. Her (Rusty's) nails are trimmed now. So, revisiting my question about cage design anyone?
 

MiniMacaw

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When I got my blue and gold he had major trauma to a foot. (Toe damaged by a larger macaw and never treated so it got infected and very painful until it fell off.) Did your vet do radiographs?
My guy had to do physical therapy using foot toys and different sized perching options. We worked on it twice a day at least for a year. Now he has full function of his foot and can hang from an o ring with one toe, something the vet worried he may never be able to do since the wound was old. There should be a clear treatment plan from an avian vet for how to strengthen foot muscles in this situation, not just adapt the cage (if they can even be worked on, amputating may be on the table.)
Though in the beginning before physical therapy had a chance to work wonders, I put comforters down on the bottom of the cage in case he fell. I also added rope perches and used flat platform perches as spots for his tired feet to rest. The platforms are still his favorite place.
I’m hesitant to give cage design ideas at this point only because if there is a chance that the foot can be strengthened then adaptations that make the foot work less aren’t always the right thing to do. I just don’t know enough about the condition of this little ones particular foot. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.
 
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