• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

Cut Foot?

shmog

Strolling the yard
Joined
1/31/18
Messages
111
Hello!! Happy New Years Eve :)

This morning I noticed my budgie had stepped in her own fresh droppings (she has a small pressure sore on that foot), so I immediately went to try and give her a bath. Because I'm home alone and can't do it myself and she freaks out while trying to be caught, I can't catch her. But I did manage to get a lot of the droppings off just by cleaning the perches and getting her to step in water and then dry it off with a paper towel.

However, I noticed a small cut on the bottom of her foot, at least I think it is a scratch? - I have no clue how on EARTH she managed to do this, except for the fact that she had a night fright about a week ago OR when she made a very strange trill-type noise yesterday while moving back from her water bowl. It seems to already be clotted, and I cannot see any blood anywhere in the cage. Does this look urgent, should I take her to the vet? I'm not sure if they'll be open as it's New Years today, so I'm really hoping it's alright to just wait it out and let it heal up by itself.

She is chirping and playing and even puts pressure on that foot. Admittedly, I am noticing that she is holding it up from time to time, but I've only really been able to give it attention for about 2 hours. Additionally, she has perches and swings vet-wrapped so I know that she has soft surfaces she can go to.

I want to watch it for a few days, but I'm afraid of infection. Any ideas on what I should do/if this is a cut or not?

Thank you!
IMG_2457.jpg
 
Last edited:

expressmailtome

Ripping up the road
Administrator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
4/15/10
Messages
49,992
Real Name
Matthew
Bump.
 

Wardy

Rollerblading along the road
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
4/12/21
Messages
4,706

Ripshod

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
12/6/18
Messages
7,529
Location
UK
Real Name
Linden
Will she not bathe herself it you leave a shallow dish of water?
It doesn't look infected. How did you you clean her perch? Vet wrap can't be cleaned and should be replaced regularly. If the area goes red or swells, or if she starts avoiding using it she'll have to see a vet, but as it has clotted she'll likely heal up herself without intervention. Just keep your eye on her. Don't apply any creams of lotions.
 

shmog

Strolling the yard
Joined
1/31/18
Messages
111
Will she not bathe herself it you leave a shallow dish of water?
It doesn't look infected. How did you you clean her perch? Vet wrap can't be cleaned and should be replaced regularly. If the area goes red or swells, or if she starts avoiding using it she'll have to see a vet, but as it has clotted she'll likely heal up herself without intervention. Just keep your eye on her. Don't apply any creams of lotions.
She rarely uses her bath if I don't offer it up to her face directly haha. I cleaned her perch with just water and then dried it off with some paper towels, and I did put fresh new vet wrap once I noticed the cut :D! However, I do notice that she is avoiding using it every now and again. But at times, puts pressure on it/was sleeping on it last night. I'm very confused :wideyed: ! I'll try and look at the bottom of her foot again today, and make sure it's not red like you said.

Thanks so much for the help!!
 

Ripshod

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
12/6/18
Messages
7,529
Location
UK
Real Name
Linden
How is her foot today @shmog ?
 

April

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
3/21/10
Messages
23,891
Yes I was wondering as well!
 

shmog

Strolling the yard
Joined
1/31/18
Messages
111
How is her foot today @shmog ?
Hi! Sorry for such a late response, but I am soooo confused with whats going on with her foot!

I am a very big birdie-documenter but until recently, PJ would not let me take any photos of her at all! (I found out it was because my phone is very vibrant red and she is TERRIFIED of it, oops!)

I got a photo of her foot today using my old phone, and it looks the exact same as it did in November! :wideyed: The cut/scratch is gone but I am seeing her hold up that foot a lot more.
When I talked to my vet in November, he said he thinks its a callus, but I think he means pressure sore (because birds can't get calluses to my knowledge?)

All I can really think about doing is adding some more dynamic perches since she really only uses one thin natural perch and a wide vet-wrapped swing. Anyone know what this could be or what I can do?

This is what it looks like now:
1642083516448.png
 

Tiel Feathers

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
9/15/14
Messages
20,193
Location
Quincy,CA
Real Name
Deanna
That looks like the very, very beginning of bumble foot. Does the natural perch have any rough spots? Does she sit on a food bowl that might be rough on the edge? New perches of various widths, platform perches, and rope perches are a good idea. Until it’s all gone, make everything in the cage soft by wrapping in vet wrap. You might even need to put a towel on the bottom of the cage, but change it twice a day.
 

shmog

Strolling the yard
Joined
1/31/18
Messages
111
That looks like the very, very beginning of bumble foot. Does the natural perch have any rough spots? Does she sit on a food bowl that might be rough on the edge? New perches of various widths, platform perches, and rope perches are a good idea. Until it’s all gone, make everything in the cage soft by wrapping in vet wrap. You might even need to put a towel on the bottom of the cage, but change it twice a day.
It's a manzanita perch with bark, and its mostly smooth. I've got some new sand-blasted flat perches I can also include, as I heard theyre good for this sort of thing and distributing pressure. When you say "wrap everything", should I be wrapping the entire length of the wood perches?
 

Tiel Feathers

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
9/15/14
Messages
20,193
Location
Quincy,CA
Real Name
Deanna
It's a manzanita perch with bark, and its mostly smooth. I've got some new sand-blasted flat perches I can also include, as I heard theyre good for this sort of thing and distributing pressure. When you say "wrap everything", should I be wrapping the entire length of the wood perches?
A long time ago, when one of my birds had the beginnings of bumblefoot , the vet told me to wrap everything and make the entire cage soft. I did, and it went away in two weeks. I found the perch that caused it and took it out, and she’s been fine since. So yes, wrap the entire perch and everything else, but you need to find the cause.
 

April

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
3/21/10
Messages
23,891
A long time ago, when one of my birds had the beginnings of bumblefoot , the vet told me to wrap everything and make the entire cage soft. I did, and it went away in two weeks. I found the perch that caused it and took it out, and she’s been fine since. So yes, wrap the entire perch and everything else, but you need to find the cause.
I did the same for Nala even though she'd always had at least 10 or more different types and sizes of perches it happened and I had to wrap every single perch and slather healing cream on her foot for a month but it never came back.
 

shmog

Strolling the yard
Joined
1/31/18
Messages
111
A long time ago, when one of my birds had the beginnings of bumblefoot , the vet told me to wrap everything and make the entire cage soft. I did, and it went away in two weeks. I found the perch that caused it and took it out, and she’s been fine since. So yes, wrap the entire perch and everything else, but you need to find the cause.
Ah, I see! I definitely will do that. I think the main cause is the fact that she doesn't have a lot of variety and doesn't really like to use anything else except her swing and this perch. I also think the problem is with her smaller cage, so I just recently bought a HUGE one for her with a lot of new perches that I'll move her into soon. Thanks for the advice!! It is super helpful!
 

shmog

Strolling the yard
Joined
1/31/18
Messages
111
I did the same for Nala even though she'd always had at least 10 or more different types and sizes of perches it happened and I had to wrap every single perch and slather healing cream on her foot for a month but it never came back.
So good to hear that it never came back!! Did you have to frequently change the vet wrap because of the healing cream?
 

April

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
3/21/10
Messages
23,891
So good to hear that it never came back!! Did you have to frequently change the vet wrap because of the healing cream?
Not really I'd usually have her out with me until it dried so it didn't smear as much. She loved to sleep on her back in my hand so she'd often do that and it would dry by the time she woke up and I'd put her back,lol.
 

shmog

Strolling the yard
Joined
1/31/18
Messages
111
Not really I'd usually have her out with me until it dried so it didn't smear as much. She loved to sleep on her back in my hand so she'd often do that and it would dry by the time she woke up and I'd put her back,lol.
That is so cute!! :cheer:
 

April

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
3/21/10
Messages
23,891
Top