Friend's tiel not gripping with his left foot

[meaggiedear]

My friend rescued two tiels from a bad situation (one perch in a medium sized cage with no toys) and we have been working really hard on their diet because they were on all seeds. You can tell they are badly malnutritioned. All they did was do it, because they had no toys to play with. I helped them out by giving them one of my cages so they can have plenty of space. I helped introduce new perches and toys. The girl, Mosa, would try to flap her wings and the feathers would just break off and she would bleed. They took her to a local vet because she can't handle the hour trip to an actual avian vet. The vet told her the bird was malnutritioned and that's about it. We've been working on that.

Last night, the boy, Bacardi, stopped perching with his left foot. He doesn't want to walk on it. They took him to the local vet this morning. She noted there was no swelling, no signs of bumblefoot, and no cuts or lesions. Her best guesses were arthirits or brittle bone syndrome. Just looking for advice to make him more comfortable or help correct the problem.

 

[Anne & Gang]

It is really too bad they cannot be taken to a regular avian vet for a thorough check up..however, the tiel could have hurt his foot on something and it is giving him pain..it does not have to be arthritis or something else. Tell your friend to give him some flat perch..or a flat perch (to make it easier on him)..we had a crippled finch and we fashioned perches for him from plywood...about four inches long and the length of the cage..he loved them....also if it is arthritis then maybe the local vet can look up pain medication for the bird..such as metacam...but it needs to be given in the proper dosages etc...I commend you for trying to help this lady who took these two tiels in....however, in th is case, I think it is time for the male to take the hour trip to the avian vet.

 

[Sparky04]

I would definitely suggest your friend get his uric acid levels checked. My cockatiel, Oz, started having trouble with his foot one day. He had trouble putting weight on it. We took him to the vet that day and his uric acid levels were high. The vet diagnosed him with gout. Over the next two weeks, the vet and I tried everything, but Oz's uric acid levels kept rising. And two weeks after the first signs of foot problems, Oz passed away. The gout had progressed to his heart. Oz was an unusual case, he was only a year old and didn't respond to medication. Your friend's bird's foot problem could be caused by gout.

 

[Lady Jane]

Ahh that is sad Sparky. I was curious about gout in birds from reading your post and did find some information.

Gout In Pet Birds - Avian Kidney Disease

 

[meaggiedear]

It is really too bad they cannot be taken to a regular avian vet for a thorough check up..however, the tiel could have hurt his foot on something and it is giving him pain..it does not have to be arthritis or something else. Tell your friend to give him some flat perch..or a flat perch (to make it easier on him)..we had a crippled finch and we fashioned perches for him from plywood...about four inches long and the length of the cage..he loved them....also if it is arthritis then maybe the local vet can look up pain medication for the bird..such as metacam...but it needs to be given in the proper dosages etc...I commend you for trying to help this lady who took these two tiels in....however, in th is case, I think it is time for the male to take the hour trip to the avian vet.

I built them a plaform perch when they got them which is the entire length of the cage and they got a rope perch too. So, he does have those.

I'll talk to them about making the trip. I think he'd be fine to make the trip, but the girl can't be away from him. That's what makes it so difficult.

 

[meaggiedear]

I would definitely suggest your friend get his uric acid levels checked. My cockatiel, Oz, started having trouble with his foot one day. He had trouble putting weight on it. We took him to the vet that day and his uric acid levels were high. The vet diagnosed him with gout. Over the next two weeks, the vet and I tried everything, but Oz's uric acid levels kept rising. And two weeks after the first signs of foot problems, Oz passed away. The gout had progressed to his heart. Oz was an unusual case, he was only a year old and didn't respond to medication. Your friend's bird's foot problem could be caused by gout.

Ahh that is sad Sparky. I was curious about gout in birds from reading your post and did find some information.

Gout In Pet Birds - Avian Kidney Disease

Thank you guys. I'll get this info to them and see what we can do.

 

[Bailey]

I was also thinking 'gout' when I read this post. I hope you get answers!

 

[Monica]

Both probably need to go to an a-vet. My first thoughts was that the girl has liver problems. Second, male has kidney problems. I'm no vet though, so I don't know.

Might want to take a very close look at their droppings and see if they are normal, colored, or perhaps very watery.

 

[meaggiedear]

Both probably need to go to an a-vet. My first thoughts was that the girl has liver problems. Second, male has kidney problems. I'm no vet though, so I don't know.

Might want to take a very close look at their droppings and see if they are normal, colored, or perhaps very watery.

you know i haven't even asked them about droppings. thanks for reminding me.