I don't know what to do anymore...

[Lovebirdlover]

This is going to be a long one.

My Green Cheek Conure has not been the same since she injured herself. I've tried so many things to get her spirits up but she just looks - sad-

Ice injured her leg last may and the injury permanently left one of her legs sticking out to the side with limited range. She is able to use it as a "cane" per say to take steps to move and she can climb bars very well but walking on flat slippery surfaces and large perches is difficult for her. On top of that she lost one of her toes, making gripping perches even harder for her. Ice has never been the typical social conure who wants to be on anyone constantly, she loves hanging out on top of her cage and doing her own thing. She occasionally likes getting head scratches and cuddles but in the 10 years I've had her she's never been much of a people bird.

Ice spooks very easily and when she does, she does not fly with precision or direction to get to a safe place. She just explodes off her cage and flies directly into the nearest object/wall/anything it seems. This is how she injured herself in the first place, got spooked, took off and landed wonky.

After her cast was removed and I gave her time to gain strength back in her leg, I allowed her to start coming out again. Her wings were not clipped. When she spooked, or even when she tried to fly somewhere on purpose, it was a very sloppy, dangerous landing because her one legs basically doesn't work. Many times she flew, would hit something and then be stunned - in which I took her to a quiet, dark room in her travel cage and let her gain her composure again. After a few of these incidents, I decided to trim her wings a bit, because she was gaining too much speed and I knew she was going to injure herself again, possibly doing more then breaking the leg again. I know the leg is more fragile now that it has been broken already and the ligaments were torn. I only clipped a few feathers, so she could still descend slower and not hit the ground so hard.

Even with her wings clipped, Ice still spooks and flies into things, and she has "knocked herself out" per-say a few times.

I've been told to keep her in her cage to keep her safe by a few people, others tell me let her live her life happy coming out of her cage, even if this means her life will be shorter. I know that one of these days she is going to seriously injure herself again. Keeping her in her cage would keep her safe, but she loves coming out and playing with her toys on top of her cage.

I just don't know what to do. She just seems sad. I don't often hear her normal calls anymore, or see her dances.

She is living in a critter nation cage that has horizontal bars for climbing, with many "disabled bird" perches such as platforms, vet wrapped EVERYTHING, ladders.
On top of her cage she has a large play gym that I made for her.
She has foraging opportunities, hideouts, enough toys to fill 3 cages.

Because of this injury she has definitely lost any confidence, and seems very cage bound, as that is her safe place where she can be stable and not fall off anything. If I take her off her cage and bring her to the couch/wherever she seems very tense and always just wants to go back to her cage.

My husband is constantly telling me that she looks sad, and it's really getting to me.
I've had her for 10 years and its really awful watching her decline, especially since she has so many more years to live.

Does anyone here have any insights or ideas? I'm honestly open to anything at this point.

Thank you all for reading this long post. It feels better to get it off my chest.

Here are some pictures

 

[Lucas2019]

Have you take her back to the Vet ? And explaining her behavior ? She might still be in pain and I think she requires a little bit more of time to heal . I hope she does better soon she looks so beautiful

 

[Lovebirdlover]

She went back to the vet about 3 months after the injury. She told me that it has healed as much as it could and there was nothing else we could do.

She is able to use it to climb, walk, preen. She is able to open all 3 of the toes and doesn't seem to b in pain during any of this. I am able to hold her and touch the leg and she does not wince or yell when I do. I don't think she is in pain

 

[Lucas2019]

She went back to the vet about 3 months after the injury. She told me that it has healed as much as it could and there was nothing else we could do.

She is able to use it to climb, walk, preen. She is able to open all 3 of the toes and doesn't seem to b in pain during any of this. I am able to hold her and touch the leg and she does not wince or yell when I do. I don't think she is in pain

Well that’s a good thing , does she eats , drink water , shower , and poop normal ?

 

[Lovebirdlover]

Yes, her behaviour has not changed

 

[Karen]

I'm sorry she's having difficulty. I am thinking she's in pain. She's had an injury and she's getting older. Supportive measures for possible pain and/or arthritis may help her. Hopefully your vet will be able offer several options to you to consider.

 

[Lucas2019]

I'm sorry she's having difficulty. I am thinking she's in pain. She's had an injury and she's getting older. Supportive measures for possible pain and/or arthritis may help her. Hopefully your vet will be able offer several options to you to consider.

That’s what I think , I think you should go back to the vet . Hope everything gets well soon I will keep her in my prayers

 

[Lovebirdlover]

She is going to the vet on Wednesday. I’m asking that he removes her breeder band because it slides past her joint and she isn’t able to bend her leg.

What would you do? Leave her in her cage because she is safe there but she always wants to come out, or let her out and risk the chance that she hurts herself but she’s happy

 

[Lucas2019]

That’s great to hear you are taking her to the vet , write down what she does during the day. And yes removed that breeder band off her it must bother her . I think i would still take her out of the cage since she is used to be out but don’t take her out for too long and always keep and eye on her so she doesn’t hurt herself again . I think @Mockinbirdiva would be able to answer your question better she is an expert she always help me out finding the answers I need to keep my bird safe .

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

I take it she's the only bird you have. Birds are social creatures. She needs as much company as you can offer and if it isn't enough you might consider a second bird if you have the room. One similar in nature to her as in not more active than she is. Even my conures will get spooked at the tiniest of things even I can't see what the cause is. I do note you have her cage next to a window. The movement of the trees outside, a bird flying by, even a bug inside or outside the window can send them into a fright flight. You might try a curtain like a sheer curtain with a moderate pattern on it to still allow light in but block some of the view on things that happen outside. Her cage is her safety zone and if that's where she feels more comfortable then so be it. Alternate toys you know she'll interact with. place a tray where she can get to it, you can put a piece of safe fleece material on the tray and spread out some plastic beads for her to pick around and sprinkle a few seeds in with the beads for her to have an activity to do. She would enjoy your company near by when she does this foraging too. Look into more foraging ideas for her to keep her busy off and on. If the leg band is a bother then I would also say have it removed.

 

[Lovebirdlover]

The band was removed successfully and it seem it has helped a tiny bit.

I switched her cage to be on the lower level so she has less of a distance to fall when she does (which she isn’t fond of yet) and have placed a safety net between the 2 doors to catch her if she falls

hopefully this helps

 

[Lucas2019]

The band was removed successfully and it seem it has helped a tiny bit.

I switched her cage to be on the lower level so she has less of a distance to fall when she does (which she isn’t fond of yet) and have placed a safety net between the 2 doors to catch her if she falls

hopefully this helps

What did the vet said ?

 

[Lovebirdlover]

@Lucas2019 he does not think she is in pain, just discomfort/awkwardness from only having one foot that moves properly

 

[Lucas2019]

@Lucas2019 he does not think she is in pain, just discomfort/awkwardness from only having one foot that moves properly
[/QUOTE

I am sure that’s what she have poor baby I hope she gets better .

 

[webchirp]

I think I would ask to try a pain med to see if she is uncomfortable. I did this with Lola and he came out of his shell a lot. To this day, I have no clue what was wrong with him to cause pain but I was so worried about him looking sad all the time. He had serious heart disease. He's is over the rainbow now but it made a world of difference in his last year.