Splay Legs

[Dilly]

Our family has recently adopted an older Quaker who has Splay Legs. Would anyone have any recommendations on perches for him? He seems to stick to the fabric rope rather than the wood perch we have in his cage, but wanted to find out if anyone does anything else for their bird if it too has splay legs.

 

[Cynthia & Percy]

Welcome I admire you for taking care of an older bird with spade legs I move this post to Special needs crossing so that you would get the right response Cynthia

 

[Tanya]

Welcome! We don't have splay legs here but Rhubarb has had trouble perching due to gout. Wrapping perches with old towels that are secured with tightly tied jute helps with perching for her (softer and a bit more grippy when she can't hold tight because of the pain in her joints). Two things to remember on this though: keep nails trimmed because long/sharp ones can snag on cloth AND inspect regularly for loose threads or chewed sections that could wrap round a foot or toe.

A lower maintenance option is to experiment with platform perches. Rhubarb really likes her wooden sleep platform which is covered with a seagrass play mat. Its nice and flat so no gripping needed but has enough texture that she can feel secure without the pressure points starting to ache.

 

[Zara]

Welcome to the Avenue

Rhubarb really likes her wooden sleep platform which is covered with a seagrass play mat. Its nice and flat so no gripping needed but has enough texture that she can feel secure without the pressure points starting to ache.

What a wonderful idea

 

[Monica]

No splayed legs here either, but wanted to ditto platform perches if the splay is severe enough! They can be covered in the seagrass mats or felt - just be cautious of any chewing! Perhaps some ladders could come in handy, too!

 

[fashionfobie]

My cockatoo had splay legs. She had her legs taped by a vet when when was still very young. She ended up developing very well and got on well. I didn't need to give her special surfaces, but she was a very nervous about trying new perches or surfaces. I think her disability at such a young age impacted her self-confidence. So new perches needed about 1 month of observation before she gave them a try. She loved spiral boings and would hang upside down bouncing

The seagrass mats are a fantastic idea.

Thank you for adopting this little quaker parrot. I look forward to seeing more photos!

 

[Dilly]

Thank you! We will have to get Dilly a sleep platform.