Sun Conure Pressure Sore! Need More Advice!

[Dostc426]

Hello everyone!
I posted a thread about this same topic about a month ago and have been battling pressure sores on my Sun's hock for relatively that long. I have since discovered that his perches, since they have always been varied and all-natural wood branches and now rotated constantly, are not the issue and its instead how he is sleeping!

My boy ADORES sleeping on the bottom of his cage, audibly so! He will take all of the newsprint I put on the bottom, make a little paper tent, and sleep happily beak grinding away. However every morning his pressure sore on his hock will be aggravated and red.

I got him a new nighttime cage around the time the sore started to form, and used a seagrass mat to give him a little cushion while he slept, and covered it in newsprint. I have since switched him back to his other night cage and made it how it was before the sore, however I don't think it is getting better, either it stays the same or looks more red.

I have tried a pile of newsprint, no seagrass mat. I have tried a seagrass mat covered in newsprint to provide cushion/and uneven surface, however now that is making a new sore on his other hock! So for now I am going to remove the seagrass mat, since that is not helping at all!

What else should I do??? Anyone have any idea's how to get your conure to sleep differently?

Additional information about Cygni: He has been officially tested as male, goes in to the vet at least once a year for annual exams (he has been to an avian vet this past year and a half 4 times! 3 of which regarding his hormonal behavior.) He is a cooky but healthy boy! Incredibly hormonal for the past 2 years.

 

[Lady Jane]

Its possible a bird sleeping on cage floor is either ill or in a nesting mode. I don't recall you have had him in for a vet exam. Are you sure he is male?

 

[Dostc426]

Its possible a bird sleeping on cage floor is either ill or in a nesting mode. I don't recall you have had him in for a vet exam. Are you sure he is male?

Oh I'm sorry I will edit my original post to include this information! He has been officially tested as male (and has further proven this at home in more ways than one lol) and he goes in to the vet at least once a year for annual exams (or in the case of this past year and a half, 4 times! 3 of which regarding his hormonal behavior!) So he is definitely a healthy boy, incredibly hormonal for the past 2 years, and I am incredibly paranoid about his well-being! He has been sleeping in a nest paper tent for about 2 years now, but it didn't create any sores until this past month.

 

[Fuzzy]

What has the vet got to say about the pressure sores?

 

[Dostc426]

What has the vet got to say about the pressure sores?

I've left our avian vet a message so I haven't heard back from them yet! Their not open wounds and not severe like some I have seen online, so if possible since he has been to the vet so much lately I'm trying to avoid taking him in if I can. But I am prepared to take him at a moments notice! I also rub coconut oil on them daily as well! I've attached an image, its rather hard to see, but imagine it being more red!

 

[sunnysmom]

What about fleece? or someone here sells leather hammocks. I'm drawing a blank who. Maybe instead of hanging it high, have it rest against the bottom of the cage?

 

[Dostc426]

What about fleece? or someone here sells leather hammocks. I'm drawing a blank who. Maybe instead of hanging it high, have it rest against the bottom of the cage?

I would love to do this! My slight hiccup is that since he is so hormonal, he tends to regurgitate and eat it back up, usually at night where he sleeps..especially when I come to bed...lol! So there is a small risk he could eat fibers up with it so I have been trying to be careful to be on the safe side. Can fleece fibers cause crop impaction? I love how my battle with this is between the sores, or him potentially eating up fibers with his regurge. I could always stack newsprint on top of it and try to limit his ability to get to it directly..

 

[Dostc426]

He is due for a nail trim...could trimming his nails affect how he distributes weight while he sleeps?? Such as leaning more forward if they are short versus leaning back onto his hocks when longer?

 

[sunnysmom]

I would love to do this! My slight hiccup is that since he is so hormonal, he tends to regurgitate and eat it back up, usually at night where he sleeps..especially when I come to bed...lol! So there is a small risk he could eat fibers up with it so I have been trying to be careful to be on the safe side. Can fleece fibers cause crop impaction? I love how my battle with this is between the sores, or him potentially eating up fibers with his regurge. I could always stack newsprint on top of it and try to limit his ability to get to it directly..

I would try covering it. Or maybe just dish towels or something like that? Or will he sleep on a rope perch across the bottom of the cage?

 

[Fuzzy]

I'd make a double appointment at the vet - for the nail trim and to get the sores properly diagnosed.

Just a thought - by applying the oils, you may be making his skin softer, less able to cope with every day wear and tear.

 

[Dostc426]

I would try covering it. Or maybe just dish towels or something like that? Or will he sleep on a rope perch across the bottom of the cage?

I have some clean, non-pilly pillowcases I can fold over! Sadly if I place a perch towards the bottom he just enjoys it for other reasons and then sleeps around it.

 

[Dostc426]

I'd make a double appointment at the vet - for the nail trim and to get the sores properly diagnosed.

Just a thought - by applying the oils, you may be making his skin softer, less able to cope with every day wear and tear.

...WHAT! Ah goshdarnit! Thankfully I no longer do it everyday, but I did initially because it has helped in the past. Well no more of that!
Yeah that sounds about right for this little boy lol! Vet trip number 5!

 

[Lady Jane]

I agree on the coconut oil. He could be licking it off when you are not watching and creating sore areas.

 

[Dostc426]

I agree on the coconut oil. He could be licking it off when you are not watching and creating sore areas.

I both hate and love the internet. Lol! I looked up some home remedies when it first started, and I thought it was a good idea because of the antibiotic properties. I didn't think of the other factors! From not on I am just asking the vet office! (Though I already call them enough as it is! )

 

[Peachfaced]

If you have one of the sun deck perches, you can make your own covers for them. Here's a tutorial: Slip covers for "Sun Decks" | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

 

[Dostc426]

If you have one of the sun deck perches, you can make your own covers for them. Here's a tutorial: Slip covers for "Sun Decks" | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

That is so cute! He has a plank version of that! A platform perch!