Favoring leg pretty badly

[SeaChelle]

My finch has always had a bad foot (her hind toe is deformed and sticks upward, see old photo that I've attached), but she has always been able to get around fairly well.

This evening, I noticed her leaning really heavily to one side while napping and was a little concerned so I watched her for a bit. She is favoring that foot really badly now. She holds it up when she's moving about and only puts it down when she is trying to land or hop somewhere. When she was hopping, I was able to see it for a second and it seems like it could be more red than the other one.

I'm really worried about her. Do I take her to the vet? Can a vet even do anything for a bird so small and would the stress of the visit be worse for her? It's late, so the bird vets in my area (North Texas) all seem to be closed and I don't have one that I've used before. I can't take off work tomorrow to take her, so I'm pretty stressed about what to do. I love this little bird.

She is fluffy and sleeping a lot, so I know she's not feeling well, but she is eating and drinking fine. The last time I put her in the hospital cage, she had a really bad time, so I haven't moved her yet. I'm not experienced enough in taking care of sick birds.

Help?

[Sally]

Can you put a heat lamp on her cage, where she can get near it if she wants? Most of the time, a bird that is not feeling well will seek out that warmth, and it is one of the best things we can do for them. That one foot does look a little redder in the photo. Can you catch her up and check the foot? Maybe put something on it for now like neosporin? Sometimes, leg/foot injuries can cause a temporary problem but they resolve themselves with a little heat and rest.

[SeaChelle]

That photo is actually from last year, but now you mention it, maybe that foot has always been a bit redder? I'm not sure now.

I don't have a heat lamp, but I can get to a pet store to buy one tonight, if needed. Her and her sleeping buddy have perched for the night and she's being supported by the other bird a bit. Should I just let them be for the night or try to still get a heat lamp in there?

Do these things sometimes heal themselves?

Thanks, Sally.

[30 Seconds to Bob]

In the year that I've owned my Java pair, my male has gone through a couple of periods where he definitely favors one leg. It usually goes away on its own in a couple of days. The problem could also be due to gout if you're feeding too rich a diet of protein. Do you offer green leafy veggies? Try some extra romaine, dandelion or turnip greens for the next few days. Good luck. Bob

[SeaChelle]

Bob,

Thanks for the tips. She is probably the worst eater I have, so maybe that is what is going on. She doesn't seem to like the fresh veggies that I put out for them for some reason. I've had kale, broccoli and sprouted seed mix in there for the last couple of weeks and she only eats the sprouted seeds and still not in the same quantity that the others do.

I also keep a fortified seed mix, herb salad and Abba Minerals available to them also.

Is there some way I can supplement her diet if she doesn't eat the fresh greens?

Thanks!

[30 Seconds to Bob]

Have you tried romaine or one of the other leaf lettuces? Few birds can resist these. They're not the most nutritious veggie you can offer, but they will help if it is gout related. Bob

[Sally]

It's too late now to get a heat lamp anyway, but you can use any desk lamp with a 60w bulb. Those gooseneck desk lamps work great for the purpose, because you can bend it and aim it wherever you want. I wouldn't disturb them tonight.

You did say that was an old photo, I just thought the left foot looked a little redder than the right.

[debbie276]

You said she always had a bad foot, could she have a sore on the bottom from not using it correctly? I would catch her up and check the bottom of the bad foot and be sure there isn't a tiny cut or sore with an infection setting in just to be sure.
good luck

[SeaChelle]

She seems to be doing a little better today. She's bright eyed and flying around like normal. She's able to grip like she did before, but she just tends to put most of her weight on the good foot more now. I did check for sores and didn't see anything. I've been offering romaine as suggested and picked up a heat lamp, but haven't moved her since she seems mostly okay.

I just thought about this... Could it be that she's sore from roosting? She used to sleep in the nest with her sister at night, but I added two more female society finches in the cage and now the original two don't go in their nest anymore. The new society finches moved into the second nest and sleep there every night, but the original two won't even give their nest a second look. I'm wondering if she was resting that bad foot by sleeping in the nest and now it's been rough on her roosting on a branch instead. They are all females.

Any tips on getting her to use the nest again so she can rest that foot while she sleeps?

Thanks again, everyone.

[Angela&Shalamar]

Add another nest or even too so there is no competitation.

[SeaChelle]

Just an update...

It took me many hours, but I finally was able to gently persuade the two finches to use their nest again. Now, after a few days of using the nest to sleep, Hazel's doing much better. I'm pretty certain that the two weeks of being on her bad foot 24 hours a day was causing her some issues. She's putting weight back on it and all is well!

Thanks for the help everyone!

[debbie276]

Wonderful news!

[cindy]

Glad she is doing better!!

[Ginene]

Fantastic news!!! Yay Hazel