Pipped through a vein, shrimpy leg

[MisterGribs]

Still handfeeding, although she is picking up objects and eating some soft foods provided I put them in her mouth, she hadn't learned to eat or drink yet.

She is almost 5 weeks and still unable to walk on her leg, she has been using her wing as a replacement leg, lol. She can scratch, hop, and groom herself, and has been fluttering her wings for about a week.
She beeps nonstop and joins every conversation. No interest in the other finches.

She didn't so much fledge as... flop.

[Fraza]

MisterGribs I hope she pulls through and gets the strength as she gets older will she just act like a finch with a broken leg as though they are off balance but can still move around and stand slanted

[MisterGribs]

I FEEL SO BAD!!!

In the future, if any of you save an egg with a ruptured vein, do NOT make any attempt to exercise the resulting stunted limb!!!

Having Höpö run all across the table a few times a day has caused a pathological fracture at the weakened growth plate in her tibia! This is all it took, and now the leg is fractured! I am currently giving her soluble calcium, micronutrients, and birdy painkillers. She is too small to splint, so all I can do is try and keep her wrapped into a burrito so she can't move it too much.

[Fraza]

MisterGribs oh no I hope she’s better soon

[lovezebs]

MisterGribs

Oh no, I am so sorry to hear that Gribs.

I feel terrible because I mentioned making my splay legged Gouldie babies do little races around to strengthen their legs.

I hope her little leg heals soon, poor wee baby.

[MisterGribs]

I hope so too! Shd doesn't seem to be in much pain, and there's no swelling or heat, but her little leg bends in the middle of her tibia.

[lovezebs]

MisterGribs

Sounds like that bone is very soft. Hopefully Vit D and Calcium will help some. Like treating a baby with rickets.

Is there no way of splinting with a portion of a tooth pick and self adhering tape?

[MisterGribs]

lovezebs I tried to splint her and i just wound up making things worse. She's sleeping now, it's in the wee hours in the AM but I can't sleep. Xnx

Weirdly enough, it's just the one leg having problems. I wonder if, in the future, she might do better without the leg, if it keeps painfully breaking.

[lovezebs]

MisterGribs

It's difficult to say.

I would wait and see how it heals my friend. It shouldn't take more than a week or so.

[MisterGribs]

Ha ha!! I figured it out.

I folded her little leg into the natural position on her body and wrapped her up in gauze, then sewed in in place. So she can't wiggle out of it, it's wrapped over her wing on the opposite side. Her left, so her crop can still drain.

She hates it so, so much. I tube fed her twice today, but she's tentatively begging again and seems to be in far less pain.

[lovezebs]

MisterGribs

Is that gauze multi coloured? Please tell me that it's the gauze, not the baby.

Is the fracture on the joint? If it is, then the leg should be set in a straight, not folded position.

Poor wee baby.

[MisterGribs]

lovezebs Yesssss the gauze is rainbow colored. Not the joint, it's in the upper middle portion if the long bone.

She has improved since my last update! I hope the bone knits together soon.

[lovezebs]

MisterGribs

Oh, thank god...
For a moment there, I thought there was something very VERY wrong with that baby, much more wrong than a fractured leg.

Here is a little article about leg breaks in birds which may be helpful:

http://www.lbah.com/word/avian/fractured-bird-leg/

I really hope she feels better soon.

[MisterGribs]

lovezebs That's a good article.

I can see some small movement in the leg, so at least the two halves of the bone found eachother.

[lovezebs]

MisterGribs

That's good.
If she's moving the leg, I'm assuming the pain is diminishing somewhat.