My zebra finch wounded or swollen toe, help!

[David]

Hi everyone, I am so glad I came back to forum here. I didn't come for like near a year since last time I posted here. Please help me with my zebra finch, he is my baby, heart breaking see him with toe look like the pic below I really appreciated it if anyone have ideas what should I do, anything would help. The swollen toe started about a week ago, but worse since yesterday became so huge and look extended from between the nail and the toe itself, I don't want him lose a toe at all This morning the toe (middle toe) bleeding so I stopped it bleeding so far so good, maybe he caught on wire again today caused the bleed, when he was flying in the cage look at other birds next to him. I now put him in hospital cage with low perch and food on floor, with warm water dish too. For long term what should I do to help, beside I can't go to Vet near me since so far away...is his toe going to heal on its own?

I've search online I thought he got a bumble foot, but I observed it doesn't look like it, should be wounded when he jumped around between the perches, I used manzanita perches and he is the only one in the cage for months. Any ideas? Thanks for your help in advance and I hope see some suggestions soon. I had this bird for about 3 years, first time happened like this. I am worried. you can see the pic , under his belly white color part still have some dry-reddish color, that was from the toe bleeding and as I held him on my palm carefully earlier I stopped the bleeding finally by put some powder

Thank you very much,
David

[David]

Here are couple more pics so you can see the toe with sunlight and without it.

[Sally]

Can you take a magnifying glass to see if there might be something wrapped around the toe, like a piece of fine string or hair? Or he could have injured it in the cage. You've already got him isolated, which is good. Do you have a heat lamp on him? If so, make sure that he can get away from the heat if he needs to. He's not puffed up at all, so he looks like he feels OK. You could try putting something like an antiseptic cream/ointment on the foot/toe.

[Sally]

David Also, I'm going to move this topic to the Health section, so it might be seen by more members.

[David]

Hi Sally thanks for your quick reply. I currently put him under the lamp, but it's kind of warm today like mid 80s in my area. I looked at the toe with magnify glass really can't see any fiber or anything. I think maybe he just got it injured from the cage as jumping or flying. I let him alone now in a room by himself, so he doesn't jump too much to see who is next to his cage, which he always did that lol! I don't know what caused the bleeding part since it was swollen as well. I will observe more and see what happen, hope his toe not going to broke:(

David

[Sally]

Often this type of injury will heal itself, though sometimes they do lose either the toenail or the toe itself. That would be a fault in a show bird, but shouldn't affect a breeding or pet bird at all.

[lovezebs]

David

Hi David.

Personally, I would gently wash his foot under warm running water. See if you can get some of that dried up stuff off with the water, and very gently working your way with your fingers around his foot and toes.

Dry his foot completely with some paper towel or something similar, then look carefully, to see if you can see an open wound a cut or something stuck in there.

I would then take a q-tip with a bit of hydrogen peroxide and clean very gently around the wound.

Dry foot again, then apply something like triple polisporin (or something similar) to his foot and massage it all around between his toes, around the nails and so on.

Best of luck.

[cindy]

hydrogen peroxide will dry the tissue out.... go very easy with it. A simple antiseptic soap to clean it and the antibiotic ointment will help as suggested.

Check your cage for spaces between the where the sides meet. I have had birds jump on the sides, slide down and get a toe or foot caught and injured in that little gap. If you have gaps take some small zip ties and close up the gaps.

[David]

Wow! Thanks for all your replies. Sorry I was busy most of the day today and just got time to post forum here. Thanks Sally that you moved my forum to health section. I know and sure hope he won't lose his toe esp the nail part

Elana- thanks for your suggestions. I never use the hydrogen peroxide to finches before, it's not going to harm the bird right? I have one bottle at home, if safe to do so I will definitely try it. His toe just stopped bleeding earlier today, when I get the dried stuff out will make it bleed again? I know birds can't lose too much blood since they are so tiny and small amount is danger to them. Also the dried stuff must from the powder I used when stop bleeding, but I only used tiny bit, before I put anything his foot was already swollen like the picture from last post. Hope it will help him some, I don't know what will happen to his toe, really praying for him everything will be ok. At least he was eating and still jump around with the wounded toe, I was worrying.


Cindy- I will try use the hydrogen peroxide carefully tomorrow. I've checked the perches inside, there were a tiny crack between one manzanita perch, which he usually stand there and jumping. Maybe got his toes in it and twisted it? If that caused the injury then must be the manufacturer malfunction or defective perch. I recently changed this one like about 2 weeks ago. I just changed a new one for him and before this one was same kind of manzanita perches. Didn't know there was a tiny line cracked on the side of the perch where he stand or perch on or playing I feel bad for him. I already removed the perch and put the old one back even looks little discolor but still nice smooth at least.

Thanks for all your time and advices, I will do my part to help and observe more then keep post up here.

David

[cindy]

David, I hope your little zebra recovers quickly, keep us posted.

[David]

Thanks you everyone, I was so busy last 2 weeks sorry. Just want to updated that my finch is ok so far, bad news the dark swollen part of his toe falling off I feel so sad but at least he is flying and jumping ok, eating normal just like other finches. I feel bad that he lost part of his middle toe he is so adorable and had him for 3 years first time happened like this.

David

[Spreckles]

You can always dilute the hydrogen peroxide to 50% by adding clean distilled water to it in an equal amount. Like a cap of each. diluted is still effective but doesn't damage new tissue in general, not sure about with avian care. But the advice to clean, inspect and massage sounds very good to me!!!

[lovezebs]

David

Hi David.

Glad to hear that your little fella survived the ordeal. Better to lose a part of the toe, than lose your life to some spreading infection.

How is his foot looking now (aside from the missing piece of toe) ? Can he perch properly and balance well ?

[David]

Thanks everyone again for your posts. Sorry took long time to reply. My zebra finch doing normal since then, perch and earring ok. Just lose part of the middle toe rather than have any threaten to his life etc I will observe him more carefully and prevent this kind of things happen again, hope he won't have anymore accident now on. Will post a pic of him here soon

David

[Sally]

Glad to hear he is doing much better. Losing part of a toe should not affect him at all, he will still be able to perch just fine. We are bothered by it, but the birds don't seem to have any problems at all. I have more than a few finches with missing toes, and you would never know it unless you look closely.