Leg or Foot Problem in Silverbill

[mew5280]

I have a female silverbill finch that has been alone in a cage with a male silverbill for several months and a few days ago I noticed the female on the cage floor, she eventually hopped up into a food bowl (this was a Vision cage with foot bowls on the botton) and she hung out there (in the seed!) all day. I picked her up to see if I can find a problem but didn't see anything unusual. I moved her to a hospital cage and watched her and it's definitely her left foot or leg. I have tried to examine the leg but she clenches it up and I do not want to pull on it but it doesn't look crooked or broken, though it may be.

My hospital cage is a clear plastic reptile container with a perforated lid for air and a door that I keep propped open for more air. I have it sitting half on a heating pad for warmth, the other half I keep her food and water. I lined it with a non-terrycloth towel. She's been in there for 3 days and seems to be improving. This morning I put stick in the cage because she was trying to hop up on the food dish, she definitely wanted to get up and perch after sitting on the floor. She hopped and hopped and eventually perched on the stick but got down again. Still holding that left leg firmly clenched so she's doing this all with one leg and a wing for balance.

Other than water, supplements, seed, heat and vitamins, I'm not sure what else to do. Anyone else with this problem know how long until she could go back into the main cage?

It was sweet this morning, she saw her male and was pecking the side of the clear container to get at him. They are both pretty young, she is probably over a year but not much more, he is about a year.

Photos attached

[slwatson]

mew5280

If you put your finger under the leg, does she try to grip it at all?

[mew5280]

mew5280

If you put your finger under the leg, does she try to grip it at all?

I will try that when I get home and let you know.

[mew5280]

I did try that. My finches aren't tame so they don't know how to hop on a finger. She didn't try to grab my finger at all and just thought I was torturing her. Her hurt leg is clearly more pink than the other, thinking it has lost blood? If the leg never heals, is it possible for a finch to get by on one leg? I was hoping it was a break that would heal itself. Now I'm not sure.

[slwatson]

mew5280

Sorry...I was thinking you could hold her in your hand and put your finger up to the foot close enough to see if she'll try to grasp it. I had a parrot finch injure her leg, and I did the same thing, and she was able to grasp my finger a little, so I knew she had some control over it and it wasn't a complete break.

Elana lovezebs, can probably help you more than I can.

[wildbird]

A finch can live using just one leg. Even if she cannot use the other leg normally, it still helps with balance. It may be inflamed but not broken. In time it might heal on it's own. Do you ever see the bird move or bend that leg or move the toes?

[mew5280]

slwatson
@wildbird

Thank you for your responses. After about a week in the hospital cage with heat, I put her back in the large flight cage with the other finches. I have her in a large rubber tub with food and water and a perch and this way the other finches can come visit her, including her mate who was missing her, she seems much happier. In the past few days she has been perching and using her hurt foot to perch, yet VERY tentatively, more for balance. The hurt leg/foot is a much better color as well. She still isn't flying of moving around much but I'm hoping. Will post a photo tonight if I remember.

[Sally]

Good news, sounds like she is recuperating!

[wildbird]

I've been watching a female cardinal that seems to have the same injury. She has been coming to the bird feeder, and her leg looked broken, as she could not use it. Today I saw her and she was using the leg and foot to grip the feeder. It is healing! Amazing! Good luck with your finch. Sounds like she's in a great environment.

[mew5280]

Here are some picture I took last night. She's balancing more on the leg but no flying yet and she pretty much stays in that tub all the time. Other birds come and visit her as well.

This is a little blurry but you can see where she is, she's not flying yet though if I open the cage to come near her, she hops up and out of that plastic tub, but no flying yet.

Here's a closeup of her perching inside her little micro-home inside the big cage