Poor Crippled Baby Canary

[lovezebs]

Hi All.

When I was cleaning a flight today, one of my Canary babies flew the coop. He landed rather ungracefully in the seed tray, than in the egg food, then in the play box.

When he popped out of the play box, I noted that there is something not right with one of his feet. Picking him up, I discovered that he has a malformed foot. Only three toes, no back toe.

Poor baby .

Since he didn't seem really ready to fledge, I put him back in the nest with sibling, and so far he has stayed there.

~Elana~

[lovezebs]

A quick note.
Just noticed he's out again.

~Elana~

[delray]

lovezebs hope he is ok.

[Sheather]

He should adapt fine. I have a one-legged society and one who's feet are partially crippled, with the forward facing toes curled to the side. Both still get around well.

[lovezebs]

delray & Sheather

Thanks Brian and Dylan.

He's definitely missing a back toe, and the middle front one is a little rwisted as well. As I don't see any scar tissue of a healed wound, I am assuming he was born this way.

~Elana~

Right now he's following everybody, saying feed me, feed me. Also attempting first 'crash and burn' flights. God, but he's adorable with his little baby chick butt and funny hairdo.

[MiaCarter]

Aw, poor little guy.

They're always slower to hit developmental milestones when they have a physical difference.

But I think he should be just fine! I think he'll have good functionality.

My little Gouldian sydney had an early broken toe -- the rear facing toe, and it fused her foot closed, essentially.
But she still uses the foot for balance and stands on it. She was slow to fledge but does just fine now. Her only noticeable problem is that she doesn't do well if her brothers or sister bumps into her, nudging her down the perch. She can't side step, so she has to take off and land in a new spot.

Photo here:
http://www.petfinchfacts.com/?s=deformed

[lovezebs]

MiaCarter

Hi Mia.
I hope this little one manages alright. I see him trying to balance and grasp with that poor little foot, and it just slides sideways on him.

I realize that he doesn't know any better, but I know the limitations that he'll have to live with and it makes me sad. I guess that's one sweetie, that won't be going anywhere, and will have a forever home with me.

~Elana~

[MiaCarter]

Aw, poor little guy.

He'll manage, I'm sure. He'll never know any different.
At least it's a birth defect vs. an injury. It breaks my heart to think of them being so little and hurting unnecessarily. I like to hope that they don't have developed nerve endings, so maybe it doesn't hurt as much as an adult.
Though when it is a break, it's such a blessing that it happens young because it heals up completely in a matter of days.

My Sydney's foot slips off on occasion too.
She gets noticeably better traction and prefers the more textured perches like the gritty ones. I'd have thought it would irritate her skin since she's putting pressure on what would be the human equivalent of her lower calf - not a weight bearing area. But she does just fine.
She really manages better than I thought she would.
She does spend a lot less time perched than the others. She often sits on the shelf or on top of the hut. So I'd make sure your little guy has a nice perch alternative.

[Atbird]

This happens to canaries sometimes. Occasionally the back toe will also point forward. That is easy to fix by taping the toe back for a few weeks. I can't tell from the pictures, but is the missing toe definitely the back one because sometimes it twists forward. You could also tape the twisted toe with one of the straight ones, their bones are very malleable at this age and could possibly right itself with some help.

By the way, he looks a lot cuter now that his feathers grew in

[lovezebs]

Atbird
Thanks, he is improving somewhat .

There are three toes all pointing forward, though the middle toe appears a bit misshapen as well. I'll try for a better picture tomorrow, and see what you think. If there is some way of taping the foot or the toes, so that he can have a chance of better balance and an ability to grasp with that foot, I'd be more than happy to tape it.

~Elana~

[lovezebs]

Atbird

Hi Anna

Here's a picture of his foot. Looking at it much closer today, I think it's one of the front toes that's actually missing, with the hind toe twisted forwards.

What I tried to do, is take this twisted hind toe and tape it lightly with a tiny strip of bandaid back in the right position. I really hope it stays. In a couple of days, I'll roll up some paper towel or kleenex and wrap his foot around it , and tape It that way, and see if we can get that foot to hold a normal perching position.

Elana, the orthopedic bird doctor . Sorry the picture, is blurred. I'll see if I can clear it up a bit and make it sharper.

~Elana~

[lovezebs]

Atbird

I don't know if that helps any.....

[Atbird]

lovezebs

That last picture looks like it's the back claw. If it is, that's good because he will do a lot better missing a front toe than the back toe. Here is a link on how to tape the claw (the condition is called "slip claw")

http://canarytales.blogspot.com/2009/05 ... -claw.html

[lovezebs]

Atbird
Thanks a lot Anna.
That is very encouraging and informative. Really appreciate the information. I might have to re-think my bandaging just a little, but I think I'm on the right track.
That foot and leg, might never be % 100, but if he can at least balance and perch a little, I'll be happy, and hopefully he'll be happier too.

Thanks again.
~Elana~

[lovezebs]

Hi All.

Well I taped the little fella's toe back where it belongs. It is definitely the back toe that's moved forward. When I took a really close look and counted all the little toes, I could see that the front left toe, is only one tiny digit.

So my poor little babe is hobbling around with a bandaged footsie. He doesn't look happy, but if it helps him get some use out of that foot, I think it's worth it.

@Atbird

Hi Anna.

How long do you think it will take, just an approximate (a week, a month....)

By the way, little Baby #2 fledged today. All his toes, are where they should be .

~Elana~