A Lesson For Me About Heat Lamps

[annague]

If you are squeamish it might be better if you didn't read any further, (fair warning).

I wanted to share something so people don't make the same mistake I did or can at least be aware of the dangers.

Occasionally, I hang a heat lamp on the side of a cage for extra heat during molting/for fledglings/etc. Normally I clamp the light (all of my extra lights are clamp-on's) to the side of the cage, adjust the angle of the lamp where I want it and done.

About a week ago I was horrified to discover, that during the night, a little BCCB hen had somehow gotten her leg stuck in the part of the clamp that was protruding through her cage.

Bless her heart, she was dangling there upside down and trying to fly away as I approached. I opened the clamp and caught her up gently. Her leg was bent totally backward and I knew it was broken and probably, ultimately gone since it had been pinched tightly up by her thigh.

She wasn't bleeding anymore but I applied some styptic powder to the wound anyway, put her in a hospital cage with electrolyte water & vitamins/food on the ground and heat (from the top) and hoped for the best. She was panting heavily, in shock and I wasn't sure she would make it.

I immediately moved my other clamp lights to the tops of the cages so no part of the clamp stuck through.

I didn't bother her the next few days except to make sure she was eating and drinking.

The next couple of days she got progressively better, her crest came back up, she stopped panting and I observed her using her wing as a "crutch" to compensate for the leg (still attached) that was stuck out straight behind her. She would sit on her belly in the little dishes to eat her eggfood and seed. A day later I noticed she was flying and balancing one-legged on the perches in the hospital cage, she was no longer using her wing to balance.

I caught her again today to view the broken leg and discovered that it had blackened and was splintered near the thigh. After careful examination I decided to amputate the dead limb. It was a successful operation and she didn't even flinch when I removed it (there was no bleeding -- the leg was truly dead).

Back into the hospital cage she went so I can make sure she continues to do well without her leg.

I wanted to let folks know about those clamps on the clamp lights -- so no one has to go through what I had to with my brave little girl.

[nelloyello11]

Wow! I'm sorry that you and your hen had to go through that, Anna. I'm very glad you found her when you did and that the damage was not lethal. Good save and thank you for sharing. I will remember this any time I have to set up a heat lamp, as I also use the clamp ones!

[lovemyfinch]

Thanks for sharing this with everyone Anna.
I am glad you were able to get to her before the situation was any worse.

[finchmix22]

Anna,
That is a good point and a great save! I put my heat lamps on the top of the cages, resting on a block of wood, so the metal cage bars do not get too hot, as lots of my finches like to hang from the top and side bars. I never have been able to get the clamp part to work for me, so maybe that is a good thing.

[L in Ontario]

Glad to hear she is recovering. If there's a way for finches to get caught, they will surely find it.

[CandoAviary]

Sorry for the mishap. I agree, if a finch can get caught in something, sooner than later it will I use the clamp ons sometimes but I always clamp it to a heavy flower pot (empty) this keeps it aff the cage and keeps the light more balanced from the weighted base... I have had the clamp get loose and gradually bend until it was touching the cage, getting the area too hot and even posing a fired hazard
Lately I use a desk lamp with the bendable neck and a low watt bulb.
I only put heat on handfeds or hospital cages so this small lamp workd well for small cages.
Sure hope your little hen recovers well, most do just fine with one leg

[monotwine]

So sorry to hear of the little ones mishap. Glad it turned out ok and that she is recovering.

[annague]

Thank you, everyone. I appreciate your well-wishes and comments. She continues to do fine and seems a little relieved that her bum leg is gone.

Liz, I am beginning to discover that !! -- (If there is a way for finches to get caught they will find it!)

Never a dull moment!

I need to develop an eye to "safety finch proof" all my cages and will keep some of the suggestions made in mind for that purpose.

[DCbeachboy]

Oh, wow Anna.....sorry to hear about your ordeal, but relieved to know you were able to save her -- she's one lucky gal! Good job.

Thanks for the warning. I had bought a clamp-on heat lamp back during the winter, thinking my birds could use a little extra spot-warmth if they chilled....but I could never seem to get it clamped onto the cage so that I was comfortable that it wasn't a fire hazard. After instead placing a space heater beside the cage, I ended up throwing the clamp-on lamp back in the box it came in, and had intended to return it....but completely forgot about it until your post. And there it sits. After reading of your ordeal, I doubt I'll ever want to use it now, though Candace's flowerpot idea seems like a good possible solution.

Coincidentally, while eating at an outdoor cafe during vacation last week in Norway, I noticed a one-legged wild chickadee (?) hopping up to my table. (See photos below.) While feeding her bread crumbs, I was amazed at how well she seemed to have adapted to her handicap. I realized that my birds often spend much of their resting time on one foot anyway, so maybe she is not at as much of a disadvantage as she appeared -- she really was clearly functioning quite normally. I hope the same will be true of yours. I suspect that as long as birds still have the ability to fly, they will be just fine.

[finchmix22]

Such a great pic and yet sad too. But, also inspiring! I feel like Pumba. LOL

[annague]

Thanks for sharing and for the encouragement, Dave! (love the pictures and hope you're having a wonderful vacation!)

I felt really bad about her losing her leg -- it's my fault that I didn't protect my baby better from potential hazards in her environment. But, I learned from the situation and THAT won't happen again.

She is doing very well -- balancing great on her remaining leg and very perky. But still, she is handicapped now so I will need to make accomodation for her with some low, soft perches and easy access food dishes. No problem for me.

[nelloyello11]

Anna, if you don't mind sharing (if not, I understand), could you briefly explain how you did the amputation of the dead leg? In the unfortunate event that me (or someone else) might need to do this in the future, it could be useful info?

[annague]

Nelissa, I don't mind at all I just didn't put details in earlier because some people might not want to hear them. (My sister, for instance, passes out when someone takes blood from her).

I got a good strong lamp, some styptic powder in case of any bleeding, some Neosporin Ointment and a tiny pair of sharp surgical scissors and some medical tape to bind it up if it bled (which I didn't have to use).

I was holding Bluebell so she couldn't move (but gently) and I stretched out her injured foot very carefully so I could see the injury site. I actually cut some feathers away so I could see/feel where the bone was going. Below the injury the skin of her leg was black -- the leg had no blood circulation and had essentially 'died'.
I snipped through the leg about 1/4" below the break and applied the neosporin. (There was no bleeding).

That was it! (Hope it never happens to you).

[nelloyello11]

Nelissa, I don't mind at all I just didn't put details in earlier because some people might not want to hear them. (My sister, for instance, passes out when someone takes blood from her).

My sister is the same way! Though she has gotten better since she has had kids I think. Me, though, all of the gooey medically stuff has always fascinated me...

I also hope I never have to use this info, but in the event that I do, thank you very much for sharing.

[Ursula]

Wow, Anna, I'm glad your little one is ok now!

Talk about getting caught in anything: Just a few days ago one of my spice finches managed to get caught in a piece of millet spray!! I just found him in time also hanging upside down. Since I had him already I clipped his nails, but they weren't overly long and I have no idea how he was able to tangle that toe up in a piece of millet...

Dave, this wasn't a chicadee but a White Wagtail. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Wagtail Amazing that he's able to get around in the wild with one leg only!