I bought a crested Society yesterday and upon getting him home it seems he is a good bit splayed legged. I didn't notice him looking like that in the store, but maybe I was just so happy to see a crested Society I didn't notice, but I think I would have seen something like that.
It occurred to me that perhaps he could have been injured in the capturing process? They were flying around quite a bit in a small cage at PetsMart, and of course they tried to catch the bird with a net that was almost as big as the cage. I'm wondering if the net could have caught his leg just right, or if he could have twisted it or something, causing the now splayed appearance. He doesn't seem to be in any pain and he gets around halfway decently, though it looks like he struggles a bit when perched on the sides of the cage with the mesh. He doesn't seem to have problems on the bottom of the cage or on perches.
If this is an injury from him being caught, what should I do?
If he's just naturally splayed legged, is there anything that can be done for him? I don't think he's a juvenile, as he's in full plumage, but I don't know how old he is at all.
Should birds with splayed legs be bred?
Splayed Legged
-
flrancho
- Novice Nester
- Posts: 438
- Joined: Sat Jan 22, 2011 5:12 pm
- Location: Central Florida
-
6finchfriends
- Proven
- Posts: 2346
- Joined: Sat Mar 19, 2011 12:21 am
- Location: Southworth Washington
Re: Splayed Legged
I have a bowlegged Zebra and it hasn't stopped him from doing everything the other finches do. if he's banded it should say what year he was born I think. I don't know if there is anything you can do for an adult. Otherwise I think he would live a normal healthy life and be a good daddy if you breed.
Trish
8 adorable Society finch ~ 4 beautiful Gouldian finch
~1 Cockatoo~1 Sun Conure~1 Green Cheek Conure~1 Parotlet~1 dog~ many pond fish & a 7ft Red Tailed Boa, Little Niki
8 adorable Society finch ~ 4 beautiful Gouldian finch
~1 Cockatoo~1 Sun Conure~1 Green Cheek Conure~1 Parotlet~1 dog~ many pond fish & a 7ft Red Tailed Boa, Little Niki
-
ac12
- Molting
- Posts: 6421
- Joined: Mon Feb 23, 2009 9:39 pm
- Location: California, SF Bay Area
Re: Splayed Legged
I think you have 14 days to return a bird to PetSmart.
Some birds will do OK, others will deteriorate. I have a female zebra that was slightly splayed before mating, and after the last clutch, one leg went out and just did not get back under her very well. She has slowly gone downhill since. She sometimes has a hard time moving about the cage now.
You could put perches made of branches. But what you want is lots of texture, so when they perch, the foot will GRAB onto the branch and not slide. Wooden dowels and plastic perches are slippery enough that the foot won't grab well enough and the leg will spread appart, making the problem worse.
I don't "think" that splayed leg is genetic.
I think it is environmental.
Some birds will do OK, others will deteriorate. I have a female zebra that was slightly splayed before mating, and after the last clutch, one leg went out and just did not get back under her very well. She has slowly gone downhill since. She sometimes has a hard time moving about the cage now.
You could put perches made of branches. But what you want is lots of texture, so when they perch, the foot will GRAB onto the branch and not slide. Wooden dowels and plastic perches are slippery enough that the foot won't grab well enough and the leg will spread appart, making the problem worse.
I don't "think" that splayed leg is genetic.
I think it is environmental.
Gary
gouldians (GB,YB,BB), blackbelly firefinches (trying to breed), societies (foster parents).
red factor canary
gouldians (GB,YB,BB), blackbelly firefinches (trying to breed), societies (foster parents).
red factor canary