Hi,
I am fostering a young female cockatiel with curled toes. I assume this is the result of not perching enough? She is otherwise healthy, a little underweight (which I am working on with a special diet for her), extremely friendly and sweet, and very active. We had to modify her cage so she can easily climb to her food and water without too much trouble. She has to be kept alone at least at this point; we don't want another cockatiel in with her that may try to dominate her and get all of the food. We are trying to strengthen her feet, but is there really any way to correct her curled toes without veterinary attention?
And is there a medical term for this condition?
Thank you for your help.
It's highly unlikely this is caused by not perching enough earIy on. Perching is instinctual and really doesn't require long periods of practice for these birds (in my experience). I think a vet visit ( avian if at all possible) is advisable in this instance. If you're fostering thru a bird or other animal rescue they may have vets they work w who will reduce their fees in cases like this. Animals can't get well on love and good intentions. Professional intervention can be such a help, even a lifesaver. Please consider a vet check. Usually the sooner intervention is started the more successful it will be.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
Someone else mentioned horizontal bars and that may help but only if she can ever start climbing around. I might try placing perches low tho her tail feathers could put her off balance if they touch the floor. Btw, food and water dishes can left on the cage floor. They need to be heavy enough not to be tipped over or else secured to the cage bars.
Here's my crazy bird-lady talk regarding sandpaper perches:
Do not, under any circumstances, use sandpaper perch covers, cage liners or those rough cement-type perches. Bad, bad, bad for birds feet. Even tho it may not look like it to human eyes, psittacine (parrot species) skin is actually thinner than mammal skin. It is easily scrapped/abraded by having to chronically stand on such surfaces. If you are in doubt get a rubber or vinyl door mat. Use paint to cover it and apply as much sand as the paint will hold and let it dry. Now stand on it, move around on it in your bare feet. Not for the rest of your life like we expect our pet birds to do but for 30 minutes. Sandpaper perch covers are so beyond old-school --- we know better now thanks to modern avian medicine. It's just that not everyone has received the msg yet. Just because a store sells this product doesn't make it proper or safe for the animal. I do not knowingly buy products of any sort made by companies that sell sandpaper bird accessories. I don't want them to get any of my money.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com Thanks for reading my answer, sorry so long. I really have a thing about this sandpaper perch stuff, it makes me nuts. OMG don't even get me started on how bad bird grit/gravel is.=:/
Hope everything will work out successfully. This cockatiel is lucky to have your kindness.
Since she can't perch correctly, you will have to trim her nails more often than a normal bird that has a cement perch in its cage. Only an avian vet will be able to determine whether she can learn to climb, but it will help a lot if she is in a cage with horizontal bars. Never put another bird in with her. She can get a lot of social interaction by having a friendly cockatiel or parakeet (budgie) in an adjoining cage that doesn't touch hers. Good luck!
This is normal for birds. You can trim her toes, although you may need a vet to to it if it is your first time. You can also buy rough textured perches, as they wear down toes, but they can hurt the birds feet.
put sand on the floor and cover sand paper around the pearches it should help.
