# cockatiel broke leg/'s



## i am not human (Sep 22, 2010)

this morning i woke up hearing my cockatiel flying around the cage (im guessing she got scared/ had nightmares,ect), i uncovered the cage and she was laying on the ground where she couldn't move..i think she broke her leg by hitting the cage so hard from flying.
after that she started trying to bite her foot off from the pain so i took her out the cage and warped her legs & claws in bandaids after cutting them into small pieces. im still not sure if she broke 1 or both legs but she been sliding at the bottom of the cage by using her beak.
now sleeping at the bottom of the cage with her legs behind her.


i know i should take it to the vet & i feel horrible for not going but i only have $40 to my name and currently unemployed. i just hope it heals and hope she stay alive 


anyone have any tips to help her leg/legs heal?


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## tielmom (Aug 4, 2010)

Oh no...this sounds very bad...I do not know what you can possibly do for her except take her to the avian vet...This is so sad, she is probably in some pretty bad pain right now 
Is there anyone who could help you out with the money to take her to the vet...she needs to see on asap?


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## i am not human (Sep 22, 2010)

tielmom said:


> Oh no...this sounds very bad...I do not know what you can possibly do for her except take her to the avian vet...This is so sad, she is probably in some pretty bad pain right now
> Is there anyone who could help you out with the money to take her to the vet...she needs to see on asap?


i was told by someone that it'll heal after a few days, but i guess not

im going try to trade in my ps3 and take her to the vet 

thanks for the fast response


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Wrapping the feet is going to further stress the bird. When a bird is stressed out this can lead to secondary health problems. I would suggest that you unwrap her feet and try and keep her in a quiet place where she can calm down.

How old is she? Has she ever laid eggs before? Quite possibly loss of the motor skills in the legs could be a sign of egg binding...which is from an egg stuck in the uterus which can pinch a nerve that can effect a leg. If a chronic layer there is also a risk of an embolism resulting from circulating yolk in the body that has reached the brain and will cause stroke like symptoms, and parralysis in the legs.

A baby aspirin (1) dissolved in a pint of water and used it the drinking water will help to alleviate pain. And if an embolism is suspected it will help break down circulating blood clots, which can be fatal.


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## i am not human (Sep 22, 2010)

srtiels said:


> Wrapping the feet is going to further stress the bird. When a bird is stressed out this can lead to secondary health problems. I would suggest that you unwrap her feet and try and keep her in a quiet place where she can calm down.
> 
> How old is she? Has she ever laid eggs before? Quite possibly loss of the motor skills in the legs could be a sign of egg binding...which is from an egg stuck in the uterus which can pinch a nerve that can effect a leg. If a chronic layer there is also a risk of an embolism resulting from circulating yolk in the body that has reached the brain and will cause stroke like symptoms, and parralysis in the legs.
> 
> A baby aspirin (1) dissolved in a pint of water and used it the drinking water will help to alleviate pain. And if an embolism is suspected it will help break down circulating blood clots, which can be fatal.


shes about 3 years old, maybe 4

ok ill take the bandaid off and move the cage to a quiet room & ill try the asprin in water thing later.
yeah she have 4 eggs in the cage with her now she's been sitting on the past couple days


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

OK...it sounds like your problem may be an egg-bound hen. This can be fatal if not taken care of. You mentioned selling something to drum up $$ for a vet visit...you might want to do that.


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## tielmom (Aug 4, 2010)

I really hope everything will be okay and that you are able to sell you ps3...please keep us posted.


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

i hope she gets better


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## Cheryl (Dec 27, 2008)

I'm so sorry. 
Hope you can get her to get checked out ASAP. Try to go to an avian vet. I'm not sure where you are located, otherwise I would help you find one.


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## joann46 (Sep 20, 2010)

If she might die I would contact a bird rescue.They may be able to help you with a vet that will take payments..Or you could surrender her to them so they can help her..I know thats drastic but sometimes its better for the animal.


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## Jess (Jun 20, 2010)

I was thinking along the same line as Joann46, we have a charity called the PDSA over here that helps people on benefits, they just make a small donation. Does she have a mate you didn't mention one?

If her legs were broken it would be quite obvious if she has pink legs as a broken leg goes black. I had a heavy Tiel break a leg during a night fright, I took her took the vet who just prescribed pain relief no cast because it was right for that break to heal as it was. If two legs were broken you couldn't do that because they would mend in that position you say she is sitting in. I'm thinking either it's something to do with egg laying as srtiels says or she has injured her back, whatever it is she needs urgent treatment.


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## i am not human (Sep 22, 2010)

Jess said:


> I was thinking along the same line as Joann46, we have a charity called the PDSA over here that helps people on benefits, they just make a small donation. Does she have a mate you didn't mention one?
> 
> If her legs were broken it would be quite obvious if she has pink legs as a broken leg goes black. I had a heavy Tiel break a leg during a night fright, I took her took the vet who just prescribed pain relief no cast because it was right for that break to heal as it was. If two legs were broken you couldn't do that because they would mend in that position you say she is sitting in. I'm thinking either it's something to do with egg laying as srtiels says or she has injured her back, whatever it is she needs urgent treatment.


yes she has a mate, i put them in different cages since her injury ....and her legs not black (well at least not yet)

i decided to wait another day to see if she heal because she seems to not being in much pain... she basically using her beak to drag her body around the cage, she even dragged herself over to her eggs to sit on them & fall asleep (which makes me think she's not in much pain?) her legs just seem to not be moving, im kind of thanking her legs got caught in the grill at the bottom so i just line the cage news paper and put her back in..... something like this happened before when she flew around the cage and hurt her wings, if she gets better ill just leave her uncovered while she sleep so she don't panic

anyway i can't explain the position shes laying in but i took some pics


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## Jess (Jun 20, 2010)

Can you feel a lump/swollen above her vent? If it feel hollow/flat than it might be not an egg problem. How was her health before this and what are her dropping like (picture w.ould be helpful)

If it's not an egg then it could be a back injury from the fall.
A liver/kidney tumour/infection pressing on the nerves causing the loss of leg use.
Pssiticosis, due to the liver getting enlarged with pssiticosis it can bring about lameness.
Bear in mind Cockatiels don't always show signs of pssitcosis, they carry it very well.
You could hope it's a back injury that will heals but I think you might want to investigate this otherwise you will have to look after a permanantly disabled bird until her demise.


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## Cheryl (Dec 27, 2008)

When was the last time she laid an egg? Have you been giving her calcium?
Waiting too long may end up causing her her life.. 
Honestly, I suspect she is paralyzed from egg binding. Don't try to remove it yourself.. that could result in instant death.

Here is a link to Susanne's (srtiels) article on egg binding..
http://justcockatiels.weebly.com/egg-related-problems.html

Here is another link:
http://www.cockatielcottage.net/binding.html

I would not keep waiting for a miracle to happen. A vet visit or placing her in a bird rescue needs to be done to make sure her life can be saved.


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## i am not human (Sep 22, 2010)

Jess said:


> Can you feel a lump/swollen above her vent? If it feel hollow/flat than it might be not an egg problem. How was her health before this and what are her dropping like (picture w.ould be helpful)
> 
> If it's not an egg then it could be a back injury from the fall.
> A liver/kidney tumour/infection pressing on the nerves causing the loss of leg use.
> ...


felt her vent and it's flat, health was pretty good , droppings are regular when shes in the cage but very large when im holding her or when shes out the cage but im guessing that's from nervousness.. 


thanks for the help, never heard of pssiticosis but ill look it up and read on it.


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## i am not human (Sep 22, 2010)

Cheryl said:


> When was the last time she laid an egg? Have you been giving her calcium?
> Waiting too long may end up causing her her life..
> Honestly, I suspect she is paralyzed from egg binding. Don't try to remove it yourself.. that could result in instant death.
> 
> ...


 she laid a egg less than a week ago.
i've been feeding her healthy bird treats every once in a while but not sure if it has calcium in it but she had a cuttlebone a 3-4 weeks ago 


ill check out the articles & ill go get her checked at a vet real soon


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

The legs do not look broke. They would be loose and floppy looking and the toes would start to look darker because of lack of blood flow.

Another cause for parralysis is from heavy metal or zinc toxicity.

Many times you can phone around several vets and describe what is going on and ask if they will work with you in regards to setting up a payment plan if you have a credit card.


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