# Cockatiel got his foot injured, things to watch for?



## timk (Mar 26, 2017)

My 1-1/2 year old cockatiel, Beaker:cinnamon:, got his foot hurt yesterday. He got the big front toe on his right foot caught under my computer chair on wheels. In retrospect, he was lucky it was only the tip of one toe, and not his whole foot or worse.

His toe was bleeding, so I put some stop-bleeding powder on it, but he was chewing on his foot and made it bleed again. I got him into his small travel cage, my wife called the vet, and I took him about 8 miles to the office. During that time, he was climbing all over the inside of the cage, as he usually does, getting blood everywhere. 

Once at the vet, she checked him out and said the same thing, She stopped the bleeding but he chewed on it and started it again. So she put one of those thick paper neck funnel collars on him so he couldn't reach his foot. After that the bleeding stopped. We got 2 medicines, Baytril and Meloxiam, to give him by syringe once a day for 3 and 5 days.

Once home, I put all his food and water on the floor of his big cage, and a towel to sit on. He didn't like his collar funnel thing.

I'll keep an eye on his foot and how he handles it.

Overnight, he slept some but obviously not well as after giving him his morning medicines and taking the collar off, he went up on his usual perch and went back to sleep.

His foot seems ok, nothing broken, but I'm sure it's sore. He walks and climbs on it. I noticed he was sleeping with the injured foot lifted up.

This adventure cost me $122.52 . Thanks Beaker, maybe you'll stay out from under the chair next time!


----------



## Lore (Dec 5, 2016)

Oh no! Get well soon Beaker!
Were you sitting on the desk chair when his foot got stuck? He's very lucky that it didn't seem broken or anything! 
Maybe best to not let your tiel get out of your eyesight when he walks around on the floor, at least while his foot is healing? To make sure his accident doesn't repeat itself.
Puck sleeps with one of his feet pulled up, too  I think that's normal for tiels when they are feeling relaxed and comfortable.

Your story reminds me of when Puck recently hurt his nose by flying into a window and then fall into a plant. It bled a little, but thankfully he was okay otherwise. At least he finally seems to stay further away from windows now...


----------



## timk (Mar 26, 2017)

A day later, and Beaker :cinnamon:seems ok. He can walk around and climb his ladders, but once in position he keeps his right foot off the ground, I am sure his toe is sore. It could have easily been a lot worse.

We give him his medicine each morning, and I gave him a birdbath today to get the blood off his feathers, once he dried off he seems ok, aside from a sore foot.


----------



## Lore (Dec 5, 2016)

Glad to hear he's climbing around like normal again 
His foot will probably be sore for another few days, but hopefully things will improve for him soon!


----------



## timk (Mar 26, 2017)

It's been a few days, and Beaker :cinnamon: seems to be doing better. He was a little crabby yesterday, but is getting back to normal today. He still lifts his hurt foot up when sitting sometimes, but he walks and climbs ladders like normal.


----------



## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Is he being given anti-inflammatory meds? When Coco sprained his leg as a baby, the vet prescribed him some, and within two weeks he was using it like normal again.


----------



## timk (Mar 26, 2017)

Yes, the vet gave him Meloxicam and Baytril for 3 and 5 days each. My wife would have to hold him while I gave him his meds in a syringe. Aiming towards the right side of his mouth (from his point of view), as I read online.

UPDATE -- About 4 days ago, Beaker :cinnamon: seemed to be more or less back to normal. I was giving him his bath in the bathtub, when I noticed he lost the remnant of his claw from his injured toe, and it started bleeding again. This time, my wife and I got his paper collar and put it on him quickly, and put his toe in the clotting powder. Beaker didn't like it when the powder touched his foot, maybe it stings or something.

She took him back to the vet, and they let her off easy for only $30 this time. The last part of his claw fell out.

By the next day, his toe, although clawless, seemed ok, he was walking on it and using it. Now today, 4 days later, I noticed that a new claw is beginning to grow, so maybe it will be as good as new eventually.


----------



## Lore (Dec 5, 2016)

Good to hear Beaker seems to be doing well!  Does he pull his foot up a lot, still?

The new claw might be slightly weird looking at first, like when we lose a nail when we get our fingers get stuck and a new one grows in. If it bothers Beaker, you could have the vet trim it a little so the weird part comes off, or do it yourself.


----------



## timk (Mar 26, 2017)

He does pull his foot up when resting, but he also walks on it and uses it normally. I've seen him scratching his head with both feet.


----------

