# I'm worried about my baby cockatiels feet



## Deviant (Mar 1, 2012)

I've just recently got my hands on a 3 week old cockatiel (Marsh) and I'm worried about it's feet, they don't look right. Two of the outer toes on each foot are basically fused together by a piece of skin, and marsh is constantly moving around with all but one toe curled in and on the joints of its legs. I'm wondering if this'll go away as marsh gets older? Or is it a defect? I can't get a clear picture of the feet because marsh will freak out when I bring the camera out or will just not sit still long enough. :\ I'm quiet worried about this.


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

I don't know what to say about her feet but I'm sure others will be on who can help. I just wanted to say I hope everything will be okay.


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## DyArianna (Aug 7, 2011)

I know that you said Marsh will not sit still for pics. But unfortunately, being the Internet.. unless we have pics to go by, some of the Experts will probably not be able to advise you to well. The only advice I can give you, is to find a local Avian Vet and have the babe checked out.


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## Boolove (Mar 1, 2012)

My cockatiel Boo (eight years old) has a weird birth defect also. It doesn't sound as extreme as your case though. Boo has never been able to move her feet, they're just kind of limp all of the time. She can walk, but she'll trip over her toes, and she can't perch on small perches or hold her food with her feet. She's pretty used to it though, and it doesn't get in the way of her doing her birdy thing. We never clip her wings because she loses her balance and falls really easily, so just be careful with that. I would suggest taking Marsh to the vet if you can, just to see if there is anything going on. When we took Boo to the vet initially they didn't seem surprised, so I guess birth defects affecting the feet aren't that uncommon. As long as you don't mind accommodating your handicapped baby!


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

We can't tell you anything without pictures but it sounds like a birth defect. If it's just a piece of skin holding the toes in an odd position (sort of like the webbing on a duck's foot), it sounds like the vet could fix it pretty easily by removing the abnormal skin. If there's more to the problem than that then the vet is probably still going to be your best resource.

Please have the baby seen by a vet ASAP. Some problems can be fixed easily if they're taken care of while the baby is young and growing, but turn into a permanent incurable problem if not addressed promptly.


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## brittbritt (Oct 25, 2008)

If it's something the vet can't help with this baby's feet don't give up hope. A few of my birds have feet/leg deformities and have learned to get around really well and have great quality of life.


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## Deviant (Mar 1, 2012)

Okay so this is both her feet, they're the best shot I could get. But yeah, those three toes on both feet are stuck together and the nails curled up under her foot.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

You should take Marsh to the vet to have the toes separated..hopefully that will help the baby's feet function normally.


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## Deviant (Mar 1, 2012)

Well I have a vet appointment for Marsh, they said that they're going to check the joints and ask a specialist about how they should go about it. So fingers crossed there's not too much bone/nerve to worry about.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

The skin between the toes does look abnormal. The curling of the toes might be related to this, but it's also possible that it's a separate problem related to poor nutrition in infancy. Please check out this thread: http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=26532 The most relevant part starts on page 2.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

Hopefully the webbing is just skin and no nerve endings or anything..that would be the best situation for her. I feel like if left for too long it would cause atrophy to her muscles since she can't spread her toes or use them normally. I'm glad you've gotten her an appointment. Please let us know how the appointment goes.


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

Wow, I have never seen anything like that before! I hope it can be fixed, all the best.


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## Deviant (Mar 1, 2012)

I shall let everyone know what the vet has to say when I go in next week  I'm hoping to have this problem fixed as soon as possible.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

In looking at the pix the main problem is due to malnutituon. ..first with the parents diet prior to the egg beung laid...thus defeciencies in the egg...and then after the chick hatched...by what the chuck was fed.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using Tapatalk


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

Good luck with your vet appointment. Let us know how things go.


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## brittbritt (Oct 25, 2008)

Good luck with the appointment from us too. I hope it can be easily fixed by the vet.


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## Deviant (Mar 1, 2012)

I know this is an older thread now, but I just thought I'd let everyone know that things went well at the vet, Marsh is to go in for an operation to seperate her toes on the 22nd of this month (date may change depending on money) and that they'll do her feet over a period of two weeks each, allowing her each foot to heal. There's no promises that this will give her function of her other toes, but fingers crossed it does since she's eager to start perching but is still unable to get a real grip.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Even if she doesn't get full function in the toes she will still be better off than she was before. I'm glad that you're getting her the help she needs!


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## Deviant (Mar 1, 2012)

Yeah I'm quiet keen to get those toes out from under her, they're cutting open the skin there and causing her a lot of discomfort right now. It's really sad to know she's in pain alot of the time so I'm glad to get it all fixed sooner rather then later!


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## meaggiedear (Nov 20, 2011)

Awe. Let us know how she progresses with it.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

Keep us updated, fingers crossed all goes well!


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

Wishing you good luck with the surgery. Keep us posted.


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## Deviant (Mar 1, 2012)

Alright! Marsh had her operation today, and it went smooth. The vet only did one foot for the moment though, and they're going to do the other one when this one heals up a bit (so in a week or two) The vet said that she's not sure that marsh'll have complete function of all her toes though, because some of the joints aren't as they should be, and possible other deformaties in her foot area. But I suppose time will tell and hopefully her climbing chances went up!


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## RexiesMuM (Sep 7, 2011)

Glad the operation went well hope she recovers quickly . I almost wonder if she could be inbred ? I know some deformities can be linked with inbreeding in all kinds of animals


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## Deviant (Mar 1, 2012)

It could be possible, I wasn't really given any background history of the birds and wasn't told much about her either when I got her. So I really couldn't say >.<


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## meaggiedear (Nov 20, 2011)

Yay! Im glad it went well.


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

Wonderful news, I hope that the second operation all goes smoothly too, and she has more function in both feet. Sending lots of good thoughts her way!


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

I'm glad the surgery went well. I hope Marsh has a speedy recovery!


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## Oni (Feb 20, 2012)

Awww hope it goes well with the other foot and will check back for updates x


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

Fingers crossed she gains use of her foot and that the othher surgery goes well!


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## Deviant (Mar 1, 2012)

Well Marsh just had her second operation yesterday. The vets this time cut further up then they did on her first foot, because two of the toes on her left foot are pretty much useless. They just wanted to see if she's get just a little bit of use out of them. The vet actually wanted to take off one of her outer toes, to free up the other toes curled up under her foot, but couldn't because of blood loss. She gets her stitches out in the next fortnight, and she has another check up next week to see how she's going. So, fingers crossed her feet begin to improve after all of this is over.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

I'm glad everything went well..if there is going to be improvement it may take some time since muscle atrophy could've set in. You might wiggle her toes (i know it sounds funny) for her a few times a day to encourage movement.


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## brittbritt (Oct 25, 2008)

I wish your baby the best of luck in healing. She'll be in my thoughts.


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

Sending good thoughts to your little tiel. I hope she heals quickly.


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## mishkaroni (Jan 6, 2012)

Best of luck to your tough little Marsh. Sounds like a trooper!


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