Proper Foot Care

[Schelle]

Hi all,

I am hoping you wonderful people can tell me how best to look after Mitch's feet. Since he can't fly, those little feet are going to have to carry him around for the rest of his life :)

As I mentioned in the introduction thread, he has had a sore foot lately - it doesn't really seem to worry him - but it's my job to do the worrying, isn't it?

I can't see any marks or cuts on the foot, but it is slightly warmer than its partner. This may be because he's been keeping that foot tucked up in his tummy feathers. It is his right foot, and he is right-footed - that means it's the foot he uses to play and hold his peanut, while standing on his left foot.

He refuses to let me cut his nails, but he doesn't mind me playing with an emery board and filing them down evey now and then. It's a delicate balance between my scratched neck and shoulders, and his ability to hang on - which really depends on those sharp claws.

Do you wash or disinfect your bird's feet? I use dead gumtree branches in his cage - luckily we live on a property so I can collect them from the backyard... and I try to change them every week. Unfortunately I have been sick and busy with assignments lately, so he has had to put up with the furniture not changing. He seems to know when the week is up, and definitely wants his new branches every Sunday...

Anyway, I don't know what it is I need to ask, so any hints, tips or advice you can give me about 'parrot paws' will be greatly appreciated.

[Shirley]

Schelle, I will answer this later as soon as I have time.


Meanwhile, just water to clean his feet. No oils, lotions, or soaps.

A warmer foot indicates a fever -- an infection. Please see an avian vet about this, and meanwhile, no human medications or ointments for birds.

I clip the nails when they are long enough to be uncomfortably sharp when holding the bird. Have an avian vet show you how, and soon I will post a link to explain how.

~ Shirley :wub:

[Schelle]

Thanks Shirley,
I appreciate your advice. The foot is back to normal temperature today, which is good.

We used to breed guinea-pigs, and it was common for them to get little scratches on their feet which could easily get infected. With them, we washed the foot in a saline solution (salt and water) or if more serious, with diluted Betadine. I was wondering if the saline solution would be appropriate? (I don't let him drink it, and dry his feet thoroughly afterwards!) So far we have just used plain water, but I am curious about whether the salt would "toughen" the skin up a little - like the soldiers in New Guinea (WWII) washed their feet in Methylated Spirits to prevent fungal/bacterial infections?

He loves having his feet washed, and is quite co-operative about having the sharp tips filed off his nails every few weeks, but I am interested to know the proper technique for nail trimming, when you have time :)

Thanks again,
Schelle

[Jean]

I would not apply anything but clean water as Shirley suggested. I would not add any salt to it. Salt is not good for birds to eat and they often put a claw in their mouth.

I am glad to hear her foot temp feels fine today. You may still want to keep a watch on it.

[birdnerd]

I've noticed, particularly with Johnny and Lockheed seeing as they're still more often than Freebie, that if they've been sitting with their foot drawn up into their feathers, the standing foot is notably cooler than the tucked foot. Cool that he lets you use an emery board. I have to pin my goobers in a towel and trim their feet.

[Shirley]

I would not add any salt to it. Salt is not good for birds to eat and they often put a claw in their mouth.

I am glad to hear her foot temp feels fine today. You may still want to keep a watch on it.
Ditto what Jean said. Mother nature designed their feet to do what they do just perfectly fine. :thumbup:

[Shirley]

Feet and beak temps change all the time... but one foot always warmer than the other would indicate something could be going on in that foot. Sometimes feet are cool, sometimes warm. Same with beaks. They release body temp there. Same with dogs' and cats' noses and foot pads.

[Schelle]

Thanks all,


we seem to be back to normal today, with no tenderness in that foot at all :D I think thankfully it was just a little sprain... :heart:

I also changed all his branches today, so he is having a wonderful time pulling all the bark off and jumping back and forth...

I will keep your advice in mind, and stick to the H2O :thanx:

best wishes,
Schelle

[Jean]

I have also found if you feel the foot temp after on foot has been cuddled up to the body during relaxation, for any length of time it can be warmer then the other for a short time only.

Shirley, good to mention normal body temp changes!