My African Grey has a swollen toe and lifts his foot. What's wrong?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I can see that Baby is missing a toe nail and that the toe is swollen. There is a little bit of caked on feces, but the toe itself is swollen. It is also concerning that the nail has come off and that the toe itself is somewhat gray, as this can be a sign of necrosis, or tissue death. This may have been caused by increased pressure on the foot, so you should definitely try to keep a variety of perches in the cage. This may have been due to trauma from Baby's previous environment, so you should keep a close eye on the area, and have her seen by a vet if the gray color begins to spread. I hope all is well!

I am concerned that your lovebird has an infection in the foot or in the joints of the foot. Sometimes if the infection becomes severe can spread into the bone which makes it very painful and more difficult heal. I would recommend taking your bird to be examined by your veterinarian. She may need to do x-rays to determine the extent of the infection and see if it has traveled into the bone. Your bird will likely need to be put on an antibiotic for a while to help clear up the infection as well. Your veterinarian can also prescribe pain medication so your lovebird can be more comfortable while the infection is healing. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Thanks for reaching out about your parakeet and including photos. The feet deformities are likely developmental problems but could also have an underlying viral etiology. Same for the feather loss. A veterinary visit could help with some diagnostics but keep this bird separated from other, if viral could be contagious. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Bran and including photos. The toe also seems to be luxated and deviated medially (twisted). This could be primary swelling and inflammation from that trauma or a secondary infection. Infections can be bacterial or viral (pox). Pox viruses are generally self limiting but secondary infections need to be controlled. A topical antibiotic can be applied in a thin layer. Keep environment clean. If lesion worsens, a veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

If you could upload a photo of your entire bird from the side with his legs visible and a close-up photo of the leg in question we can look at it and attempt to find out what is going on. It would also help to know for how long he has had this condition.

It sounds like your bird may have bumblefoot, or an infection of the foot which can cause oozing of debris, pus, blood, etc. Other possible causes can include a sprain or break to the foot. If you see a visible wound, you can try soaking the foot in epsom salts and then using an antiseptic like blu-kote, however if it is badly infected or broken this is something that needs to be seen by a veterinarian immediately as severe infections can make a bird ill very quickly and potentially lead to death. Until you can get to your vet, keeping Sunapana warm and in a hospital cage without perches and with food and water dishes that are easy to is best.

Poor Abood! You didn't mention if you received these medications from a vet, but if they were home remedies and haven't helped, it's time to visit one. It's possible there is an infection in the foot that needs to be drained, or a break or sprain of the foot itself that requires treatment. In the meantime, if you suspect an infection, Epsom salt soaks can help, as can removing all perches (to prevent a fall) and making food/water dishes easy to get in and out of so Abood isn't trying to use the foot to get around which may cause more injury. Soft bedding at the bottom of the cage can help keep him comfortable. However, seeking out a vet in person that can examine the foot, X-ray if needed, and provide additional treatment is best.