My bird's foot is itchy and bleeding from scratching. What to do?

Poor bird! If the foot is at all infected, trying to find a vet that can help in person is best. However, until you can find one, it is a good idea to separate the bird from any cage mates to keep from being picked on, and move him to a warm hospital cage with larger, flat perches that will make perching easier on his feet. Keeping the foot clean and dry and using an ointment such as Blu-kote (most feed and pet stores carry this for use in poultry and other birds) can help prevent infection. You can also Google how to make a bird-sized Elizabethan (cone) collar to put on the bird so that he can't get to his foot and bite it while it heals.

You can mist him with warm water to encourage preening. This will promote healthy plunage. If he continues to itch, it may due to mites or infection. These would require an exam with your veterinarian for confirmation. Mites can be treated with an over the counter spray. Read labels v\carefully to confirm the chosen product can be used on birds. Clean and sanitize the cage, bowls, perches and toys. Discard anything that cannot be sanitized. Change the cage paper daily. If an infection (bacterial or fungal) is diagnosed, your vet can prescribe the appropriate medication.

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.

It is good that you separated the bird being picked on. If he is actively bleeding, injured, or the sites of his wounds appear to be infected, then it is best to bring him to a vet and have him treated with antibiotics as needed. Until you can get to the vet, keeping him separate, cleaning any wounds of any debris or oozing, and preventing him from picking at the wounds can help some.

Hi, It looks like Charm’s foot had trauma that caused a break in the skin (hence the bleeding). What you are seeing now looks like a scab that needs to heal. I would suspect Charm is in some degree of pain or discomfort and I can’t rule out that a bone may have been broken, so a trip to the veterinarian for an exam and pain medications (and perhaps antibiotics) would be best. In the meantime, keep the foot clean and dry as the scabs heal, lower any perches if she seems hesitant to weight bear, and make sure she eats and drinks well.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely an infection site. This warrants a veterinary evaluation for further assessment and treatment. If they determine that antibiotics would be best, they could prescribe them at that time. Good luck and have a great day!

Apply gentle pressure with a wet(cold water) towel and disinfect the area with salt water, or by using an hibiscrub or betadine solution (you can find them in boots - store). A check up then would be ideal to determine the underlying source of the bleeding and have appropriate treatment options.