My bird's legs are not working. Is it paralyzed? What should I do?

In older small birds, strokes can sometimes cause the use of legs and the inability to grip or perch properly. Other potential causes can include calcium deficiency (which if she isn't on a balanced diet may be possible), bacterial infections such as Aspergillosis, viral illnesses, toxins and even diseases contracted from wild birds if Snowy has had access to the outdoors or with wild birds. If you haven't seen an avian vet specialist, or had any blood work done, that may be your next best step in figuring out what is wrong. Changing Snowy's environment some, such as including flatter or platform-like perches may also help with mobility so that she can continue to have access to food and water.

Thanks for reaching out about Bhola. Weak or paralyzed legs in older parakeets are often associated with renal or gonadal masses that impinge on the nerves that supply the legs. Potent anti-inflammatories might help shrink the masses but probably will not cure. Quality of life should be considered. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Pablo. This could either be a leg injury (fracture, luxation, neurologic) or an enlarged organ (kidney, testicle) placing pressure on nerve to that leg. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. For now, remove perches and place a thick towel on the bottom of the cage on which to stand. Place food and water within reach. Good luck.

If she seems paralysed I would call your vet. Hopefully it is just temporary but the dosages of medication in birds are very sensitive so maybe she got too much, or possibly she was hurt when you restrained her to give her the meds?

It would be best to seek veterinary care ASAP so that your bird can be treated and any medications such as pain meds and antibiotics given. In the future, making sure that there aren't bars or objects where the leg can get stuck and harmed can help prevent the accident from happening again in the future.

Hello! If your female bird is trying to escape your male bird, I would recommend keeping them separated. Frustrated and scared birds often hurt themselves attempting to escape situations. When a bird holds up their leg, it is the equivalent of a human limping and is a sign of pain. I would recommend taking her into be seen by an avian vet. They will likely recommend x-rays. The x-rays will ensure that she has no broken bones, as well as looking at her abdominal organs. Abdominal problems are a common cause of leg issues in birds because their abdominal organs are on top of their sciatic (leg) nerve. They will likely recommend an anti-inflammatory to help with her pain and make other treatment recommendations based off of x-rays and physical exam. I hope this helps! Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

If the leg is currently broken, it needs to be seen by a veterinarian right away as breaks in bird bones can lead to serious infection. If it was broken or deformed in the past but now healed, there may not be much that can be done for it, but a vet can still take a look. Otherwise, changing Parrot's environment so it is easier for him to perch, get around, get into and out of food and water dishes, etc may help.