My budgie's foot is curled and injured. How can I help it heal?

Hi there. Sorry it has taken so long for someone to respond to your question. My best guess without seeing him is that he will be just fine. I cannot tell you whether or not the nail will grow back for sure but MOST LIKELY it will. It depends on whether or not the nail bed was damaged. I'm sure he is nibbling at it and holding it up because it hurts. It's best for him not to nibble on it so he may need to wear a special collar made for birds to prevent him from doing that. If the toe associated with that nail is swollen you should DEFINITELY take him to your vet for an examination. Be sure to use a vet that is used to treating birds. It sounds like you are very worried and if that is the case, there is nothing wrong with taking him in for an exam as a precaution. It may help to put your mind at ease. I hope this helps! Best of luck!

I am so sorry that this happened to you and Pluto! From the photos, Pluto appears to be putting weight on both of the legs, which is good news. Also, the toes are all about the same size from what I can see, which is good as well, as hopefully that means there is not too much swelling. Pluto may be painful on the toes, and that could be why he is holding them away from the other toes. You can do one of two things - you can monitor for the next 24 hours or so, and if there is any worsening of the signs (limping, not putting weight on the leg, or if the toes turn red or are bigger than the other toes), you can take Pluto to a veterinarian for evaluation. The second option is taking him to a veterinarian sooner to get him looked at, if you are concerned right now. At the veterinarian, they can take a feel of the legs and ensure there are no broken bones. If needed, they may recommend performing radiographs (x-rays) to evaluate this as well. They may prescribe pain medications as well, depending on what they find. Please do not give Pluto any human medications, as many of them are harmful to our feathered friends. I hope that gives you a place to start, and I hope Pluto feels better soon!

Ouch! That does sound like she's injured her foot. Until you can get to the vet, providing some low, flat perches that are easier to stand on (like a platform rather than having to curl her toes around it) and food and water dishes she can easily climb in and out of may help her relax the foot a bit and maintain her balance easier. Keeping her warm and preventing her from picking at or chewing on the foot can also help. If she's housed with other birds, moving her to a hospital cage to avoid being picked on is also a good idea.

Thanks for reaching out about Blu. What did it get bit by? If a mammal or open wounds, probably needs to see a veterinarian, at least for antibiotics. But also possible foot fracture and/or pain medications. Provide heat support due to cold weather. Good luck.

Your bird will probably need to have the nails trimmed about every 8-12 weeks. The toe in the picture does look a little abnormal but it is probably not because of the nail. If the toe is causing an issue I would recommend having your vet take a look at it. Xrays may need to be performed to revaluation the bone. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

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 should wrap the perches with some soft material so it is easier for him to perch, if the foot is not badly hurt it will heal within several days, if it is badly hurt you need to take him to an avian vet specialist to get it treated.