My budgie has a foot wound, heavy breathing, and is lethargic. Help?

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.

Thanks for reaching out about Blueberry. It is not uncommon for budgies to have masses internally that put pressure on the nerve going to the leg, and these can be either gonadal or renal. Soft tissue or orthopedic problems should also be considered. A veterinary visit is needed for a diagnosis and treatment plan. Good luck.

It would be best to remove your male budgie and thoroughly clean the wound/stop the bleeding with pressure. You can then place him into a hospital cage to allow the wound to heal/keep an eye on it without your female picking at it further. Once healed, you can then start to reintroduce both birds back into the same cage. Adding in extra food, water, perches, toys, etc can help decrease competition over resources which may help decrease fighting as well. If the foot is at all bothersome, Tweety can't place weight on it, or the wound appears infected, having a vet take a look in person to treat, clean and prescribe any medications is best.

Thanks for reaching out about Blueberry. If lethargic and weak, a veterinary visit is recommended to provide some support care but also to investigate the bleeding, and possible antibiotics. Good luck.

Bumblefoot is very common in these little guys unfortunately, and there is no way to know for sure without seeing Puff. This would be my first guess. He really needs to be examined by a veterinarian, and likely needs to be on antibiotics and potentially a pain medication like Metacam. Hope that helps!

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.

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.