My cockatiel's foot isn't gripping & nail broke. Any home remedies?

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.

Follow directions for application on the container. Some sprays can be used directly on the bird (avoiding the eyes, nose and mouth), others cannot. Clean and sanitize her cage, bowls, perches and toys. Discard anything that cannot be sanitized. Change the cage paper or substrate daily. Provide a mineral block, pumice stone or cuttlebone to maintain beak length. Your avian veterinarian can trim the beak if necessary. Concrete or textured perches can also be used as they promote healthy feet as well as provide natural beak trimming opportunity.

You really should get him to your vet for an exam. Gout is a very strong possibility. Gout is the accumulation of uric acid crystals in body tissues, especially the joints. Gout can cause difficulty perching due to painful swollen joints. It is a common problem in pet birds, although it is different than the disease in people. In birds, gout is often associated with kidney failure and treatment aims to address both the painful joints and the underlying disease. Other conditions can also cause a bird to have a weakened grip. Arthritis can affect the toes. Many birds develop a foot infection called pododermatitis or “bumble foot”. Nutritional deficiencies will play a role in the development of many of these conditions. Make sure your bird has no exposure to lead or zinc. Some neurologic problems cause similar signs and should be ruled out. In addition, older birds may develop tumors that will impact the ability to walk or stand. As you can see, any number of conditions can result in his difficulty with his feet. I would recommend that you start by having a physical examination performed by a veterinarian experienced with treating birds. Your veterinarian will evaluate him and make treatment recommendations based on the diagnosis.

If the break is very small and isn't bothersome or painful, you may just want to leave it alone to eventually grow out and heal. Keeping the area clean, dry, and free of debris can help it to heal and prevent infection. If the beak is actively hanging open, the crack is very large, or it becomes painful or is impeding your bird's ability to eat or drink, it will need to be seen by a vet for repair and treatment as it can become infected or impede normal ability. Keeping your bird indoors until the beak starts to heal is best to avoid further injury while your bird is out and about (if he's not kept in a cage during the day.)

I am sorry to hear about Leroy! I would recommend an examination by a veterinarian to try to figure out why Leroy is having pain in his foot. There are many possible causes including trauma, bacterial infection, arthritis, and bumblefoot (pododermatitis). The vet may recommend an x-ray of the foot or may be able to determine what is going on based on the appearance and then recommend appropriate treatment. I wouldn't take a "wait and see" approach to this issue as these problems can worsen and cause long term complications that are more difficult to treat.

It is absolutely not normal for a bird to lose toes. You don't mention how this happened, but some common reasons why this can happen is trauma from getting fragile little toes stuck between bars of the cage, bite wounds from a cagemate, or even from things like infection or cancer. It is best to set Charley up on the bottom of her cage with a soft blanket, plenty of food, and fresh water. She may have a hard time gripping her perches. Keep them very low in the cage (like 2 inches from the bottom) or remove them completely and try rolling small towels into little "ground perches" until you can get Charlie in to be examined by a veterinarian who will perform a full physical examination, discuss husbandry (including cage setup), and may recommend bloodwork. I hope this was helpful!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Pika. I would advise taking her to the local avian vet near you. Looks like she needs some soaking solution for her feet, some antibiotics, and some pain/anti-inflammatory meds. Not sure what they can do if the toes are broken. Good luck