My 8-month-old cockatiel won't hold food with his leg. Is it normal?

That is how cockatiels normally sleep. They will also rest on one leg. There is no cause for concern at this positioning. A bird's body temperature is a bit higher than human body temp thus they will always feel warm to us. Monitor for lethargy, sitting with a wide stance and feathers fluffed out, decreased appetite or very loose droppings. These are all symptoms of illness.

Thanks for reaching out about Coco and including a photo. If he is holding his leg up, a veterinary visit is recommended to at least rule out a fracture or dislocation. Soft tissue trauma or bruising will often recovery well on their own but anti-inflammatories can quicken recovery. Good luck.

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 Tuddie isn't able to hold her wings properly or is losing balance and falling over, I would have her examined by your vet ASAP. These are very concerning signs that could indicate an issue such as illness, injury, or a neurologic or muscular condition that is causing her problems. Until you can get to the vet, keeping her in a warm hospital cage with low, flat perches and food and water dishes she can easily get in and out of may help make her more comfortable.

It is normal for birds to sleep or rest with one leg up. They don't do this all the time though. If she is behaving normally otherwise, she is probably fine. Monitor for decreased appetite or activity, loose droppings or sitting at the bottom of the cage.

This is not normal. It may be due to boredom, hunger or nutritional deficiency. Young birds may do this because they do not know any better yet. Review the diet with an experienced avian veterinarian to correct any deficiencies. Use a cage with a raised wire bottom so the droppings fall through and out of reach. Clean the cage regularly to avoid build up of droppings on bars.

While not having a leg won't stop his ability to breed, it would probably be best not to put extra stress on him since he is already missing a leg. If he can't get around well either, it may be best to keep him housed in his own cage, especially while he heals, to avoid other birds picking on him and worsening his injury. Providing a cage with wide, flat perches and shallow food and water dishes can help him get around a bit more easily while he recovers and learns to live with one leg.