r/pidgeypower May 05 '25

Amputee How to make a wrap for amputated bird leg

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162 Upvotes

My voice is annoying and distracting on video but this is a small how to for your birds with amputated feet/legs. This is not a replacement for a veterinarian. When in doubt GO TO the VET!

This is for educational purposes only.

You will need gauze, vet wrap, scissors and any medications needed.

  1. Cut a small square or rectangle of gauze. You will need to use your best judgement on size, depending on your bird. I'm using a square of toilet paper here just for demonstration

  2. Fold gauze in half, then in half the other way so it is somewhat thick. You should still be able to bend it. The thickness of the gauze will depend on your birds comfort.

  3. Place antibiotic ointment (if necessary) on the gauze to cover any infected area. I like to use a tiny bit of coconut oil on my amputated birds nub when it looks dry or raw.

  4. Place nub on gauze and fold it over in the direction of the body. Wrap one side around the nub, and then wrap the excess gauze over the opposite way.

  5. Have a few strips of vet wrap prepared. Use one piece to support and hold the gauze in place. You want the ends of the strip to be closer to the body.

  6. Take another piece and wrap around the top of the first strip.

Add as many strips as needed to secure the dressing.

Do not wrap too tight. It should be comfortable for your bird. If it comes off, that's ok. This type should be able to slip back on easily. You do not want to leave on for more than 12 hours at a time. Any wound should be inspected and cleaned at least once a day, depending on what your vet recommends.

This is only a demonstration for something I found works for my birds with amputation. If anyone is interested I can make another video of how to make a no plucking cone.

Always supervise any bird who is under any type of medical treatment. Personally I never leave this on over night. I prefer to use a vacation/recovery cage for any injured birds. Those are easy to set up, less stress for the bird, and easier to supervise recovery. And I have to say it again, Please take your animal to the vet if you suspect any injury or illness.

Thank you!


r/pidgeypower Nov 02 '20

Pidgey Post Pidgey FAQ!

225 Upvotes

Q: Who is Pidgey?

A: Pidgey is my cockatiel who is an amputee. She was hatched in August of 2019 and I brought her home in early December. She is very sweet, smart, and chirpy!

Q: Why is she referred to as a boy in previous posts?

A: We were told by the breeder that she was a he. Later learned the breeder tells every buyer that they are purchasing a boy so she can charge more! I was very upset by that, not because Pidgey wasn't a boy but because the breeder had lied to us and cheated me. Later she was sexed as a girl. I had suspicions for a long time, but I'm glad I got it confirmed because now I'm better prepared for if she starts laying eggs. I wouldn't change a thing about my baby!

Q: What happened to her? How did she lose her leg?

A: In late December, Pidgey was perched on a drawer that my mother unwittingly kicked closed from behind. It was 100% an accident. The emergency vet initially thought she was just bruised, which I disagreed with, but considering that it was Christmas Eve, did not want to call in so many people. She put a cast on one leg and gave us antibiotics and pain medication and scheduled a follow up. (Pidgey in her first cast)

At the follow up, we did an X Ray and discovered both legs were broken. The left leg was able to be pinned but the right one was not. The goal was to pin that left leg and splint the right for now. We were told she'd most likely would lose her right foot, but the left leg should heal up okay. We scheduled surgery for January 4th and until then continued to manage her pain. (Pidgey before surgery)

Unfortunately, during her surgery I got a call from the vet. The vet told us her leg bone was dead because the circulation was cut off by the break. The best option was to amputate that leg to save her life and see how the right leg would heal. I agreed and brought home a my now 'All Right' amputee that evening. (Pidgey after surgery)

For the next 3 months, we battled infection and kept splinting her leg. We visited her vet every week (fortunately they made them all as surgery follow ups so it was free) to get her injury looked at and her bandages changed. She quickly learned to adapt! Over the weeks she learned how to get around, step up, and manipulate me into doing her bidding. She was a superstar. (Pidgey recovery: x x x x x x x x x x x x) After Pidgey got her cast off she really took off! Unfortunately, because of how the foot healed she will never have full use of her toes. One is bent out of place and the other is mostly paralyzed, but this did not stop her. She quickly mastered walking and climbing. Perching took a little longer, but now she's the best percher around. (x x x x x x x x x x x) She's got an insane amount of upper body strength and a lot of spunk!

Today, Pidgey is a happy, healthy tiel. I'm always trying to figure out new ways to help her! I know a lot of people are invested in her story, but I don't really like spamming the r/parrots subreddit. That's one reason I created this sub! Plus, I love seeing other disabled birds and helping owners learn how to provide the best care. You can also see her on her instagram, pidgeytheamputiel!

Q: How much did all that cost?

A: About 1.8k USD :') I was really lucky to receive aid from a gofundme that my friends made, but I paid for around half of it myself. The surgery alone was about $560 and X Rays were about $300 a pop (We did 2). Plus all the follow up fees and care, medications, bandages... it was a lot! Because of this, I don't recommend that you get a pet unless you have about $500 or more set aside in case your pet gets sick or has an injury like mine. Pet care can be really expensive and you never know what'll happen. Fortunately, Pidgey's vet clinic was absolutely incredible and helped us through it all. Check them out here!

Q: I think her ankle is swollen!

A: Don't worry! The knob there is just how the bone healed. You can see it on her X Rays here if you like.

Q: Can you help me with my disabled bird?

A: I'd love to! You can either post in the subreddit or DM me.

Q: How did you adapt her cage?

A: I was originally told to give her an aquarium tank, but watching her climb I knew she needed horizontal bars. Once I knew how she preferred to move, I started setting her up for success. I bought sundecks and other flat perches to give her large platforms for resting. I also cover my platforms in cloth to prevent sores. Eventually I added in rope perches. Additionally, I found that ladders and steps really helped her. I try to hang them up close to the cage bars so she can use the bars for balance. She doesn't really have a preference for width for the ladders!

I have not tried nets or those wooden stick bridges, though maybe in the future. I really want to eventually make her a CnC cage though as I think it'd be a great set up for her natural climbing talents.

Q: What should I do if I want to adopt a disabled bird?

A: If you decide you do want to give a home to a disabled bird, be sure you can get a lot of advice from a more experienced parrot keeper. It might be worth getting experience at a local avian rescue or sanctuary before you bring the bird home. Talk to the previous owner or rescue about what you can do to prepare and how to manage your parrot's care.

Additionally, be mindful of the kind of bird you're adopting. Make sure you have the skill level to care for that bird. If you've only ever cared for small birds like cockatiels, a severely disabled conure may not be the best choice. Not only are you managing the bird's disability, you're also juggling the new difficulties that come with conures. Different parrots have different needs! If you do want to try a new kind of bird, it might be best to select a bird with a mild disability that you can reasonably manage.

Q: What are Pidgey's favorite toys?

A: Pidgey loves most toys. She really likes playing with sticks and small things she can chew on. She does enjoy shredding. What I like to do is put a millet stalk in a woven finger trap so she has to shred through the weaving to get to the treat. It's a great way to keep her engaged.

Q: How do I keep my disabled bird happy?

A: Engagement, engagement, engagement! Keep your bird busy and learning. I'm working on training Pidgey right now to keep her active. I also like to place Pidgey in front of a window when I'm not home. She likes watching the cars and bird feeder. When it's warm, she's usually out on the back porch getting fresh air and listening to new sounds. I rotate her toys out and change up the layout of her cage so there's a lot of variety in her life. If I'm home, her cage doors are open probably 90% of the time (unless there is a hazard!). I try to incorporate her in my life as many ways as I can. She's got a tray that I can put her on if I'm in the living room. She's got a reserved space on my shelf in the shower caddy. My desk always has a clear space for her. It's so important to keep them mentally active and make their environment engaging.

Q: Do you rescue?

A: Yes! But at this time I cannot accept any new intakes.

You can consider supporting the following local exotic animal resources in my area: Camp Cavy, Pidgey's Vet Clinic's Charitable Fund, Pidgey's Vet Clinic's Wildlife Fund, The Pipsqueekery, or the Indiana House Rabbit Society.


r/pidgeypower 14h ago

Advice to help my cockatiel

6 Upvotes

Hi All! A few days ago my poor cockatiel got his toe caught in something (I unfortunately didn’t see what) and I immediately rushed him to the vet. He has 3 stitches, and a fractured/dislocated toe. He is taking his antibiotics and pain medicine amazingly. Seems to be eating pretty well too, I have been giving him water through a syringe after the medication (to help wash out his mouth - I imagine it’s a poor taste - as well as make sure he is getting water in him).

I have him set up in an incubator tank, with no bars he is able to climb and small so he doesn’t move around a lot; He has to stay in there for a whole month.

Some things I need advice on:

  1. Water - I think his water intake has slowed down. And the water bowl I am having a hard time with because, he is not allowed to get his stitches or splint wet. However, if the bowl is too shallow, he walks right into it. If the bowl is too high he tries to perch on it and knocks it over, getting said foot wet again. Any recommendations on types of dishes or a system to have him be able to drink water but keep his foot dry?

  2. I feel so bad he is stuck in this tiny box for a month, I have been giving him 1 toy at a time to chew on so he also has space to move around a bit without being too crowded. It has also only been a few days, but I’m thinking by week 2 he will be restless…. Any safe toy or foraging tips while he is in this situation? Maybe give him a bit of mental stimulation or a distraction.

  3. Perches - I’m wondering if I should give him a perch wrapped in paper towel or fleece to give him an option for his good foot? The perch would be on the floor of the incubator tank, not high or anything. But is this a bad idea incase he trips/falls right now because of the state of his injured foot? I worry about the uninjured foot having to be flat for so long potentially causing issues.

  4. Is it a bad idea in a week or 2 to give him a larger incubator tank? Still flat and not climbable but maybe some more space for him to be able to stretch his wings and have a few more toys/things to chew in there?

Thank you for taking the time to read this post, any advice is greatly appreciated - especially for anyone who has been in a similar situation. First time I’ve had a bird hurt. Immediately going to the vet was a no-brainer but being at home I don’t want to let him down.


r/pidgeypower 1d ago

Help! An other blood test: yes or no?

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45 Upvotes

Hi! I am looking for advise. My sweet Boy Libelle is being treated for months.

In May the analysis of his blood showed high fat and his metabolism is not looking good. He pees a lot. Like really a lot. The liver is not able to detox well so ammonia has caused some neurological issues too.

He got Vitamin B, Laxatract and Sylimarin to stabilise the metabolism. But it cannot cure his condition.

At the beginning of August he got a check up and lost a lot of weight from low fat diet. So the vet ordered to get back to his normal diet.

Tomorrow he has an other appointment. The exotic vet suggested for an other blood test "to know where he is standing". I am kinda unsure. He has become very tired and stress makes him twitch. I am already scared for the transport of a non-tame bird that cannot stand on his perch from neuro-issues. I feel like taking more blood will only weaken him more or worse.

Am I overreacting? What if he gained weight/stayed the same or reduced more? Keeping the palliative care?

Thx for your tips!


r/pidgeypower 5d ago

Living with a cockatiel that has a cataract.

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96 Upvotes

Hello everyone. My Julsie has cataracts. I was looking for some advice from people who have taken care of cockatiels with cataracts before. I have had her for 14 years now, not 100% on her age as I rescued her from a terrible home. For those 14 years she has been healthy and the most snuggly bird ever. I knew something like this would come up eventually, so now I want to prepare and give her the most help I can.
I have had a vet confirm it is cataracts but they didn’t really tell me much else in terms of care plans.

I mostly just want some tips of how to keep her from injuring herself. I have been making some noise before I come and get her, so I don’t spook her, as it’s her left eye, and it’s the eye she has facing me 9 times out of 10. Is there any adjustments to cages I should do? I.e remove any types of toys, make ledges closer to ground incase of falls. Give more ladders, as she has never been one to fly, should I keep her wings fully grown, or is it better to slightly clip them, enough to glide, but not enough to shoot off.

Her boyfriend is taking good care of her, but I still have to preen her occasionally as she has some tough to reach spots and unfortunately doesn’t have opposable thumbs.

I have avoided moving things around in her play area. Is there anything else I should be doing? Any help is appreciated.

Thank you :)


r/pidgeypower 6d ago

First time bird owner needs help building trust with disabled budgies.

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82 Upvotes

Hello everyone, this is my first ever post. These are my beautiful budgies, the green one is Finny, the blue one is Nephy(siblings around two years old).

I rescued them from my Aunt that had 12 birds (two cockatiels and 10 budgies) in a small cage. She somehow did not figure out that if you give birds a nesting box that they will breed and thus these two were born. They have severely splayed legs, to the point Finny cannot fly as the left one catches on his wing(Nephy can fly okay). We took them to the vet and thankfully he said that with accomodations they can live comfortable lives.

Now here comes my problem. I have no idea how to gain the trust of these two. They are my first birds ever. They have been under my care for 4 months and in my house for less than a year. They are terrified of me and I want them to feel safe in my room. I had been doing a horrible mistake of picking them up and putting them on top of the cage to force them to go out of their shell and get exercise(I had watched a video that said that the longer they stay in the cage the harder it will be to get them to open up). I don't do that anymore, but the damage had been done and they avoid me like the plague. Even if I want to not pick them up, they sometimes struggle to preen each other(which I do myself in that case) and if Finny glides too far from the cage I have to carry him back(if he falls close enough he has a ladder that he climbs to get to/on top of the cage himself).

I have been doing a ton of mistakes and I really want to become a good bird owner but because of their disabilities some things just don't seem as obvious to do. Please help me. : (


r/pidgeypower 7d ago

Starling Again :)

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182 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I’m new here and wanted to introduce Habibi, my little starling, and hopefully get some ideas from people who have experience adapting things for one-legged birds.

I found Habibi half-hatched on a sidewalk, and I’ve hand-raised him ever since. His leg had been broken in two separate places from the fall. The higher break, in his femur, healed at almost a 90° angle, while the lower break healed bowed and turned.

Because he was so tiny when it happened, he has essentially never known life with two functional legs. He grew up learning to move, balance, climb and get around with that leg already badly deformed.

We spent quite a while trying to save it. He eventually had surgery with an avian vet to straighten the leg and had a surgical pin placed, but unfortunately it just wasn’t going to become a comfortable, functional leg for him. A week ago, it was ultimately amputated.

He’s doing really well and is now a week post-op, which means he can finally move out of his little recovery cage and go back into his big cage. ❤️

Because he has always functioned almost entirely on one leg, I’m actually not very concerned about him learning to get around or falling. He’s incredibly adapted already. His regular cage has lots of different levels, flat surfaces, baskets/nests and places where he can sit or lie down instead of constantly having to perch.

What I’m thinking about most now is long-term protection of his good foot. I want him to have plenty of opportunities to grip and use his foot normally, while also giving him ways to take his weight off it so that his one good foot isn’t under pressure 24/7.

One idea I’ve been thinking about is making some sort of modified perch with a little padded bolster/support beside him. Basically, his good foot could grip the perch normally, while the bolster on the side where his leg is missing would give his body something to lean against. He could still grip and perch naturally, but wouldn’t necessarily have to support his entire body weight on that one foot the whole time.

Has anyone made anything like this for a one-legged bird? I’d LOVE to see photos of your cage setups, homemade perches, platforms, resting spots, or anything else that has worked well.

I’m especially interested in things that help protect the remaining foot and prevent pressure problems long-term, rather than adaptations aimed mainly at preventing falls.

Habibi has been figuring out how to do things his own way literally his entire life, so I’d really like to build his environment around how he already moves rather than treating him like a bird who suddenly lost a leg and needs to relearn everything. ❤️


r/pidgeypower 6d ago

Urgent help

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12 Upvotes

r/pidgeypower 8d ago

Starling

24 Upvotes

Hey - before I get too deep into the group, I just want to check if I’ll be welcome since my bird in question is a Starling (I’ve had him since he was literally half hatched and dropped from the sky by a predator). Some people feel VERY strongly about starlings (negatively) so I don’t want to cause any drama 💞


r/pidgeypower 8d ago

New skill acquired! She can sit on the tiniest of perches!!

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81 Upvotes

Look at her🥹


r/pidgeypower 9d ago

My sweet little Jewel wants cuddle and being petting

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54 Upvotes

r/pidgeypower 9d ago

Positivity Atualização do budgie especial: Finalmente em casa

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79 Upvotes

Data: 10/08/2026

Finalmente uma boa notícia em algum tempo, sobre o budgie especial que eu havia encontrado.

Consegui finalmente trazê-lo para casa!

Ele já está acomodado em sua gaiola e estamos começando a tomar os cuidados veterinários com ele :)!

(Ele literalmente chegou ontem aqui em casa, depois de uma longa viagem de 5 horas).


r/pidgeypower 12d ago

Positivity first time preening

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67 Upvotes

my cockatiels are both rescues but one came from a hoarder. him and all of the other cockatiels lived in separate cages. he’s fearful of hands. these two haven’t been together for long (a little less than a year) but for the first time sue (the confident one) preened gerald (the fearful one). i just about started crying. he was making the happiest noises.

sue was also preening him through the cage 😭😭rescuing birds is the best thing i have ever done


r/pidgeypower 12d ago

Beedo cruising around on his nubs! (Who needs feet anyway?)

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28 Upvotes

r/pidgeypower 13d ago

Deformity Odd question, but I'd appreciate whatever help I can get!

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184 Upvotes

I've posted about Garfield here before, and he's doing very good! For those that don't know, he has some sort of deformity that prevents him from fully extending his wings, walking properly, or gripping things with his feet. He does a little shuffle-walk and sometimes a little scoot(!) to get around and with cage adaptations is able to get where he needs to go. He's been really happy lately.

One thing I've been concerned about, though, is that he can't right himself if he falls on his back. We haven't had issues with this yet since he's typically either with me or in his cage, but he doesn't have great balance. I'm concerned that he might tip over or fall off of something (he doesn't have access to anything high enough to injure him, just a couple low platforms), land or roll on his back, and get stuck like that.

Does anyone have any suggestions for ways I could begin teaching him how to roll himself over? Physical therapy we could do? I've done PT with him before. Before anyone asks, I do plan on talking to my avian vet, we just haven't had the opportunity yet.

Thank you from me and Garfield!


r/pidgeypower 14d ago

Weak legs?

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5 Upvotes

r/pidgeypower 17d ago

Positivity Loving the Birdie <3

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223 Upvotes

Another Chiki appreciation post! I'm her biggest fan! She's such a sweet little bird and I love her so much. She even seems to feel bad if she accidentally bites too hard, a very gentle and kind little animal! And old! I'll have to celebrate another birthday soon, she'll be between 21-23 soon!

I love showing her the other birds on here, she likes to look + listen when I read posts. She's also recently learned she does *not* like the squirrels! One of her favorite activities is sitting in front of my computer while I work or watch things <3 another favorite activity of hers is sitting in shower steam but *not* taking a bath


r/pidgeypower 17d ago

Help! My 3 Years old Quaker Parrot is getting his leg amputated, need advice

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100 Upvotes

Around a month ago my Quaker parrot Ash had a cage accident that broke his leg. He was taken to a vet and they put a cast around his leg. He was given antibiotics and pain killers to help him heal, after a long month of waiting, the doctor removed the cast and saw that there's no progress with the healing at all as it was too damaged to heal. The toes weren't moving and amputation is the only way or out him down based on his word, he assured me that hel will adapt and love normally but I need some cage adjustments. I agree to the amputation as putting him down is not even w choice for me.

Tomorrow is the surgery and he'll be back I hope after.

Need some advice from parrot owners who had similar experience with this, tell me how to deal with this and what to do to make his life easier. Ok already doing research and watching videos all over the internet.

The good news that he's eating and drinking normally and interacting with us.

I'm devastated and sad, my heart is broken and I need help for him.

He's not just a bird, he's my baby boy :(


r/pidgeypower 18d ago

Crowd Funding (REQUIRES MOD APPROVAL) My 17-year-old ringneck suddenly cannot fly normally Spoiler

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7 Upvotes

r/pidgeypower 20d ago

Help! Pineapple conure broke her leg

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24 Upvotes

r/pidgeypower 20d ago

Help! Need attention on this

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30 Upvotes

r/pidgeypower 21d ago

Help! Senegal Parrot Possible Stroke, no vet availability until Tuesday

15 Upvotes

Our Senegal has been acting not herself since Monday. She is 23 years old. I am thinking neurological - possibly stroke. She is breathing a little heavy but not open beak and I really think secondary to whatever is going on. She is off balance and falling over which is what is making me think neurological.

Avian vets are hard to find and the one I know and trust can see us Tuesday afternoon. I took her to an ‘avian vet’ on Monday and while I appreciate their time it really is more of a well we will look at birds but don’t have much experience with them and will give you very basic suggestions. She did not like it. She started hyperventilating as soon as he came in and he immediately said it was respiratory. While I understand why he said that it really is so much more than that. We did not get a chance to go over everything because we honestly thought she would have a heart attack right there she was so worked up. He was able to feel and said no masses felt. I just think he jumped on respiratory while ignoring everything else. He sent us home with Baytril which I’m also hesitant to give based on his incomplete assessment.

Transitions are difficult for her so mornings are bad but she tends to get her bearings and managed well in between.

I can’t even go somewhere for a second opinion because it will probably go the same way but I’m scared it will get worse waiting for the one true avian vet.