lovebird baby

Question
I have a baby lovebird that has sway legs---one seems to be getting better.  My avian vet recommends putting this baby down, but I just can't do it. My friend/parrot owner said it's a calcium deficiency and sold me the appropriate vitamins at his pet store & told me to continue to do physical therapy with this four week old baby and he may get better.  Am I just fooling myself?  I am, however, taking him to see another avian vet next week.  I'm having a hard time giving up on this little fellow.  Thanks.

Answer
Martha,

Splayed legs are not caused by calcium deficiency.  When the baby is born, if the parents "sit" too hard or there is not enough bedding in the nestbox for the baby to grip onto, they will develop splayed legs.  The baby will not get better; it has to be caught when the baby is very young (a couple of weeks) and they generally have to split the legs together, which means handfeeding the baby as the parents will have no part of that.

I've seen handicapped birds leading full lives, but if your avian vet feels that this baby cannot lead a full life and that you are only prolonging its pain, then you should do the humane thing and have it euthanized.

Good luck,

Cindy