hurt foot

Question
I have a parakeet, Sunni, about 2 1/2 years old.  It is in a cage with another bird, less than a year old.  they have gotten along fineso I don'tthink this is from fighting.  Yesterday I noticed Sunni's leg is twisted looking and he's favoring it.  What do I do?

Answer
Hello Kym! What ever the cause of Sunni's twisted foot, you can certainly make him comfortable for the time being. If a trip to the vet is out of the question then heres what you can do:
Wrap Sunni in a soft towel gently and examine his leg. He'll let you know if it hurts by screaming or biting the towel. Make sure its not bleeding and there are no major broken bones that you can see. Applying a small splint is tricky and doesnt always work with birds since they only have two legs. A splint can also hurt the bird more if he tries to move or fly and the leg gets caught. For now place soft animal bedding on the bottom of the cage in case Sunni falls. Place some lower perches close to the bottom of the cage and have the perches close together that way he does not have to climb far. Every day while wraping his in a towel, apply a warm compress (a cloth, fabric, or tea bag will work) to the injured leg to reduce swelling and provide comfort. Make sure Sunni is eating and drinking normaly as well as checking his droppings. His foot may never heal properly if not taken to the vet but this is optional. Dont think its your fault not taking him to the vet because he can still live a comfortable life with a twisted foot. The vet will cost a lot of money as well. keep appling a warm compress to his leg and watch for swelling or lack of circulation. i hope his leg gets better and i wish him luck!