# Not an Emergency, just some updates and stuff (and one barf inducing picture, beware)



## November-X-Scourge (May 12, 2011)

Updates on random stuff!
1-
November is finally being a good dad. He's bringing twigs, grooming Bliss, and becoming interested in sitting! Still deciding which egg to remove, I want to take the first laid, but I don't know which one that is!! GAH!1!!one!!!!
2-
Clove and Tundra are sitting on plastic eggs. 
3-
Haven refuses to be splinted!!! At this rate, I'll never let her go!!
4-
Sparrow is a little stringfoot, she's gonna lose one toe on one foot, and two halves on the other.
5- (Most Important Update!!!!!!!!)
Today I decided to go check on DufferinFlock. It took me a long time to find any injuries (surprising!) but eventually, I saw someone sitting on a fence. Someone with the most disgusting feet of all time. T grabbed him in a few minutes, and just as I was leaving, I saw another stringfoot  ! Now I couldn't just leave him there! So I gave the one I was holding to my mom, and grabbed this one for myself. Once we got home, the operations started immediately. It was horrible  ! I just wish I had anaesthetic!!! Every pigeon stood up and watched as we tore apart Fighter's foot. It was so sad. The worst part was the infection! Every hair (worse than string!) was soaked in infection  . (Barf barf) Next we operated on Unnamed Stringfoot, this wasn't as bad, brunnete hair, It came out easily. 

Fighter's foot;


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Nice job. Do you use an x-acto blade ? I know it sounds horrific, but...it's very sharp and quite pointy so it can help get into nooks and crannies as long as you are careful.

Get the foot-injured kids on antibiotic, as well....you wanna make sure no bone or soft tissue infection grabs hold.

Lastly....that foot is pretty bad, but I think most folks here would say "I have seen worse". So, it's funny....you would say 'barf inducing'...but my initial reaction was 'oh...that's not so bad !'.  That Pigeon should retain a couple of toes on that foot and regain adequate use of it.

You guys rock, BTW. Keep up the great work....


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## November-X-Scourge (May 12, 2011)

We use tweezers and a pair of small sharp nail scissors, but I should try that! When I get rid of my guests (full house right now), I'll be right back at DufferinFlock so I can experiment 
Theyre also on antibiotics, first thing I did after the operations.
I find it funny how both feet on each one were messed up, both with hair! How did they manage that?! I've also named the Unnamed one, Wolf  
Wolf and Fighter! I think Wolf will keep quite a few of his toes, but Fighter… well… he's already lost two, and I'm expecting that quite a few more will be gone. Bleh, their feet stank! That what bothers be most about Stringfeet, they like, rot alive!! Bleh!!!!!


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Yeah it's horrible. 

Now...some folks claim that you can rehabilitate some of the flesh which still has circulation in it, by crushing Metronidazole tablets into a paste and applying it on the skin/feet as a topical for a few days. Kinda makes some sense.

I sorta like the name...."Unnamed One"...actually.....


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## November-X-Scourge (May 12, 2011)

Wow!! Wolf's feet are doing amazing!! The colour is returning, and I think he just might keep all his toes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fighter on the other hand, doesnt have much hope, poor guy 
I put flagyl on their feet, I really want wolfs toes to stay :3
They also like sleeping together, they're in a small, split level cage, and fighter insists on going up to see wolf! How adorable!!


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## pigeon-lover0 (Apr 1, 2012)

Aww that seems so cute. How are they doing now, sounds like they are doing well!


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Fighter's foot really did look salvageable....how bad has it gotten ???? You have been keeping 'em on antibiotics, yes ?


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## November-X-Scourge (May 12, 2011)

Yes, they're both still on antibiotics, and both have been having flagyl on their feet. She doesn't seem to be losing the back toe, which has been somehow deformed by the string and sits under her foot. The foot pictured is going o lose a toe, it's looking gross. 
Bliss has abandoned her eggs, poor little guys, in the candling, they looked fine, I could make out their little eyes and everything. I guess I'm just not a lucky person when it comes to squabs    
Clove and Tundra abandoned too.


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## Hylianprincess7 (Apr 7, 2012)

Oh goodness! I hope everything turns out alright! 

Best wishes! ^^


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## November-X-Scourge (May 12, 2011)

Bliss laid another pair of eggs  the first one broke somehow, and had a soft spot that wa really weird, but the second one is fine, and she is sitting on one real, one plastic. November hasn't sat on this batch yet, but he has, unlike the first time, been bringing her twigs (sooo cuteeee).
Wolf's feet are looking wonderful, Fighter's too, I guess.
Haven's wing has miraculously healed! No droop, all the feathers are back, and his flying is perfect! Letting him go soon.
How long do you think it will take for sparrow's toe to fall off, I'm just waiting for tht to release her. It's huge, but it has it's colour back, so IDK.


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## Hylianprincess7 (Apr 7, 2012)

November-X-Scourge said:


> Bliss laid another pair of eggs  the first one broke somehow, and had a soft spot that wa really weird, but the second one is fine, and she is sitting on one real, one plastic. November hasn't sat on this batch yet, but he has, unlike the first time, been bringing her twigs (sooo cuteeee).
> Wolf's feet are looking wonderful, Fighter's too, I guess.
> Haven's wing has miraculously healed! No droop, all the feathers are back, and his flying is perfect! Letting him go soon.
> How long do you think it will take for sparrow's toe to fall off, I'm just waiting for tht to release her. It's huge, but it has it's colour back, so IDK.


There may be hope then! As for the soft spot on the egg, that can be a calcium deficiency. Make sure their diet has a ton of calcium.  Especially females!


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## November-X-Scourge (May 12, 2011)

Egg abandoned again 
Bliss seems to get very sick every time she lays, I've never seen Clove like this. She puffs up A LOT, huge appetite, horrible, smelly poop, and shaking. I'm only bringing it up now 'cause it's sure that it happens every time now.


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## Hylianprincess7 (Apr 7, 2012)

November-X-Scourge said:


> Egg abandoned again
> Bliss seems to get very sick every time she lays, I've never seen Clove like this. She puffs up A LOT, huge appetite, horrible, smelly poop, and shaking. I'm only bringing it up now 'cause it's sure that it happens every time now.


Aww. :/ Get that girl on some kinda antibiotic! Since Baytril has a broad range, that's my suggestion. Find some probiotic, and make SURE she's getting enough calcuim. Calcium deficiency can actually make way for other problems if you're not careful.

Hope it goes better for you!

-Misty


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## November-X-Scourge (May 12, 2011)

I'll see if I can find a place to buy some.
She has lots of grit, but I ripped up a small peice of caltrate, like one fourth, and hid it in her food.
She also cant fly… anymore


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## Hylianprincess7 (Apr 7, 2012)

November-X-Scourge said:


> I'll see if I can find a place to buy some.
> She has lots of grit, but I ripped up a small peice of caltrate, like one fourth, and hid it in her food.
> She also cant fly… anymore


Oh wow. I;d be wary of the calcium issue. Sometimes that can make their bones too week and they won't be able to lift because their bones don't have the density to do it. I had a cockatiel with that problem once. She would lay so many eggs (despite me not taking them) that it sapped her of her calcium and she couldn't fly. :O

I hope that's all that's wrong!


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

November-X-Scourge said:


> Bliss laid another pair of eggs  the first one broke somehow, and had a soft spot that wa really weird, but the second one is fine, and she is sitting on one real, one plastic. November hasn't sat on this batch yet, but he has, unlike the first time, been bringing her twigs (sooo cuteeee).
> Wolf's feet are looking wonderful, Fighter's too, I guess.
> Haven's wing has miraculously healed! No droop, all the feathers are back, and his flying is perfect! Letting him go soon.
> How long do you think it will take for sparrow's toe to fall off, I'm just waiting for tht to release her. It's huge, but it has it's colour back, so IDK.


Good update. So...you ARE or ARE NOT gonna let Bliss sit the real egg to maturation ?

...regarding Haven, that's good, it might have been just soft tissue damage. Don't release until he/she has been flying and maneuvering very well for a good week....you wanna hedge your bets that every add'l day in your care will be an add'l day of recovery.

A toe generally will not fall off by itself until it atrophies. If Sparrow's toe is hugs and shows color, it still has bloodflow so will not atrophy. A toe ready to fall off oftentimes looks like a withered dark twig.


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## November-X-Scourge (May 12, 2011)

No, Bliss won't sit on these, too sick.


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

It does sound like calcium deficiency, I had a thief pouter hen that did that for the first season after I got her, Some good old calcium supplements and this last season she has been fine, Antibiotics are a good suggestion as a preventative but I would hope some time and calcium supplements could fix the issue.


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## Hylianprincess7 (Apr 7, 2012)

NZ Pigeon said:


> It does sound like calcium deficiency, I had a thief pouter hen that did that for the first season after I got her, Some good old calcium supplements and this last season she has been fine, Antibiotics are a good suggestion as a preventative but I would hope some time and calcium supplements could fix the issue.



Question. Which calcium supplement do you use? :O


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Don't forget the calcium needs vitamin d3.


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## November-X-Scourge (May 12, 2011)

I've been giving her calcium, and she's starting to fly a bit again, but only down. At least now she'll flap her wings...


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Best wishes for your poor sick bird! BTW with guinea pigs with foot infections just soaking their foot briefly in hydrogen peroxide (kind from the drug store or grocery) cleans up most infections rapidly; it foams away the pus and dead skin. Best wishes to your sweet bird!


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Hylianprincess7 said:


> Question. Which calcium supplement do you use? :O


Something called neocalglucon (also called calcionate syrup) is really good for Birds..my avian vets used this quite often. Available OTC, online.


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