# where to find suspension sling?



## jenfer (Jan 7, 2008)

Hi all,

A while back, I remember seeing a photo of a device designed to suspend a pigeon with a leg fracture upright. It looked like a sling that could be attached to the sides of a cage. You sit the pigeon in it, and he can get to his food/water without putting weight on the leg. I think some rehab centers in the UK (St. Tiggywinkles?) use these, but I'm pretty certain I saw it for sale in the states. 

Of course, now that I want to buy one, I can't find it again. Can anyone help?

Thanks!
Jennifer


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## sky tx (Mar 1, 2005)

If its just ONE leg--put a splint on it--I use the clear Plastic tubing.


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

Will something like this do?
You can make one from hanger sock and rope.


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## jenfer (Jan 7, 2008)

Plamenh, that's similar to what I once saw online. I think the one I saw used chains attached to some sort of hammock. Did you make that yourself? I'd imagine the sock is pretty snug--how easy is it to get the pigeon in and out?

Thanks,
Jennifer


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## PigeonQueen (Aug 13, 2006)

Hello. BODDY & RIDEWOOD in the UK do an injury harness which is plastic and you suspend it from the nest box ceiling. It's £4.50p code L085 in their catalogue. They also do leg splints which come in a pack of two for £8.99p code L083.

Their telephone number is 01723 585858 but you might need another code if dialling from outside the uk.

The website is www.pigeons.co.uk also to email is [email protected]

Tiggywinkles use both of these aides for their pigeons.

Hope this helps. 

Jayne


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

Jennifer,

Could you please give a little more information on your bird and why you want to suspend it in a sling. I have had to sling a bird in the past and it is not as straight forward and trouble free as the photo lets on to be, as these guys definitely have a mind of their own.

Karyn


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

You can use various solutions, the one with the sock is working best for me. Sock may be loose enough to give you easy way to get bird in and out and I use safety pins on both sides to adjust opening. Picture you see is the one I took idea from. Mine is with much uglier stand, but does the job. Best with this one is that is simple, easy to regulate suspension height and angle and one can make it in less than 15 minutes.

Most probably you are talking about this type (there is one with a frame too: 









And this is another way, but bird is not so comfortable in it:


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## jenfer (Jan 7, 2008)

Karyn,

The harness is meant for a pigeon who came to me as a squeaker via animal control who has been nonambulatory from day 1. X-rays negative for fractures and there were no signs of trauma. We did a round of prophy chelation in case of lead toxicity with no clinical response. 

I've had her for several months now, and she's been beating herself up trying to flap/stand/move around, so I thought perhaps the harness would make her feel more comfortable because at least she'd be able to spend some time in an upright position (right now she just leans to one side). She's very calm when I sit her on my lap, but since I work during the day and have lots of animals to care for once I come home, she doesn't get to spend as much time as she would probably like with me. 

If the sling proved to be uncomfortable, I'd abandon the idea.

Plamenh, 

Yes, those look like what I saw! Your sock contraption does look like it would be more comfortable than the plastic one. Maybe I'll experiment with what I can build on my own.

Thanks!
Jennifer


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## jenfer (Jan 7, 2008)

Sorry, forgot to respond to Jayne also:

Thanks for the link. I see the harness I was talking about in the catalog. I think I might try to rig up something myself a la Plamenh first, as I think it will be more comfortable. Might try to make a hammock-type thing that I can suspend from the sides of the carrier she's in rather than have to use something that's attached to a stand.

Thanks again!
Jennifer


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

Awww, poor pigeon. So there is no know cause of the inability to move, or I misunderstood something?


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

I actually think a sling might be a good thing to try and I will make some comments. I actually tried to order the harness type sling you were first talking about from Jedds some time ago. Every time I tried to order it they said they were out of stock. It's well over a year later and I see that they no longer offer it for sale at their site. For what it's worth, I did read on one of the English pigeon fancier sites a post from someone who had ordered and tried the sling and they said "it was a piece of rubbish." That is only one anecdotal report, but I thought I would pass it along to you.

I first tried the Brave Heart set up and my bird would last in that about 5 minutes before she would squirm and flail herself out of it. I did try a few variations of this setup with the same result. Our issues are different, but in the end what I designed for her was literally a straight jacket sling, as short of this she insisted she was going to make her way out of any less confining sling one way or the other. She was, and is (fully recovered) very strong of body with a personality that did not take well to any kind of confinement at all. The vet insisted that all weight be keep off a broken tarometatarsus for two weeks, with a very low break, that was just not healing well with her out of a sling, even though it was well splinted and well wrapped.

One of the things I learned from a bird being in a sling was that any friction points at where their weight is being suspended, even a little, are very vulnerable to chafing very quickly, which will quickly also lead to rawness and sores developing, since their skin is so very fragile. Thankfully I noticed this possibility early and make adjustments in design for her before this could have developed into a real problem.

If I were you and based on your circumstances and description of this bird's needs I would design something custom for her to suit her needs. I would have a few goes at it with cotton until I was happy with the design and how it fitted and suited her needs. Then because this may be a longer term device for her I would make a final design out of lambs wool fleece, using the cotton one as a template. I discovered this because I had to make a support collar for a baby whose parents (first timers) had caused some sort of damage to this baby's neck, where it looked like this 7 day old had PMV the way he (definitely a he, who also fully recovered and runs everyone in the loft) could no longer lift/support his neck and this happened over night. I tried a few variations out of different material, but felt they where too hard and rough on this little one's so delicate skin and not offering adequate support 

My husband came up with the brilliant idea of lambs wool, so a new lambs wool buffer he uses to polish the cars was donated for use and to me this is the perfect thing to use. It's soft, has give in its cushioning ability, breathable, hard to cause a chaff with and durable. So a donut was cut and attached to a rolled piece of door draft foam that was covered with two layers of soft medical tape and it worked perfectly (attaching photo around 12 days old here). One cut was made in the donut to place on and off so medical tape could hold it together once on. Sorry for going a bit away from the sling, but sometimes I find it interesting as to why people suggest what they suggest and how they came to the information for their suggestions.

If I ever had to make up something where long body contact and chafing issues were a concern, as well as comfort, I would most definitely use lambs wool fleece as I do feel it would make an ideal sling material, if heaven forbid, I ever had to make one again. 

Karyn


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## sesamestick (Dec 4, 2008)

Hi Jen
the one person who has often posted on this forun about using slings for his injured pigeons is ----pdpbison-----
perhaps if you PM'd him and asked for his ideas, they are similar to plamenh's idea.


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## jenfer (Jan 7, 2008)

Thanks Karyn and everyone for the ideas. I'll see what I can come up with for her.

Pawbla, we don't know what the cause of her paralysis is. I'm sure it's really frustrating for her not to be able to stand, but hopefully the sling will help with that.

Jennifer


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Karyn, thanks for sharing that sweet picture of the little one wearing his neck brace. Pretty inventive and good info regarding the use of lamb's wool.


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