# wood pigeon feet seem all wrong :(



## sueUK (Jul 15, 2005)

I think my wood pigeon baby's feet are not right - they are curled round like arthritic fingers, and although he is 'up on his feet' now, especially when enthusiastic about feeding, his little feet stay curled up under him, instead of straight out in front to give him something to stand on.
Is this normal? At first I thought it was just where he'd been squashed up in his egg - but now I'm worried.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi Sue,

I'm not sure about the curled toes, but there is defenitely an issue there.

Make sure the bird is getting the proper nutrition from the food you are giving him, included added Probiotics. If the bird is not on a baby bird formula, make sure that you have an avian multi-vitamin with minerals and amino acids, and especially calcium (for bones and growth) to add to the homemade mix. This will support the repair and healing of any issue going on.

Hopefully, Cynthia, the woody pigeon expert, (but her expertiese is not just limited to that..) will be on soon to help you.

Treesa


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## sueUK (Jul 15, 2005)

this will probably fail - but I'm trying to send a photo of the curly feet.


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## upcd (Mar 12, 2005)

*Binding*

Maybe a possiblity. You or a Vet. may wrap tape around feet of legs to get them to heal correctly. A few things could have happened: ricket- is lack of vit. D or a nest where the baby couldn't get support for his legs and they spread out or a injury like a fall or not enought calicium. God Bless


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Sue,

Boots sell a blue self adhesive support bandage, it has a picture of a bandaged elbow in the box. 

What you have to do is spread the foot out and put it between two layers of the bandage then press the bandage between the toes so it adheres to itself. I call that a foot glove. I can send you some photos of the procedure if you like.

It might be a good idea to give a drop of liquid calcium a day for a few days.
After 3 days the toes should be normal.

Wood Wood had a clenched foot when he arrived, his rescuers thought it was a congenital abnormality but the foot glove corected the problem! He is fine now.

If you e-mail me your address I can send you some bandage and some liquid calcium as I have a good supply of both!

Cynthia


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Hi, hope this may help. We have a baby pigeon that we picked up at a local home improvement store week before last. He had suffered a long drop from a ledge to the concrete below and had multiple fractures of both legs. When the vet splinted his legs that day she wanted us to bring him back today. He had also suffered some injury to his foot and it had started curling inward. Today, she checked his legs and applied a bandage to his foot. She took a cotton ball, placed it under his foot, splayed his toes over it and taped it . Very simple procedure.

Even with his multiple fractures the vet thinks he'll be ok. Sure hope so. He is so sweet and pretty - we named him Mr. Humphries (from the BBC Are you being served). Best of luck with your baby.


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## sueUK (Jul 15, 2005)

Thanks for the help - and it really has been helpful. I now have hopes woody's feet will turn out ok.
I was really worried - I could imagine him going through life unable to perch, or walk properly, and it was really scary!
He is doing fine is his new home (his dove foster mum finally had enough and turned her back on him) on his heat pad, and feathers are starting to grow along his wings. Exciting stuff, eh?!!


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