# Cat raided nest



## Soft Touch (Jul 9, 2009)

Recently my adolescent cat raided a wood pigeon nest, unfortunately she killed one chick and the other we managed to rescue. We took Woody to vets to be checked over, he has a broken wing (which at some time in the future will have to be amputated) and he has had a shot of antibiotics. He is now feeding quite well by syringe/balloon. My concern is that he is standing on his ankles rather than his feet. When we first got him one foot was curled (the side of the broken wing) the other was open as normal, but for the last few days both are curled, can anyone tell me why this is happening and how or if it can be corrected. Woody has feathers and a little down on head, so I dont know how old he is. He weighs approx 7ounzes and eats like a small horse. 
Any advice would be appreciated.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

He could be suffering from a calcium deficiency or it could just be stress that makes him curl his toes. Or he could just be too young to stand. Can you look at the woodies at this link and say roughly which one he resembles most closely?

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/307673749CDqjnv

I had a cat caught woodie that clenched one foot. I bought some self adhesive support bandage from boots (the blue one) , cut a piece off and layed it flat, spread Woodward's toes out and then folded the bandage over the toes, pressing down between each toe to keep them in place. After a few days his foot was normal and he never relapsed.

If you PM me I can send you some calcium syrup for birds. If his ankle walking is the result of a calcium deficiency it will be easy to correct as he is still young and his bones are still forming.

Why do they want to amputate the wing? My vet, who is great, thought that two of my ferals would need their legs amputated but we waited and they are both able to walk again. I also had a feral that had his humerus (I think it was the humerus) split, so the jagged end was sticking out. I sent him to a vet for the wing to be amputated but she decided to file the bone down and stitch the skin over it. Miraculously, that pigeon recovered his ability to fly so well that he escaped, sat on a rooftop and then flew off for three days.

Are you going to keep Woody? Don't let anyone persuade that they never adapt to captivity...babies and juveniles have no problem with that and I also have seen adults adapt, choose a mate and lay eggs.

Cynthia


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I posted the calcium etc yesterday, but don't know the effect of the postal strike. I forgot to put your name on the front or mine on the back, so if you receive a suspicious padded envelope that is it!


Cynthia


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## Soft Touch (Jul 9, 2009)

Received calcium and bandage in todays post - thankyou so very much. I have given 2 drops with Woody's lunch and will continue. We have tried to straighten his feet, but he struggles like crazy and I dont want to stress anymore or hurt him (his feet are so curled they look like balls on the end of his legs)


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

You have to be so careful with woodies, they get agitated very easily and this can cause a heart attack. If he starts to open his mouth, then stop what you are doing immediately and put him somewhere quiet and safe to recover.

You might need someone to hold him wrapped lightly in a towel while you do his feet.

These are the "foot bandage" photos:










I use "Boots Cohesive Support Bandage - Large", available from Boots on the high street in the UK or www.boots.com . It is stronger than vetwrap.










Open out the toes so that the foot is flat on the bandage.











Fold the bandage over the foot and press between the toes, so that the bandage adheres to itself, creating a glove effect.


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## Soft Touch (Jul 9, 2009)

We are going to have a go with bandages later today. Can you tell me how long they have to stay on? we are due to go away for a week in a couple of days time would it be alright to keep them on for that long.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Yes, that should be all right. I would keep them on for a week...It shouldn't stress him to have the bandages on, because it should be more comfortable than the clenched feet.

Cynthia


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## Soft Touch (Jul 9, 2009)

Great - I'll let you know how we get on


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## Soft Touch (Jul 9, 2009)

We have only managed to get one bandage on the foot that was originally ok, but now Woody is folding the whole foot back and still using the ankle to walk on. Also his toes felt incredible stiff to open, any ideas.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Best take the bandage off. Let me do a bit of research on this, I found out that there is something that affects lorikeets called "clenched foot syndrome", there may be other causes and other remedies that I haven't come across.

Cynthia


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

This isn't probably much help unless you have a cabinet of homeopathic remedies to hand. I was reading that birds can get a form of paralysis of the toes where they can't open them and curl them underneath.

A remedy called Plumbum 6 is recommended to treat this. Unfortunately I don't know what traditional meds would be used as an alternative, but just posted it in case you have any of these meds to hand.

Janet


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I was also thinking of homepathic remedies and of Maria's success when she used them on woodies. I would think the Plumbum is definitely worth a try!

There is not much on the internet about clenched feet, Maggie posted once that her vet put a ball of cotton wool in the hollow of the clenched foot and taped it down.

On another forum someone mentioned that anti inflammatories might help. I will send you some Metacam (or the generic form which has another name! There is also the suggestion that in Lorikeets it is caused by a vitamin deficiency, so I will also send you some bird vitamins.

I also wondered if sitting him in warm water might help...I know that PoppyField vet said that helped her little dove Poplar who had twisted feet. And a hot bath is my own cure-all...whatever is wrong with me a hot bath always helps.

Cynthia


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## Soft Touch (Jul 9, 2009)

Have taken your advice and removed bandage also have given Woody his first bath which he appeared to enjoy, it gave us the opportunity to get rid of the feed that had stuck to most of his chest and the top of his beak. His feet dont appear to be as bad as yesterday although still not open they are a little more relaxed. I will try a take a photo of them today so you can see and maybe give you a better idea of what's going on.

Rachel


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## Soft Touch (Jul 9, 2009)

Ive managed to uploaded a couple of pictures of Woody's feet into my album - I dont know if you are able to view them, but I dont know how to add them to this discussion. Hopefully his feet arent as serious as first thought.


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## Soft Touch (Jul 9, 2009)

Thanks for the vitamins & metacam received both in todays post. Woodys feet are starting to open although not fully yet. I have a lovely lady who will look after Woody whilst we are away, I know that I will miss him now that he has started squeaking to be fed, but it wont be for long.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

You are lucky to have someone you can trust!

Cynthia


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## Soft Touch (Jul 9, 2009)

Cynthia, Did you manage to look at the pictures that I took of Woody's legs. I would be interested in knowing whether this is serious or will sort itself out in time & TLC.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Sorry, I was certain that I had posted, but I was in two minds about saying anything in case I am wrong .

To me one of the legs looks as if his left leg is twisted at the ankle joint, which makes his foot lie on its side. I think that is what causes him to walk on his ankles and if I am right he won't be able to stand and walk properly even if his feet relax. 

I think that the leg could be gently swiveled into place and strapped, because he is so young and his bones are still soft, it would be rather like correcting a splay leg. 

http://pij-n-angels.forumotion.net/pigeon-and-dove-illnesses-injuries-their-symptoms-and-treatment-f11/correcting-splayed-legs-t22.htm

But even if that it is straightened, he shouldn't be released as over a couple of years it might slip back...that is what happened to our doveling. 

If he can come up here he would have a comfortable life with the company of other woodies. Here he wouldn't suffer the stress and hardship that he would suffer if released.

Cynthia


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## Soft Touch (Jul 9, 2009)

Thankyou for your kind offer. Would you mind if we had some time to think about it because to be honest I and my family have become quite attached to Woody. We know he can never be released to live a normal life, but on the other hand I hate the thought of him not being with his own kind. 

Would it be alright to strap his legs when we return next week or should we do it tomorrow? Also will he still be able to walk around with the tape or will he just sit in one place.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

She should be able to move around. I will send you a photo of Dovelings correction if I can find it. When she arrived she had floppy paralysis of her legs, and they crossed on the middle of her chest.

If you decide that Woodie is not going to be released then you can allow her to imprint on you, as she is such a baby she won't know that she is a woodie so she will be perfectly happy.

Cynthia


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

With Doveling I rolled two pieces of bandage into two tiny logs, moved the legs into place and wrapped the toes round the log, then taped them in place. I think I relied on the width of each bandaged foot to keep the legs apart, but I might have achievd that with a bit of bandage, you have to try things out with different birds.

I would do it as soon as possible as the calcium will start to harden the bones.


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## Soft Touch (Jul 9, 2009)

Just a quick note to let you know that Woody's left foot has opened fully and appears to be in the correct position, he grips well with it on my hand. The other one looks as if it is starting to turn. Everyday he surprises us, so Im going to put taping of legs on hold until we get home, hope thats ok. I will carry on with all medication.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

You are the one on the spot, so you can see what we can't. I trust your judgement.

Pigeons make recoveries that are deemed impossible when they are nursed with love.


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## Soft Touch (Jul 9, 2009)

Have collected Woody after being on holiday and cant believe how much he has grown. He now refuses being syringe fed so we have started feeding him best pigeon mix and have tried Dove & Phesant mix although he seems to know which seed he prefers (little red seeds) We were concerned that he doesnt eat the corn or other seeds so we tried giving him defrosted peas & sweetcorn again he likes the peas but not the corn - hes been having vitamins in his water but is able to tip the bowl so I dont know if he has drunk anything - he is managing to feed himself quite well. Will he eat everything put infront of him eventually? or do we need to seperate his favourite and only serve the boring seeds?


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