My kakariki has started moulting

May · Site Admin Joined: Apr 03, 2008 Posts: 281

My birds are in Large parrot cages similar to Mo's i dont use the wire floors... they just pull out... and i use wood shavings (not sawdust) in the bottom (i tried newspaper underneath... but they kept pulling it up. I empty the seed dishes into the shavings after a few days for them to scratch about in. Willow and Apple trees are what i use most for perches/feeding....as i have them in my garden... have no idea where i could get eucaliptus in uk. each cage has a large stainless dogbowl type water bath but these get dirty quickly when on the bottom of the cage...

i also added some perspex strips cable tied round the bottom to stop some of the mess....although Mo's cage looks quite deep at the bottom so that might not be too much of a problem ....

hope it is just his leg Pray

Gee · Snr Member Joined: Feb 05, 2011 Posts: 222

There is some truth in the horrorstories. In the old day's newspaper ink contained heavy metals like lead, arsenic, cadmium, selenium, mercury and chromium.
Bad news for everyone, including birds Wink

@ May,
That's a great TIP, re: empty the seed dishes in the cage. Now why did not I think of that myself! THANKS! <v>

nickieemma · Regular Member Joined: Apr 08, 2010 Posts: 22

I have got some MDF to make another base and will put some Lino over it to protect it from water getting soaked into it. Just need to cut it down to size.

I have also looked online and in shops for woodchip, whilst doing so I saw a product "CAREFRESH PET BEDDING" which apparently is good for small pets and birds and is dust free. Has anyone heard of this or uses it and would you recommend it?[/u]

nickieemma · Regular Member Joined: Apr 08, 2010 Posts: 22

Although I have taken Mo to the vets twice now and have been told he is ok but possible damage to leg could there be a chance he could have broken a 'toe'? He is climbing and sitting on perches yet 1 'toe' tends to not bend as well as the others.

If it is broken is there something I can do to assist him? I have lowered his perches so he doesn't climb so high which he is now getting used to, we can't stop him climbing!! I have also put in wood ramps ( usually used to small pets eg deagus, rats etc) which he seems to like walking up and sitting on.

Steptoe · Site Admin Joined: Oct 06, 2004 Posts: 4550

A broken toe in the long run will not effect the bird, even a broken leg that has reset incorrect , the bird adapts rather well....thu can effect balance and position during mating.....Even birds with 1 leg manage rather well.

If it was broken, after this length of time I doubt if there is much that can be done other than what u are doing now

The other issue is a problem with the siarica nerve or maybe the leg ligiments have shifted around....but a vet would pick up on both of these (well all of) straight by intial observation of the bird and then physical examination.