Has your budgie stopped moving on one of its feet? Are you worried he has injured one of his feet?
Budgies typically spend a lot of time using only one leg and they will not struggle with day-to-day tasks, but if there is a problem with one of their feet it could need attention depending on what the issue is.
Why Budgie Can’t Use Foot
The most common reason your budgie can’t use its foot is that they have injured it. if they have injured their foot it should be very obvious as the budgie will limp when they try to walk on it.
Monitor your budgie for a few days and if they don’t start to use the foot again you should take them to the vets.
The most common reasons your budgie cannot use their foot include
- Injury to Foot
- Has a Sore Foot
- Had a Stroke
Lets have a look at each condition
Injury to Foot
If your budgie has injured their foot it should be quite obvious, the budgie from time to time will use the injured foot, but the pain will cause them to not be able to use the foot completely.
The injury could be a bruise, a cut, sprained foot causing the budgie discomfort.
Check the foot for cuts any swelling if you find any you should take them to the vet as soon as possible.
Has a Sore Foot
Sometimes your budgie can get a sore foot if they have been standing in the same position for a long time.
If you have noticed that they have been in the same position for a long time encourage them to move around the cage which will hopefully reduce the soreness.
It is recommended to put lots of perches at different levels in their cage which will encourage them to move around the cage more frequently.
Had a Stroke
If your budgie is over 4 years old it is possible they have had a stroke which is causing them to have issues using one of their feet.
if you suspect your budgie has had a stroke you’ll need to take them to the vet to be assessed.
Bumblefoot
Bumblefoot will also cause discomfort on your budgies feet.
Bumblefoot is an infection or an allergic reaction on your budgies foot and will be very obvious as there will be sores and swelling around the foot. More information can be found here
what information about this condition watch the video below
[youtube v=”niUaEs4HPb4″]
Things You Should Look Out For
Budgies are very good at hiding illnesses and injuries so they could be in a worse condition than what you think.
You can also keep an eye on how much they are eating, if they are eating less food or no food this is an indication they are ill injured or feeling uncomfortable.
You can test the leg by gently pushing it inwards, if the budgie resists and pushes back then there shouldn’t be any major injury.
If the budgie struggles to push back or appears in pain then they have most likely injured their foot.
Budgie’s Leg is Paralyzed
If your budgies leg is paralysed it could be because they have dislocated their leg or even broken it. If this is the case you should not handle them and you should take them to the vet as soon as possible.
A tumour or some sort of growth on the leg can also cause the leg to be Paralyzed, this condition will be more common in older Birds.
Another possible reason is that your budgie has a disease called paralysis which typically effects older budgies. This disease is treatable and budgies typically take a few days or weeks to recover. For more information on this disease click here
Why Is My Budgie Holding One Foot Up?
Is it normal for a budgie to hold one foot up, the most common reason is because it is comfortable by keeping them warm and also enabling them to rest their leg.
The budgies are likely to hold one foot up more often when their condition is cold as they try to keep warm.
They will typically constantly swap legs and they will tuck the leg up underneath them.
If you noticed that they are not swapping legs then it could be because of an issue with their leg or foot which I have covered above.