Friday, May 25, 2012

Perch problems

Problem with Jack has me worried.  One of his claws became stuck to the perch on his food dish and he couldn't seem to unclench it. This led to him sort of hanging from the perch with his two claws separated, one clutching the floor and one the perch.  Since it was around 2 am in the morning, I couldn't take him to the vet.  So I used something sketchy---an online bird vet.  "Bob" the online vet told me to throw a towel over him exposing his leg and use a pencil to get his claw off the perch.  This worked, though Jack seemed angry about it and made a noise I've never heard him make, a sort of hissing bird growl.  Now he's sitting on the floor of his cage after taking a sip of water from his bird-bath.  I'm worried because perching seems from what I've read to be a sign of bird health, and he doesn't seem to be perching.  He no longer perches.  Maybe I will try taking him to a  vet who does birds.  Sitting on the floor of his cage is evidently a bad sign.  And he would seem to be unable to get to the food dish perch.  I should probably put lights out and check in the morning.  The online vet said that darkness is soothing to birds.