Cupid Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 I know a couple of our members are proud owners of "disabled" greys. Not retarded or anything like that I mean like the leg to the side, handicaps, or other problems they might live with day to day. I need any feedback about the joy of having a special bird like this please. Any information is greatly appreciated... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave007 Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 I know a couple of our members are proud owners of "disabled" greys. Not retarded or anything like that I mean like the leg to the side, handicaps, or other problems they might live with day to day. I need any feedback about the joy of having a special bird like this please. Any information is greatly appreciated... http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?109885-Scoliosis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cupid Posted July 27, 2011 Author Share Posted July 27, 2011 Thanks Dave! I know its an old thread, but if you know, how did the parrents "prepare" the cage and lifestyle to accomodate the bird? Low perches toweled bottom of cage, but what else? Thanks for your reply btw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara2 Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Thanks Dave! I know its an old thread, but if you know, how did the parrents "prepare" the cage and lifestyle to accomodate the bird? Low perches toweled bottom of cage, but what else? Thanks for your reply btw. I know that Cody's human mama got a Kings cage with lower food bowls and the play top. She had a great big cage but found he was better with the wider cage with the play top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 A lot of those disabled birds do not know they are any different from any other bird and do well with the handicap they have, they climb and hang with the best of them. For those who do have some climbing problems it does better to lower the perches, food bowls and such and probably like many have found a wider and lower cage works best than a tall one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codys Mom Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Cody's new cage is totally perfect for him and he is now brave and dareing lol he was trying to climb up on a Boing today that is on the side of Opeys cage I just watched and he made it half way so not bad then he flew off lol if you didn't see his leg he acts like a perfectly normal grey and the vet told me he doesn't know he is handicapped since he has been since around 4 weeks old in his mind he thinks he is just a normal grey , either way he is our Cody and we love him dearly and he will always have a good home with us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marybeth Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Gabby is pretty disabled we have discovered but I still don't know what happened to him and don't know if we ever will. He has a vet appt on Tuesday (our local avian vet is only available a couple of days per week and was off on vacation so that is why it took us this long to get in). I've moved the perches lower but think I may still need to lower them some. I guess eventually we may need to get him a wider, shorter cage. Even though the perches are lower, he loves to climb up the walls of his cage and he will hang there by his beak and I worry about him falling. He does occasionally flutter down to the bottom of the cage. He's gotten "stuck" a couple of times hanging off a perch by his beak and reaching around with his legs trying to find something to grab onto. I was able to help him by sticking something in for him to climb onto but I worry if he does that when I'm not here. If you came in my house and saw him w/o knowing his legs didn't work right, you would think he was probably at death's door, because he will often just kinda lie on his side on his worst leg (it doesn't seem to support his weight at all), and even when he perches he can't really perch upright. I feel bad for him but I hope that the more we try to accommodate him with his surroundings and the more he becomes familiar with everything, he will be ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywings Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Try a Sugar Glider type set up but pad the ramps(wrap with Vet wrap) and place branches or perches with forks and deep curves so he can support himself comfortably upright. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cupid Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share Posted July 29, 2011 (edited) thank you all for your replys, I hope to adopt a healthy baby with a leg problem over a scoliosis neck problem. Ive searched through the forums to see pics of different birds, so id be glad if we could consolidate some here. I need to start learning and preparing as soon as I can. I appreciate any advice and welcome pics please to see diffrent greys at home, in their cages, and in day to day life. Edited August 10, 2011 by Cupid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codys Mom Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 thats Cody on my Aviator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cupid Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share Posted July 29, 2011 (edited) thats Cody on my Aviator I saw that pic and the other in the show us your cage thread. I see the leg completely to the side. Hes still a beautiful grey though! Cody is a very handsome bird~ Edited July 29, 2011 by Cupid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffNOK Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Cody is indeed a pretty bird. I have a friend who has a grey who is essentially missing a foot. He can't "perch" per se, but they have a small plank of wood that he stands on. He seems to do pretty well. He's a good climber and plays like a champ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelly Yokum Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 I think it takes a special kind of person to be a bird lover, because they aren't like any other pet. Special diets, and skills. To take on a handicap bird, takes a very special person. I don't think many of us could do it. Myself included. My hats off to you cupid! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cupid Posted August 7, 2011 Author Share Posted August 7, 2011 (edited) Jefnok see if you can find a pic of your friends pirate parrot. Thanks Shelly, I'll be honored to have a baby grey so......... Id appreciate any other pictures of disabled greys please. Edited August 10, 2011 by Cupid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Shelly is right in that it does take a special person to take in a disabled bird and I am so glad there are people like you to give them a home and the love and attention they so desperately need just as any able bodied bird would need, my hat is off to you Joel for your big heart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Farlap Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 this is a great thread and I wondered if there are images available of some of these birds? we have recently adopted an AG with two problem legs. One looks to have been badly broken ad a chick and is almost on backwards from the ankle down.....but his grip works OK, its just that hes walking on the ankle bone. The other leg is very crooked. his climbin is OK, he can perch for short whiles but walking on the bone rather than on the foot is my biggest longterm worry as I feel he may damage the skin doing this. ive now put in a rubberised perch to see if that helsp but hes not tried it yet. he sleeps on a shelf perch quite happily but again id like to soften the surface to give protection. I like the idea of branches with forks....Im off to find some now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywings Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 It can also help if you use some Vet wrap to soften the branches, we have a Timneh with that backwards foot issue as well it does not slow him down at all. They also make those Happy Huts in an African Grey size as well as some self perches made of smooth stone. The boings or rope perches are also a good item for their foot strength as well as being softer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerial.2000 Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 that vet wrap stuff works GREAT! as long as I can keep marco from chewing it off LOL Ya'll ... my hat is off to you taking on such an amazing endeavor like a handicapped bird ... you have huge hearts!~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywings Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 They have no idea they have a handicap, those of us who live with one of these guys know how adaptable and clever they are! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerial.2000 Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 I can only imagine! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Farlap Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 hi we too have a parrot with severe disabilities. His right leg has been broken as a nestling and no one notied and its healed at 90 degrees to his body. So as long as he always has a cage side to hold onto (he has full grip in all toes) then hes fine. his good foot is not so good either, the leg is weak and he walks on his hock, and he has three toes pointing forward and one back so not good for grip! That said, he manages well and loves cage climbing rather than perch climbing. ive wrapped flat perches in vet wrap to make it softer on the parts of his leg that are in contact with the ground. ive put shelf perches instead of normal perches and removed the horrid grill from bottom of cage so he walks on the newspaper. this means 2 x a day cleaning out but thats no big deal. the BIGGEST problem ive had is finding a new cage with horizontal fronts. unbelievably all but two models have vertical bars and he cant cope with those atall. Finally got him a new jersey and hes having a blast. Ocassionally he slips and lands on the floor but he never seems phased. our saddest feeling is that we can never have the pleasure of him sitting on our hand or stepping up like out old bird used to, as he just doesnt have the confidence to try it because of his feet. its sad for us but im guessing he doesnt care too much lol 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Your bird is blessed in having an understanding and accomodating parront! I think you are right... a lot of things that seem important to us don't matter a whit to them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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