Splayed legs HELP !

[Budgiebreeder11]

Just a question, are there any real health problems with having splayed legs? Or is this just for appearance sake.

[nev90]

If a chick with splayed legs is not treated it will not be able to perch properly and it will have a very miserable life.

[Budgiebreeder11]

Thanks nev

[Babybreau]

here is a neat article on how to make a fix for splayed legs out of makeup sponges...
Splayed Legs Fix (http://www.parrotparrot.com/splay/)

[Budgiebreeder11]

Great article thanks so much.

[Angelic Vampyre]

I have had a budgie with Splayed legs, I did try to fix them but it was to late, he only lived about 6 months could fly fine but had issues landing and would fall off perches, tried to adapt a cage for him but he could not cage walk it was a sad day when I finally put him out of his misery if you can fix it do so but if you can't don't let the poor guy suffer.

[Blondie2828]

How late is too late to try fixing splayed legs? :( My mom's birds are over 4 WEEKS already. She never noticed anything wrong. She's 82, so I can't blame her too much, but I feel so bad!

[nev90]

How late is too late to try fixing splayed legs? :( My mom's birds are over 4 WEEKS already. She never noticed anything wrong. She's 82, so I can't blame her too much, but I feel so bad!
It is still worth trying but I doubt if it will be successful. Good luck

[Budgiekin]

While I think 4 weeks is too late to fix the splayed legs, it couldn't hurt to try as Nev said.

Of course, I suspect you would need to be quite gentle when trying to put the legs closer together. I am not sure in all honesty how much mobility the hip joints will have, so I have no idea about how difficult this would be, or whether it would cause any discomfort for the babies.

Please keep us posted with how the little guys are doing! We all want them to live a healthy happy life just like you do. :)

[Blondie2828]

I splinted them today, using the makeup wedges as advised in another post. I was really scared about pulling the legs together, but they went quite easily. It was really hard to get them through the little holes, though. When I left, the bigger one looked so uncomfortable. He wouldn't stay in his box, so I put tissues on the floor. The little one looked so much happier, though. Yesterday, it was just laying there. Today, it was sitting up in its own box. I hope their parents keep feeding them. The little one is undernourished. I'm going away for a few days, but one sister is going to check up on them and the other is going to a store to find out about hand-feeding them until they're strong. She's the one who had planned to keep them.

When is it safe for the parents to try again? We learned so much from this accidental experience, and we'd like to try again. I hate that it was at the expense of these two beautiful birds, though...