Ask Lafeber

Bird limping for 2 days

My Cockatiel, DJ, likes to chew a wicker basket we have and I think he probably has a piece of wicker–of course it might be something else–caught in his foot. He will let me touch, briefly, the outside of his foot but will not let me examine the underside.
How urgent is this? Can we wait another day to see if it resolves by itself?

Hi,

There can be many reasons why a bird limps, and some can be very serious internal problems. If DJ does have something stuck in his foot, he could have an infection and it’s important to have a vet treat him as soon as possible. With this being a holiday weekend, you may not be able to find a vet to see him, but if possible, he needs to be examined by a vet if he is still limping.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda