# My baby bird~



## Ezzie (Sep 17, 2012)

Just wanted to show you all my baby budgie that i'm going to begin hand raising tomorrow. :-D

We named him (or her! we don't know!) pipsqueak since he is going to be a tiny baby.

He is a very special baby however having a condition called splayed legs, Where instead of his legs being under him and supporting his body they are sticking out sideways instead. I believe it was from his mother sitting on him too hard thus forcing his legs out from under him.

I have made splints for his legs using makeup sponges (as seen in some of the photos) that i attached yesterday while he is still in the nest with mum, however i might just tape his legs together using medical tape when i begin hand raiding him since then he can move them interdependently instead of essentially being shackled!

Enjoy his baby cuteness :-D

When he was a baby baby!


A few days later! They grow so fast!


Here is the little darling with his splints on! It looks cruel but at least his legs are no longer out beside him!


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## RainbowhLizzie (Sep 15, 2013)

Oh, he is gorgeous! Any idea on what his color will turn out? 
I'm jealous, my budgies refuse to breed! I always had trouble with past budgies breeding too much, but now that I want babies, they just kind of sit there like, "We aren't gonna do it."

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## Ezzie (Sep 17, 2012)

Today is hand pulling today! I will be taking him from the nest today  
i'm nervous although i know what to expect (ive raised babies before) i'm just concerned about his little legs, i wasn't able to sleep good last night because i was constantly thinking of him!!

I asked on a budgie specific fourm and based off his mother a member said he might be a Lacewing Albino. Heres a picture of one:


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## RainbowhLizzie (Sep 15, 2013)

Beautiful!!

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## Ezzie (Sep 17, 2012)

A little (long) update:

My heat mat arrived today and is the day i also pulled the baby for hand feeding.
I set the thermostat to 26 degrees Celsius but it feels a lot warmer then it needed to be, The little baby was really warm (is this a good thing?)

The little guy seems to be doing well but i'm still really nervous and anxious about his condition since this is a first for me and i don't really know what i'm doing.. 

I havn't tried to give him his first attempt at a feed since he still has food in his crop from mum and he still seems a little stressed. I wanted to let that crop food empty a little before i try. 
Ill probably give it a go before i go to bed later tonight.

I attempted to put the tape method mentioned with help from my sister but it was of no luck what so ever. He kept moving his little legs around and i couldn't find the correct place and it was just an awkward, stressful mess and after 10 minutes i decided that the poor baby didn't need to suffer with being handled anymore.

The little guy still has some tape stuck around one of his legs i couldnt remove since he was wriggling so much and i was afraid to pull it off his delicate skin

Do you think it would be okay to stay there until he is a little bigger and i can remove it easier?

I had previously made a tighter fitting splint out of the makeup sponges so i used that instead. 
I have a soft teddy in the DIY brooder with him and i managed to get him propped up against it so his little legs are not sticking out backwards anymore with the splint on, That's a plus, yeah?

I am also contemplating getting into contact with my avian vet to get his little legs seen and hopefully they can help put a good brace on it. 
I am super worried about taking him there since he is such a baby and i really don't want to stress him out anymore then need be..

Do you think i should take him anyway...?

Pictures from today.
This is the baby with his legs with no splint.. Totally splayed and a horrible mess to look at.. I don't even know if that degree of splayed-ness can be fixed. 
Any thoughts...?


And this photo is of him with the splint on propped upright so his legs are under him.


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## Crowntails (Feb 12, 2013)

He's so cute!


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## Saphira101 (Nov 14, 2012)

What a cute baby! I used to have to deal with splayed legs sometimes when I would buy chicks from the farm store. (Chicken chicks... like baby chickens. I'm not sure if that made sense. :/ ) Good luck with your little cutie!


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## Ezzie (Sep 17, 2012)

Figured i would update here often if people are interested in the little birds life.

Little Pip as we have come to call him had his first vet visit today after i managed to get an appointment asap!

The vet said he looks good, although a little skinny.

He has a little yeast in his poop so the vet gave me Nilstat to mix with his food in case he has a yeast infection and Bactrim as a precaution against any other hidden things he might have.

She binded his legs together using vet wrap basically 100% covered the legs but there straight. The only issue is he still points his legs out backwards with them joined so she suggested we make a cone shape something to put him in so his legs essentially dangle under him and his body is supported, That way he cant put his legs behind him.

I whipped out my creative genius and used a coffee mug, covered the top with cardboard with a hole in the middle. I surrounded it with wrapped up tissue paper so he can be comfy and this was the end result:


His legs are under him instead of behind, which is good!

The vet asked us to come back in 5 days to see how its going, and depending on the result she said he might need surgery. 
This so me is a big no no and i don't believe 5 days is nearly enough for his legs to straighten. IF there still not becoming straight ill ask for another binding and to keep it another week longer, I really don't have the money to spend on an overly expensive surgery for the little guy..

He was fighting being in the contraption for a bit but i think hes so exhausted after today's adventure hes fallen asleep.

Heres another photo:


I still have the heat mat in there and its covered with tea-towels on top to keep in the heat. Do you think this will be enough to keep him warm since hes not sitting directly on the heat mat anymore.

Ill give him another feed in about an hour. I wanted him to settle in first and relax before i pester him again.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Aww, what a cute little guy! He's lucky to have such a wonderful caretaker.


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## zombieaddict (Nov 11, 2013)

I'm so glad you've shared all this! I'm not a big bird person but seeing the pictures as that little guy ages is just too cute. It sounds like you're doing a great job with him and offering all the assistance you can. Keep up the good work and please keep sharing pictures of the cutie!


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## Destinystar (May 26, 2012)

Sweet baby bird, thanks for sharing and be sure and keep us updated on how he is doing, he is so adorable


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

Looks like you're doing a great job with him. Keep us updated.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Keep the updates coming, please. You're doing a great job with him!


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## bettaqb9 (Dec 31, 2013)

awww thats soooooo cute!!!!!


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