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Re: Help--My Canary keeps chewing/biting one leg
Posted by Sandpiper on 1/08/10

Thank you for the reply GreenLady. I guess I will have to try
it, although I am frightened at the thought of catching and
holding him, especially once a day! For this reason I have
been putting off trying to trim his nails (by the way, can I
do that with an ordinary nail clipper?).

Thanks for the tip on the water. I thought distilled was
best. I will get him some spring water. I have wondered if I
should buy vitamins to add to his water, but I have not done
so because he seems so very healthy.

On 1/08/10, GreenLady wrote:
> Sandpiper it sounds as if your canary may be experiencing
leg
> mites, which is common for canaries. He doesn't have to be
> around other birds to contract them.
> Take a small amount of mineral oil or petroleum jelly
> (Vaseline) and massage it into the skin of his legs and feet.
> If they are mites, this will help suffocate and kill them
> safely. Be very careful to keep either of these products
off
> of his feathers as they will cause the feathers to get oily
> and you will have to hand wash him should this happen.
> Apply this daily for about a week and you should see marked
> improvement in his legs both with the redness and picking.
>
> Another point I would like to suggest is that distilled
water
> is not really good for any bird as it has everything removed
> from it including minerals. Your bird would do better with
> spring water or purified water. Other than that, his diet
> sounds very good.
>
> Good luck to you.
>
>
>
>
>
> On 1/08/10, Sandpiper wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> I need help/advice for my canary. I purchased him from
>> Petco in October 2009. I am not sure of his age, but he
>> is not supposed to be very old. He has seemed a very
>> healthy and happy bird. He sings all day long and hops
>> around his cage. His appetite is very good. He eats seed
>> with a tiny bit of egg, and I give him a fresh brocoli
>> floret each day. I only give him distilled water to drink.
>>
>> However, within the last few days, I have noticed him
>> chewing/biting up and down one leg. It is the leg with
>> the band, but I have never seen him chew/bite the band.
>> This morning, the leg is redder than his other leg, and it
>> is ever so slightly swollen. It is noticeable mostly due
>> to the redder colour. You have to look hard and compare
>> both legs to realize one is slightly swollen compared to
>> the other one.
>>
>> He is an only bird and comes into contact with no other
>> birds. Although I would be happy to take him to an Avian
>> vet, I cannot afford to do so. If anyone has any idea
>> what may be wrong, I would appreciate you letting me
>> know. Thanks!

Posts on this thread, including this one

• Help--My Canary keeps chewing/biting one leg, 1/08/10, by Sandpiper.
• Re: Help--My Canary keeps chewing/biting one leg, 1/08/10, by GreenLady.
• Re: Help--My Canary keeps chewing/biting one leg, 1/08/10, by Sandpiper.
• Re: Help--My Canary keeps chewing/biting one leg, 1/08/10, by GreenLady.
• Re: Help--My Canary keeps chewing/biting one leg, 1/09/10, by Sandpiper.
• Re: Help--My Canary keeps chewing/biting one leg, 1/09/10, by Sandpiper.
• Re: Help--My Canary keeps chewing/biting one leg, 1/09/10, by GreenLady.
• Re: Help--My Canary keeps chewing/biting one leg, 1/11/10, by Sandpiper.
• Re: Help--My Canary keeps chewing/biting one leg, 2/19/10, by Suzanne.
• Re: Help--My Canary keeps chewing/biting one leg, 2/20/10, by Warning.
• Re: Help--My Canary keeps chewing/biting one leg, 2/20/10, by Sandpiper.