Cage Set-up for Elderly/Arthritic Budgie

[Keet_Krazy]

My sweet LJ (Lemon Jade) was estimated to be 8-9 years old (I have no way of knowing his exact age). I suspect he had arthritis and he wasn't the best flyer, most likely due to never really having the chance to properly exercise and/or being overweight (Possibly even having a lipoma?)

When he begun to develop pressure sores/mild bumblefoot despite a variety of natural wood perches, I decided it was time for a setup designed just for him. I picked a cage that was low in height so that he never fell far, but I pick one with a decent amount of width and depth so short flights could still be done.
Perches were all soft, there was one wooden perch that was just vet wrapped, the rest has a layer of fleece under the vet wrap to cushion his feet. I also braided fleece and then vet wrapped it to create a kind of "rope" perch.
This was the first set up.

As I didn't have any platform perches I receive a great suggestion to make my own!

I did also vet wrap a perch for his travel cage for vet trips.

Not much changed after that, Toys changed and sometimes perches were moved. I did end up buying platform perches (included a cork one) but they didn't arrive till after he had passed back in October.

LJ was the sweetest budgie I ever met, and I miss him a lot. I hope this can help somebirdy in some way ❤️

 

[Terry57]

What an inventive set-up for LJ! He was a gorgeous boy, his colours really stand out.

It's wonderful how you gave him a home where he could be so comfortable in his golden years. Senior birds quite often have special needs and I'm so glad you posted this

I have to say that's some of the best vet wrapping I've ever seen!

 

[Keet_Krazy]

What an inventive set-up for LJ! He was a gorgeous boy, his colours really stand out.

It's wonderful how you gave him a home where he could be so comfortable in his golden years. Senior birds quite often have special needs and I'm so glad you posted this

Thank you! LJ was my first budgie and I was his (at least) second home. I had him for quite a few years and made a whole heap of mistakes with him, but he taught me so much and I am a better budgie parront because of him ❤️
It's really quite heartbreaking caring for the older ones, but I wouldn't hesitate to do it again!

I have to say that's some of the best vet wrapping I've ever seen!

That is purposeful
The yellow budgie you see in the pictures is a little destructive machine! These days I am lucky if one of those pinatas lasts a week with her! I made sure there was no tempting bumps or loose bits of vet wrap.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

My sweet LJ (Lemon Jade) was estimated to be 8-9 years old (I have no way of knowing his exact age). I suspect he had arthritis and he wasn't the best flyer, most likely due to never really having the chance to properly exercise and/or being overweight (Possibly even having a lipoma?)
View attachment 48117
When he begun to develop pressure sores/mild bumblefoot despite a variety of natural wood perches, I decided it was time for a setup designed just for him. I picked a cage that was low in height so that he never fell far, but I pick one with a decent amount of width and depth so short flights could still be done.
Perches were all soft, there was one wooden perch that was just vet wrapped, the rest has a layer of fleece under the vet wrap to cushion his feet. I also braided fleece and then vet wrapped it to create a kind of "rope" perch.
This was the first set up.
View attachment 48115 View attachment 48116
As I didn't have any platform perches I receive a great suggestion to make my own!
View attachment 48113 View attachment 48114
I did also vet wrap a perch for his travel cage for vet trips.
View attachment 48118
Not much changed after that, Toys changed and sometimes perches were moved. I did end up buying platform perches (included a cork one) but they didn't arrive till after he had passed back in October.

LJ was the sweetest budgie I ever met, and I miss him a lot. I hope this can help somebirdy in some way ❤️

LJ was a beautiful budgie (aren't they all) and so lucky to have you for a parront!
"Somebirdy"! That's a great new word to add to my vocabulary! Thanks!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

LJ was a beautiful budgie (aren't they all) and so lucky to have you for a parront!
"Somebirdy"! That's a great new word to add to my vocabulary! Thanks!

I have a six year old female English Budgie (I got her when she was five) who has bad osteoporosis from prior breeding, poor diet, and "old age" (six is pretty old for an English). About three months ago she flapped out the door of her while I was changing her food and landed on the floor three feet below, fracturing her right femur (x-ray at avian vet next day). A bird's femur is the largest, strongest bone in their body and attaches to the pelvis deep inside their abdomen. Since this bone is mostly inside her body he couldn't splint it. He didn't know if she would heal well or even survive but take her home and try to keep her calm and prevent her from climbing around or trying to fly. I keep her in one of my 24x24x24 plexiglass "cages", which made it easy to stop her from climbing (no bars), so I removed all the perches and padded the bottom of her plexicage with eight inches of bath towels, covered them with paper towels, repositioned a few perches and her swing to a height of six inches from the bottom and put her food and water bowls on the bottom. Lilibelle is a very "docile" budgie (aka a perch potato") so it wasn't difficult to keep her calm. I was very worried the bone wouldn't heal properly because there wasn't really anything holding the broken ends together but I figured that even if the free ends healed apart at least it would no longer hurt (I can't imagine how painful it was). After a couple of weeks she began to bear weight on her broken leg and after a couple months she was moving around her home pretty normally considering what a serious fracture she had. I haven't taken her back to the vet for a recheck because I don't want to handle her in fear of disturbing the healing process, but she's doing fine. She eats normally and I could probably take out all the towels and give her a normal perch set up but the vet told me her bones are very fragile so I don't want to risk her getting injured again. It looks like Lilibelle is going to have Special Needs for the rest of her life but that's okay- she's one of my fids, so I'll take good care of her.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Thank you! LJ was my first budgie and I was his (at least) second home. I had him for quite a few years and made a whole heap of mistakes with him, but he taught me so much and I am a better budgie parront because of him ❤️
It's really quite heartbreaking caring for the older ones, but I wouldn't hesitate to do it again!


That is purposeful
The yellow budgie you see in the pictures is a little destructive machine! These days I am lucky if one of those pinatas lasts a week with her! I made sure there was no tempting bumps or loose bits of vet wrap.

At the risk of sounding Stoopid, what is "vet wrap"?

 

[Keet_Krazy]

At the risk of sounding Stoopid, what is "vet wrap"?

It's just a bandage commonly used in a vet clinic, or for horses (and even for people!). It's got a few names, Co Plus, Rip Rap, etc. Coban is the human version, I think.

 

[Keet_Krazy]

Also this is my favourite picture of my little green man.
Taken just before his health started going down hill 🥲

 

[DonnaBudgie]

GORGEOUS, and quite a poser!

 

[Terry57]

Also this is my favourite picture of my little green man.
Taken just before his health started going down hill 🥲
View attachment 48127

What absolutely gorgeous colouring, I just can't get over it!
What a special boy LJ was, and I'm so glad you and he had that time together..