Canary Injury

**CuteCanary** · 02-25-2021, 11:29 AM

I have a male canary and he is a very active bird and loves to sing all day

. 2 weeks ago my husband caught him and was talking to him and let him go after. Since then he couldn't fly and his wing was palpating and he wasn't singing. He is a very good at flying when he is out of the cage. The next day we took him to the vet and she said he might have a clavicle/ collarbone injury and without and xray it's hard to tell. She prescribed him medication for 2 weeks and recommended no flying for that period of time. After a couple of days he started singing normally and was back to his normal self but still could not fly. We took him for a follow up to and avian vet after 2 weeks and she too said that they would have to take an xray and that anesthetics and xray would put a stress on him and he may not survive it. Was wondering if there is anything we can do for him at home to help him fly. Other than flying, he is back to his normal self. He keeps is wing slightly away from him and sometimes it seems normal. Very active and sings a lot and eats well too. We have also lowered his perches and put the cage on the floor so he can go in and out when he pleases and has his freedom.

Has anyone had any similar experience and is there anything we could do to help him fly again or will he recover on his own over time?

Thank you

**boomer girl** · 02-25-2021, 11:39 AM

Hi there, I am sorry to hear that your little boy has hurt himself and cannot fly now. If I were you I would keep him nice and calm and not encourage him to fly at all. His body needs time to heal and if he were to fly now he might just do more damage to himself. Keeping him in his cage so he cannot fly is perhaps the best thing you can do and in time hopefully the pain he might feel will get better. I agree that Xrays are dangerous because they do need to sedate him to do it. Boomer had quite a few done and one time since he was very weak and sick his vet actually did one without sedating him. But this was something he needed badly and she was afraid of what was happening to his body and needed that Xray so she chanced it and did it without sedation. He was fine afterwards.

My heart hurts for your husband because he has to feel a sad this happened after he grabbed him and held him. Hugs to both of you because it hurts us "parronts" when our birds are sick or hurt.

**CuteCanary** · 02-25-2021, 12:33 PM

Hi boomer girl,

Thank you for your response and kind words. Yes, that is why we choose not do the xrays as we didn't want to risk loosing him, he seems normal otherwise. He doesn't fly but rather walks/hops around. He is a bird that is very active. We didn't put a bath for him for the 2 weeks and he would try to go into his drinking water to bathe and start fluttering his wings or if he is sitting on the perch he will preen under his wings or start fluttering them. Even though his perches were at the bottom he likes climbing the grills of the cage

. He is aware that he can't fly to his favorite spots so he doesn't try. He doesn't like being locked up and has always enjoyed his freedom especially when he sees his companion ie. our female bird flying free around. I think I will take your suggestion and leave him in his cage separate from the female so he can recuperate.

Glad to know your bird recovered.

Thank you