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How to Care for a Bird with a Broken Wing

how to care for a bird with a broken wing

Due to their active nature, many birds in captivity accidentally break their wings while flying around in the cage. Many bird owners know the panic that sets in when they see their bird flapping around on the ground or skittering across a tabletop. They might let out a yelp and run to scoop up their bird before it gets away, but then what?

Or you might encounter a wounded bird in your garden, stumbling around in pain due to its broken wing. What should you do?

Indeed, a bird with a broken wing needs special care and attention. And we have to do it right. This blog post will help guide you through the process of how to care for your bird should anything happen!

What to do with a Bird with a Broken Wing?

Suppose you find a bird with a broken wing or your own pet gets injured. The best thing to do is bring it to a veterinarian or wildlife rehabilitator.

If there are any breaks visible near joints on either of your bird’s wings, then these will likely require surgery before they heal properly. In this case, do not attempt anything yourself; try contacting wildlife rehabilitators or veterinarians who may provide free.

They will examine the bird’s injury and provide the necessary care. If you attempt to treat the bird yourself, you may end up doing more harm than good. Birds can recover from broken wings if they receive proper care, but it often takes time and patience.

However, if you are unable to connect with your local animal shelter or bird rescue organization no matter how hard you try, here is something that you can do before bringing them there:

Step one: Put on a Mask and a Clean Pair of Gloves

While caring for the birds, you must also protect yourself from potential diseases carried by birds, especially ones living in the wild. Do not attempt to pick an injured bird without a glove or a towel to cover your hands.

Do not force the injured birds to drink water or eat any food. You risk making the birds scared and go frantic again if you move or force them.

Another precaution you must take is to avoid bringing the bird so near your face. Such action will endanger you and the bird. It might use the sharp claws and beak to hurt your eyes and injuring themselves further in the process.

Step two: You need to Wrap the Bird up.

Use a towel, shirt, or your hands to keep it from flying away and injuring itself further. The soft blanket will also calm the bird down and make it feel safer in your hands.

You can temporarily immobilize your bird by wrapping its body in a towel with just its head exposed so that it can breathe easily. Also, avoid touching the injured wing or moving it.

Step three: Gently Stop the Bleeding.

what to do with a bird with a broken wing

Warning: Only attempt this if you know how to deal with bird injuries like these or else, you risk making the injury worse!

Then, take some time to assess the wing carefully before determining how best to bandage it up! If you cannot do that, just put the bandage over where the blood is leaking.

Then restraint from touching it further.

Step four: Find a Box or Carrier for the Bird to Rest.

If you have access to a carrier like a pet carrier, this is ideal for keeping the bird while it recovers. If not, place the bird in a box big enough so that it can’t move around too much while keeping a close eye on its condition.

Be sure to put something soft inside the box, like towels or T-shirts. Also, you can keep the bird warm by placing a warm bottle in the box.

Watch closely if the bird finds it hard to breathe; make sure to open the box and remove the water bottle.

Step five: Transport the Bird to the Nearest Veterinarian as soon as Possible.

Don’t forget to keep a close eye on the bird while transporting it. Be sure to call your local animal rescue group or veterinarian for more guidance on caring for the bird until it can receive proper medical attention.

Many birds require specialized care, so don’t try to do it all by yourself!

Depending on how bad the break is, there may be some rehabilitation required that you will need to carry out under veterinary supervision. There is no set time frame for this, so don’t get discouraged if your bird doesn’t seem to be getting better right away.

Conclusion

We hope these tips help should you ever find yourself in a situation where you have to help an injured bird. It’s important not to try and treat this bird on your own because many birds require specialized care. So, after taking the bird inside a safe box, try to ask for professional care.

Do not forget to protect yourself from dangers when in contact with the birds by taking important precautions.

Thank you for reading and keeping our feathered friends safe!

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