Problems With the Bottom of a Bird's Feet

Foot Infections

• Regularly inspect your bird's feet for diseases, including viral, bacterial, fungal and yeast infections. When caught early, you can treat these infections before they spread. Birds such as cockatiels and parakeets may get a common infection of the feet known as bumblefoot. Symptoms of bumblefoot include swelling on the bottom of the foot with a small crust or defect in the skin, according to "Bird Times" magazine. This infection occurs under the skin of the foot. Obesity, inactivity or vitamin A deficiency all can cause a bird to develop bumblefoot. Unhygienic perches also can cause bumblefoot, so keep perches clean and replace them regularly. Treatments for bumblefoot and other foot infections include bandaging, antibiotic treatment, a change in diet or, in severe cases, surgery.

Mites and Allergens

• Mites can attack and irritate the bottom of a bird's feet, making it uncomfortable for it to stand. These mites target specific species, usually coming from other pet birds of the same species, and they live in the cracks of perches. Foot mites target canaries and parakeets. In canaries, foot mites cause the condition called tasselfoot, in which long, tassel-like projections grow from the canary's feet. Other symptoms include pale crusts on the feet of birds such as parakeets. In addition to mites, certain allergens such as tobacco smoke, cosmetics or food ingredients can cause a condition called Amazon foot necrosis, according to Cheap Pet Store. This condition involves the loss of skin on the foot from contact with these allergens.

Foot Injuries

• Bird feet can catch on certain rope toys or wires attached to toys in cages. If your bird catches its toe or breaks its nail, bleeding can occur or the toes can break. Avoid cages with fancy grillwork or uneven cage bar spacing to prevent your bird from catching its feet in these spaces. In addition, do not give your bird toys with holes that your bird's toes can fit into or rope toys that your bird can catch its toes in. For nesting materials, stick to natural fibers that cannot wrap around bird toes or cut off circulation.

Considerations

• Birds stand on perches most of their day, so keep these perches as clean as possible by washing them regularly. Replace perches and branches every four weeks to prevent the build-up of bacteria and feces. Use perches of different sizes and diameters to give your bird's feet a variety of shapes to stand on. Ridged perches give birds a better surface to stand on, but avoid any rough surfaces such as quartz sandpaper or sharp perch edges, which can irritate the bottoms of feet. Like humans, birds can get a condition called gout, which causes swelling of the joints and feet that a veterinarian must treat, sometimes with drugs used for humans. Inspecting your bird's feet regularly and keeping your bird's nails trimmed will prevent problems and allow you to catch any issues early on.