Bumblefoot on Quail and I need help ASAP

[dc3085]

I have quite a little bit of experience with bumble. Once a bird gets it, even if you remove the core and the bird heals, its just going to get it again. If your birds are over 14 ounces nothing you can do will stop some of them getting bumble. Their bodies can only physically handle being a certain size. In the last 30 years the average size of a jumbo more than doubled. Their bone and tissue structure is only capable of supporting so much weight and people have pushed them past that point.

 

[Vivo_Morior]

I know this is an older post, but I figure I'll add to it in case anyone else stumbles across it as I did when looking for advice on treating Bumblefoot in quail. I have Japanese Coturnix Quail. Recently one of the smaller males contracted bumblefoot. I think I caught it at stage 3. Still small, but also containing a small core. Here's some of the tricks that worked for me.

Placing a mirror in the soaking tub made him chill out and just focus on the mirror. I didn't have to hold him at all.

For removal of the core, a scapel is way too big for this. I used a lancet. These are what diabetics use to check blood sugar. Manicure kits for cuticles can also be helpful in cleaning away infected tissue. A fresh clean toothbrush prooved great for giving it a more gentle final scrub down. I fully cleaned it over multiple soaks to let him calm down back in the warm salt water with his mirror.

I sprayed the wound with Vetericyn antimicrobial hydrogel, then packed the wound with triple antibiotic ointment.

Here's the impotence part though. YOU CAN BANDAGE QUAIL FEET. I recomend heavy duty fabric bandages, as they're more flexible to apply and hold up if you plan on letting the quail go roam around after.

I used 3 bandages for foot for my more active little guy, but I wouldn't be surprised if you could get away with just two on a more mellow or contained quail.

Bandage on basically goes across their toes, like the webbing of a duck foot. Basically you're making a paddle for him to walk around on. I always centered the non-adhesive pad on the wound. It's okay if the claws stick out but they don't have to. I was careful to avoid pinning down his back toe. The next two bandages I stuck one end to the top or bottom of the bandage paddle foot I made and then wrapped the other end around his leg. In this case it's okay to also cover that back toe, but keep in mind you're also sort of using it to help make sure his new boot doesn't slip off entirely. As much as possible try to adhere the bandages to themselves. I always avoided his feathers completely. You will have to cut these off to remove or change them. So make sure you're comfortable doing that. I used regular scissors to remove.

 

[Vivo_Morior]

 

[Vivo_Morior]

 

[Vivo_Morior]

 

[Vivo_Morior]

 

[EvaP2025]

Wanted to see if anyone has any info to help. I have 4 quails outside in a cage with a wooden shavings floor. The bottom is a pull out plastic tray covered in wooden shavings and paper towels as well as carton. Today I see 1 of my birds acting fussy. I took her out and saw that she has beginning stages, bumblefoot. The other three don't have any signs of it and look healthy. I don't understand why she got it in the first place.There is no harsh surfaces. But now I have the fun task of trying to treat it. From what I've seen on videos and information, they want me to cut it out. Is there any way not to have to cut any tissue and just treat it? It is very small and I took off the scab. Cleaned it with hydrogen peroxide and put neosporin n wrapped it. Also moved her into a seperate enclosure with soft flooring.

So what did I do wrong? What could have caused this? Ans also what can I do now? 1st time dealing with this!
Please help and thank you in advance

 

[WildNectarine]

Wanted to see if anyone has any info to help. I have 4 quails outside in a cage with a wooden shavings floor. The bottom is a pull out plastic tray covered in wooden shavings and paper towels as well as carton. Today I see 1 of my birds acting fussy. I took her out and saw that she has beginning stages, bumblefoot. The other three don't have any signs of it and look healthy. I don't understand why she got it in the first place.There is no harsh surfaces. But now I have the fun task of trying to treat it. From what I've seen on videos and information, they want me to cut it out. Is there any way not to have to cut any tissue and just treat it? It is very small and I took off the scab. Cleaned it with hydrogen peroxide and put neosporin n wrapped it. Also moved her into a seperate enclosure with soft flooring.

So what did I do wrong? What could have caused this? Ans also what can I do now? 1st time dealing with this!
Please help and thank you in advance

100% it’s the shavings. And it’s not your fault.

Bumble is caused by two things, either long periods of time on “harsh surfaces” as you put it, that causes sores, or wet conditions that grow bacteria, and a foot injury for the bacteria to get into. If you’re not spot cleaning every single day to remove wet bedding, and replacing at least weekly, it’ll happen eventually. Shavings are just terrible in general, they’re absorbent, and soak all the wetness up and keep it there, and then they’re natural fibers, too, so they’re perfect for harboring bacteria, and aside from all that, they have scent oils that are toxic to birds, even pine and aspen, and it’s not natural for them to walk on puffy stuff, it’s not good for their legs, and it’ll stick to their feet when they inevitably step in poop. When I started with quail many years ago, everyone, and I mean everyone said either shavings or wire, and they still do, so don’t blame yourself, both are terrible and people just don’t know the good alternatives yet. You mentioned paper towels and carton, so you’re on the right track. What I do, with no issues, is take a “pop-up” mosquito net meant for a bed, I use queen sizes, but I’m crazy and have plenty of space, they make “bivy” sized ones you could put on a large table, put thick puzzle exercise mats beneath for foot support, about a half inch/inch or so, and paper massage table sheets inside for a liner, weighed down with sand or beanbags. You’ll have to pull out the sheets every day. It will suck. But, your birds will be happy and healthier for it. Hope this helped.

 

[EvaP2025]

100% it’s the shavings. And it’s not your fault.

Bumble is caused by two things, either long periods of time on “harsh surfaces” as you put it, that causes sores, or wet conditions that grow bacteria, and a foot injury for the bacteria to get into. If you’re not spot cleaning every single day to remove wet bedding, and replacing at least weekly, it’ll happen eventually. Shavings are just terrible in general, they’re absorbent, and soak all the wetness up and keep it there, and then they’re natural fibers, too, so they’re perfect for harboring bacteria, and aside from all that, they have scent oils that are toxic to birds, even pine and aspen, and it’s not natural for them to walk on puffy stuff, it’s not good for their legs, and it’ll stick to their feet when they inevitably step in poop. When I started with quail many years ago, everyone, and I mean everyone said either shavings or wire, and they still do, so don’t blame yourself, both are terrible and people just don’t know the good alternatives yet. You mentioned paper towels and carton, so you’re on the right track. What I do, with no issues, is take a “pop-up” mosquito net meant for a bed, I use queen sizes, but I’m crazy and have plenty of space, they make “bivy” sized ones you could put on a large table, put thick puzzle exercise mats beneath for foot support, about a half inch/inch or so, and paper massage table sheets inside for a liner, weighed down with sand or beanbags. You’ll have to pull out the sheets every day. It will suck. But, your birds will be happy and healthier for it. Hope this helped.

Omg I pressed report instead of reply!

Apologize for that!!!!

Since you mentioned it could be wet conditions, I realized it was raining a few days ago and I did not change the flooring, hoping it'll dry out from the heat. Possibly some bacteria grew in the wet flooring, but it's just that one bird on both her feet. I was also told jumbos are prone to bumblefoot. I have no idea if it's a jambo, because I had a mixed hatch of thirty seven babies. Mind you i started with 2 quails in January lol
I'll definitely look into alternatives for my flooring. I have 2 enclosures, both with wood shavings and other materials to absorb. And prevent smell.

As far as treating it, do you know if there is any way around having to cut out the tissue?

And on another note, since you are much more experienced, is it normal for them too late 2 eggs a day or huge eggs with eggs inside it's been going on for a few days now.

 

[WildNectarine]

Omg I pressed report instead of reply!

Apologize for that!!!!

Since you mentioned it could be wet conditions, I realized it was raining a few days ago and I did not change the flooring, hoping it'll dry out from the heat. Possibly some bacteria grew in the wet flooring, but it's just that one bird on both her feet. I was also told jumbos are prone to bumblefoot. I have no idea if it's a jambo, because I had a mixed hatch of thirty seven babies. Mind you i started with 2 quails in January lol
I'll definitely look into alternatives for my flooring. I have 2 enclosures, both with wood shavings and other materials to absorb. And prevent smell.

As far as treating it, do you know if there is any way around having to cut out the tissue?

And on another note, since you are much more experienced, is it normal for them too late 2 eggs a day or huge eggs with eggs inside it's been going on for a few days now.

No worries! And jumbos are just bigger weight wise, so get a food scale and set them on and see, you can weigh a small towel and then wrap them in it, making sure they can still breathe and it’s covering their head, so they’ll stay calm, and then subtract the weight of the towel. Sadly there’s really no way around surgery. I know it can be daunting, but with a helper and something over their eyes, like a towel again, it can be easier. As far as the egg issues go, if they’re new layers, they can have “glitches” like that and that is normal, but if they’re older birds who have been laying a while, it can be a sign of issues, I wouldn’t be worried unless you’re noticing other symptoms, I would like clarification on what the egg in another egg means exactly, are you seeing double yolks?