Coturnix suddenly missing toe. Pic.

[Jschaaff]

I am full of questions today! I just went out to take pics of my four coturnix, and realized my youngest (not quite 4 weeks) is missing his longest toe...well...guess its not the longest anymore

....but the middle one..it's gone....

He was bouncing around just fine...annoyed with me for taking pictures...he seems healthy...a lot skinnier than the others, but I always figured that was because he was hatched 3, 4 days after the others... but i can not imagine what happened to his foot! I did not handle them yesterday, just fed and watered, so this could be as old as from Wednesday evening...which was the last time I picked him up..and his foot was fine!!!

They are on hardware cloth, 1/2 inch...2 feet up off the ground, maybe 3 actually.... They are well protected so I can not see how something could have BITTEN it off...but well, I'm just confused.

Is there anything I can do for him? Should he be on antibiotics or anything?

um...I really do not want to ask but...can he die from this?....

Thanks for the help!

-Jessa

 

[TheRealTimShady]

i highly doubt he can die from that, unless you let it get infected and stuff...i'd just clean it off , and try ad put a small bandage on there till it heals

probably got it caught, or lost it in the scruff?

 

[JJMR794]

WELL GOOD NEWS IS A. IT LIKELY WILL NOT HARM HIM, AND B. HE'LL BE EASY TO NAME.. EITHER STUBBY OR LUCKY LOOKS GOOD RIGHT NOW

ALSO HE'LL BE EASY TO SPOT IN THE CROWD AS THE FLOCK GROWS...

BAD NEWS IS YOU HAVE PREDATORS! AND NOW THEY KNOW WHERE THE BUFFET IS THEY'LL BE BACK IN EARNEST NEXT TIME. ABOUT NOW WOULD BE A REAL GOOD TIME TO WRAP THE LEGS (BELOW THE PEN) IN SOME SORT OF WIRE FENCING MATERIALS SO WHAT EVER THE PREDATOR IS THEY CANNOT GET BACK UNDER YOUR PEN AGAIN. IF I HAD TO GUESS I'D SAY RACCOON-- ITS STANDARD OPERATING PROCEEDURE TO GO UNDER THE PEN, REACH THRU THE SMALL SPACE WITH A FINGER OR 2 AND AGITATE THE BIRDS... AS THEY RUN AROUND FREAKING OUT MANAGE TO GET 1 BY THE TOE AND YANK UNTIL THE WHOLE LEG GETS PULLED DOWN THRU THE WIRE... ONCE 1 LEG IS DONE ITS EASY TO GET THE 2ND LEG AS THE BIRD CANT RUN ANYMORE... LEG #3 IS GONNA BE A CHALLENGE AGAIN.

TAKE ANY SORT OF METAL WIRE FENCING AND WRAP AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE LEGS OF YOUR PEN --- ALL THE WAY AROUND THE PERIMETER OF YOUR PEN. FROM THE PEN TO THE GROUND OR EVEN A 6INCHES BELOW AND BURY. STAPLE IT TO THE PEN AND LEGS VERY SECURELY. A LIGHT AT NIGHT MY HELP AS WELL BUT WILL NOT DISCOURAGE THE PREDATOR LONG (MAYBE NOT AT ALL

) THE WIRE WRAP DOESNT EVEN HAVE TO BE PRETTY, JUST MAKE SURE IT PREVENTS ANYTHING FROM GETTING UNDER YOUR CAGE. YOU COULD USE WOOD IF YOU PREFER. DOESNT MATTER JUST SOME SORT OF BARRIER A COON OR CAT CANNOT GET THROUGH TO GET UNDER YOUR PENS

 

[Jschaaff]

Thanks everyone. Okay, so I'm feeling better that he will be okay. We will be doing exactly what you said this weekend JJMR794. We've never had a problem with predators before, because...well...dogs usually bark, and hubby makes them "all gone" with his big gun... (incase anyone is wondering...always shoot a skunk in the head...never in the heart.... ohhhhhh my....).... but I do believe you're right, that it was a racoon or cat (neighbor has 7 cats, and I've chased several from underneath the pen....) So wire it is, and that is easily done!

Thank you!

-Jessa

 

[Stellar]

Dip the toe in some hydrogen peroxide to clean it up a bit. If a predator did get it, then infection can result. Wrapping it won't really do anything since the bird will most likely figure out a way out of the wrappings. But I would clean up the wound a bit.

 

[JJMR794]

I've chased several from underneath the pen

THIS IS NOT A PERMANENT SOLUTION....

and hubby makes them "all gone" with his big gun

THIS IS

 

[Fat Daddy]

Quote:
THIS IS NOT A PERMANENT SOLUTION....

and hubby makes them "all gone" with his big gun

THIS IS

+1

 

[catsmithpuddin]

Quote:
THIS IS NOT A PERMANENT SOLUTION....

and hubby makes them "all gone" with his big gun

THIS IS

+1

+2