Help! I dropped a large container on my quail!

[Kingbobkingdom]

Ok, so I lifted up a large styrofoam container holding plants and dirt and one of my quail crawled underneath. I put the container down on the quail and quickly lifted it up, realizing what I had done. Now, she's laid an egg (normal looking) and pooped, but she's breathing hard and sometimes gasping while laying down with her wing sagging. She can't walk well and there probably is some internal damage. I gave her some sugar water.
I'm beating myself up because of my carelessness and I'm not sure what to do next.
Please help!

 

[le_bwah]

Avian vet is your best bet for figuring out and treating exactly what is injured. Crush injuries in all vertebrates are less straightforward than things like simple breaks or punctures. And don't beat yourself up too bad—it's an accident, you weren't trying to hurt her.

 

[Nabiki]

Is a vet an option? If not, it would probably be kindest to cull since it sounds like she has internal injuries.

Don't beat yourself up too badly. Accidents happen. I still feel guilty for the one and only time I stepped on one of my birds. There was no saving her, and I have been insanely careful where I put my feet ever since since my birds do not have a healthy fear of feet.

 

[Kingbobkingdom]

Ok, so I lifted up a large styrofoam container holding plants and dirt and one of my quail crawled underneath. I put the container down on the quail and quickly lifted it up, realizing what I had done. Now, she's laid an egg (normal looking) and pooped, but she's breathing hard and sometimes gasping while laying down with her wing sagging. She can't walk well and there probably is some internal damage. I gave her some sugar water.
I'm beating myself up because of my carelessness and I'm not sure what to do next.
Please help!

It's been over 24 hours now, and the quail is still alive. She poops and eats like normal, as well as laid an egg, except for her leg, which is injured. She uses her legs more often now, but her injured wing is still limp.
What should I do now?

 

[Nabiki]

It's been over 24 hours now, and the quail is still alive. She poops and eats like normal, as well as laid an egg, except for her leg, which is injured. She uses her legs more often now, but her injured wing is still limp.
What should I do now?

It sounds hopeful that she doesn't have internal injuries after all, but her wing and leg injuries will need some attention.

At this point, I would recommend a vet unless you're very comfortable applying first aid for her.

Does her leg look straight? Is there any swelling? If there is an unnatural bend or swelling, it may be broken. If it is broken, it will need to be set and splinted, which can be very hard to do on a quail without anesthesia or an extra pair of hands.

For her wing, you might try binding it gently to her body to immobilize it while it heals. You could use self adhesive bandage wrap. You'll want to keep her isolated in a warm, dim place while she heals. This stuff will work to hold any splints in place as well.

Do not apply pain killers without consulting a vet since many of them are toxic to birds.

 

[Kingbobkingdom]

It sounds hopeful that she doesn't have internal injuries after all, but her wing and leg injuries will need some attention.

At this point, I would recommend a vet unless you're very comfortable applying first aid for her.

Does her leg look straight? Is there any swelling? If there is an unnatural bend or swelling, it may be broken. If it is broken, it will need to be set and splinted, which can be very hard to do on a quail without anesthesia or an extra pair of hands.

For her wing, you might try binding it gently to her body to immobilize it while it heals. You could use self adhesive bandage wrap. You'll want to keep her isolated in a warm, dim place while she heals. This stuff will work to hold any splints in place as well.

Do not apply pain killers without consulting a vet since many of them are toxic to birds.

She limps around regularly now, but when I pick her up, her leg straightens out toward the back. I haven't noticed any swelling. Her wing does not sag much anymore, but if I try to pull it out, she jerks it back.

 

[Nabiki]

She limps around regularly now, but when I pick her up, her leg straightens out toward the back. I haven't noticed any swelling. Her wing does not sag much anymore, but if I try to pull it out, she jerks it back.

It sounds like she's healing, then. Quail heal very quickly, so if something was broken, it's going to heal as it is. She may never fly again and may have a limp for the rest of her life, but those are survivable.

 

[Kingbobkingdom]

UPDATE: I haven't checked her wing, but the quail's leg has pretty much healed. She walks like normal!

 

[Nabiki]

I'm very glad to hear that. It sounds like she got lucky!