How to Care for Parakeet's Feet

A parakeet's favorite perch could be you.

Parakeets, also known as budgies, are a moderate-sized species of parrots that have playful, curious personalities and stunning, bright feathers. These birds maintain their colorful feathers by preening for hours daily; some parakeets even bathe themselves when provided dishes of water. Despite this squeaky-clean behavior, pet parakeets need special care to keep their feet clean and healthy. Without your care, pet parakeets can develop infections and become overrun with parasites.

Things You'll Need

• Soft perches
• Nail-trimming perches
• Washcloth
• Soapy water
• Legumes
• Green vegetables
• Dettol disinfectant
• Cotton swab

Instructions

1. Provide soft perches for your parakeet; the perches should be made of cotton rope or soft woods.

2. Provide mineral, concrete or cement perches for your parakeet. These perches will safely trim down the nails of your bird so that they do not become overgrown.

3. Clean out feces from the parakeet's cage on a daily basis, making sure to wipe down soiled perches with a washcloth and warm, soapy water. Clean out the entire cage weekly. Dirty cages contribute to most of parakeet foot problems.

4. Feed your parakeet a healthy, balanced diet of vitamins, legumes and greens to maintain foot health.

5. Wipe down your parakeet's legs three times er day with dettol disinfectant applied to a cotton swab if they develop scaly feet. Scaly feet is a parasitic attack stemming from soiled cages and perches; it manifests in dry, scaly skin and small, red dots. This condition takes up to three weeks to heal when the disinfectant is applied correctly.

Tips & Warnings

• Line your parakeet's cage with newspaper and remove the top layer daily for easy cleaning.

• Change the size and shape of your parakeet's perch monthly, so its feet will not get sore.

• Provide edible perches made of calcium and bee pollen to supplement your parakeet's diet.

• Do not use sandpaper or plastic perches for your parakeet, as this could result in inflammation and infection in your pet's feet.

• Take your parakeet to a veterinarian if scaly feet persists after three weeks of home treatment.

References

• The Parakeet Cage: Parakeet Foot Problems
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Tips to Keep Your Parakeet Healthy; Linda March; May 1996
• Budgiekeet.com: Perches for your Parakeet

Resources

• The Budgie and Parakeet Place