Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask for help QUICK?!

213 replies

thefirstMrsDeVere · 19/04/2011 20:42

We all know the score, quickest route to the collective knowledge of planet Mumsnet is AIBU.

So I just spent 20 minutes up the Lilac tree in my garden coaxing a dear little budgie down.

Its now in a cardboard box next to my bed with some wild bird seed and some water.

It has a small wound on its wing Sad
What to do?

I cant really get it to an emergency vet atm.

It it a case of hoping its ok till morning and then getting it looked at? s/he is fairly perky and pretty tame. s/he let me hold it and only bit me a couple of times.

Its got a blue thing at the top of its beak - does that mean boy or girl?

Is there such a thing as wound powder for a budgie? Can I get something from the late chemist?

OP posts:
squeakytoy · 19/04/2011 20:43

where abouts are you? (MIL does bird rescue)

it will probably belong to one of the neighbours, I doubt it has flown too far..

squeakytoy · 19/04/2011 20:44

bathe the wing (if you can), with a little bit of salty luke warm water and some cotton wool.. (possibly best to leave him (blue bridge = boy).. and if you have any apple, you could put a slice of that in with him too..

TethersEnd · 19/04/2011 20:45

Call the RSPCA

squeakytoy · 19/04/2011 20:46

the RSPCA wont help with birds.. the RSPB might, but unlikely at this time of night..

SkinittingFluffyBunnyBonnets · 19/04/2011 20:46

here

Dealing with an injured or sick budgie...

penguin73 · 19/04/2011 20:47

Phone police (local number, not emergency) to see if anyone has reported it missing. Is it drinking?

GoHelpMeSod · 19/04/2011 20:47

Surely the internet (in it's broadest sense, not just MN Smile ) can produce answers to what budgies need, what to do if you find one and your nearest bird rescue?

When we found an injured hedgehog the www told us what to do and who to phone, ending up in where to take it the follwoing day.

Original poster
thefirstMrsDeVere · 19/04/2011 20:47

Thank squeaky.
I live in East London.

I will put some apple in. I could bathe the wing but do you think the shock would be worse than leaving him overnight?

OP posts:
SkinittingFluffyBunnyBonnets · 19/04/2011 20:47

It seems it needs to be quiet and hydrated and warm mainly....call the RSBP

Original poster
thefirstMrsDeVere · 19/04/2011 20:49

I dont mind keeping him if he survives and noone claims him.

Thanks for that link I will have a look.

I did a double take at 'phone the police, is he drinking'. Looked like you were warning me about the dangers of taking in dodgy budgies Grin

OP posts:
squeakytoy · 19/04/2011 20:50

I would ask around the neighbours if you can, he really wont have flown very far.. (very easy for budgies to escape in this weather, but they dont last long in the wild as other birds will attack them very quickly).

TethersEnd · 19/04/2011 20:51

I called the RSPCA for an injured pigeon once. They came and got it.

But yes, RSPB probably a better idea Grin

penguin73 · 19/04/2011 20:53

RSPB were able to give me the contact number for a local emergency vet who were able to give some advice over the phone. They were in Manchester so not much use to you but they may be able to point you in the right direction.

Sorry for the confusion, but drunk budgies can be quite dangerous you know!!!

seeker · 19/04/2011 20:54

Just don't leave him alone with the family silver. Or the cocktail cabinet. Oh, and I have heard that there are gangs of budgies around preying on kind hearted bird lovers. One pretends to be hurt and while the aforementioned kind person is looking after it, the others flock in and turn the house over.........

squeakytoy · 19/04/2011 20:56

I called the RSPCA for an injured pigeon once. They came and got it.

And probably promptly put it to sleep :(

Usually a local wildlife centre is the best bet. I have no faith in the RSPCA at all any more :(

LoopyLoopsNincompoop · 19/04/2011 20:56

Can you describe the injury to the wing?

Original poster
thefirstMrsDeVere · 19/04/2011 21:01

It looks like a puncture wound. About 1cm across. Not bleeding anymore and looks fairly clean.

seeker v.funny Grin I do live in the east end so you cant be too careful!

I have insurance for my dog and they have a 24 vet line. Do you think i can use that for any animal?

OP posts:
Strumpypumpy · 19/04/2011 21:05

Will this turn into a classic? Pissed gangs of budgies ransacking neighbourhoods, using their cuteness and vulnerability as a tool. And who FFS rings the fecking police if their budgie has gone missing? Hmm If I was the copper on duty I'd be pissing myself at that call! Bet you're cage shopping tomorrow. Grin

LoopyLoopsNincompoop · 19/04/2011 21:05

I'm not vet, but I would gently bathe his wing with a little salt water, then put him somewhere dark and warm with a little bowl of water and something to nibble on. Keep checking on him. In the meantime, send one of the kids out to see if anyone is looking for him. Tomorrow, if he is OK, go to the vet, and put a notice there and in some other places near to you asking of anyone has lost him. He may not make it though, depending on the shock.

Strumpypumpy · 19/04/2011 21:06

I doubt anyone insures a budgie, they're a flight risk for a start.

MissBetsyTrotwood · 19/04/2011 21:08

Well it was really hot round here today so someone probably left a window open.

We are in Clapton. Often see the RSPCA van parked around here Sad .

MissBetsyTrotwood · 19/04/2011 21:11

The only thing I know about budgies is that they are very sociable and like to have a friend. So if you do keep it you might have to find another or they can get depressed (start looking at the floor all the time and not cheeping much.)

seeker · 19/04/2011 21:12

Seriously, I think the best thing is to keep him very quiet and warm but not hot. Shock is the big risk for birds. Have you got a box you could put something in for him to perch on? Not so big that he could fly madly round and hurt himself, but big enough for him to be off the floor. I think he'd be happier if he could perch.

Original poster
thefirstMrsDeVere · 19/04/2011 21:28

strumpy bwahahahaha Grin

I have put the word around that I have found a budgie. I told the women who know everyone. By tommorow half of Walthamstow will know that funny woman with all the kids and the weird house found a bird Grin

I really dont have a thing to put him in apart from the box he is in. Its what my baby blender set came in. I could poke a branch through it for him to sit on but I am worried all the fuss might do for him.

I think I will leave him nice a quiet. I do whisper encouraging words to him everyso often.

Poor little thing Sad

OP posts:
Vallhala · 19/04/2011 21:29

Seeker has it spot on. A small-ish box, somewhere to perch, cover the box (give it air holes, obviously!) with a towel or somesuch, to make it pretty dark, and pop him in a very quiet part of the house where he can be undisturbed by DC, pets, vaccuum cleaners, TV etc. A cat basket if you have one or if you can beg or borrow one, is ideal.

Don't call the RSPCA - they're too trigger happy. The best bet are Julie and John Hamilton at New Life Parrot Rescue (they are LOVELY people) - relocation.newlifeparrotrescue.org.uk/about-nlpr/who-is-who or the good folk at PICAS, a no-kill wild bird control company. www.picasuk.com/

Either of these will advise and help practically too, if needed.

OK, the budgie is neither parrot nor pigeon but the Hamiltons and/or PICAS won't mind that.

I've worked alongside both the Hamiltons and PICAS in rescue and can vouch for both.

Swipe left for the next trending thread