Hello from OR!

[Hawkgirl4]

Hi, my name is Sarah, I fly a small male redtail, and my sponsor is Richard Hoyer. My bird has caught only two rats so far, because he got bumblefoot. :(

[Yarak_Eric]

Hiya Sarah! How's the weather out there? What part of Oregon? I just moved from Silverton (next town east of Salem) about six months ago. Welcome to the forum!

[sevristh]

Welcome to the forums Sarah! Sorry to hear about the bumblefoot, my bird got it this year as well. Have you treated it already or are you in the process of? If so, what are you using?

[Katgirl]

Hey Sarah!

Welcome! I hope to hear more about your redtail when he is back in action!

[FredFogg]

For the benefit of others starting out in falconery, could you elaborate on why your birds ended up with bumble foot and what you did to fix the problem. I think it could help a lot of new apprentices next year possibly avoid this problem. I have never had a bird get bumble foot, so it could also help me out so that I don't do something in the future that could cause it. Not a slam against you all, but just asking so we can help out others.

Maybe someone should start a new thread on it.

Oh yeah, welcome Sarah!

[sevristh]

Fred - The way Neco got bumblefoot was actually a combination of things in my opinion... He was bouncing around a lot in the mew for one. I had his high perch about 5' above the others, with all the others being at the same level, so when he dropped to a lower one, there was probably a good bit of impact. The perches were made of PVC wrapped with pipe insulation wrapped with indoor/outdoor carpet. I then started to tether him to a sort of corner shelf perch that Jimmy showed me. I removed all the other perches, but failed to see a raw edge of wood that he could reach at the window. Anyway, here's the thread of his treatment... http://www.nafex.net/showthread.php?t=1220

[pjdonat]

(welc) I myself am new not only to this site but falconry as well. If everything went well on Friday and I passed the test I will go with my sponser to trap a red tail in September. I will find out in a week or two, I am pretty sure I passed. I am from upstate NY.

[Hawkgirl4]

Hello everyone! I think my hawk got bumblefoot from being freelofted in his weathering; he bounced around in there alot. I keep him tied down on a perch when I weather him now. I've been treating his feet for a little while now, and the swelling is going down a little. I was using an anti-inflammitory(metacam), but I was told that oral medications don't reach their feet very well because there isn't much blood flow in that area. They recommended something that the hawk's feet would absorb through the skin, so for a day now I've been using preperation h on his feet. Lol!

[Hawkgirl4]

Ok, I haven't been on for ever!! I went back to using the metacam again, and the swelling has gone way down. His left foot is completely better, and the right foot is only a little swollen on the side.

[sevristh]

Sarah,

Great to hear! I know it can be a loooong road to recovery with bumblefoot. But if you're like me, you'll never have to worry about it again because you will now be CONSTANTLY checking your birds feet :)

[FredFogg]

Seems to me after reading this thread, that free lofting for an apprentice might not be such a good idea. Maybe tethering a bird those first two years will help an apprentice learn about what perch coverings will work best to keep a birds feet healthy and then free lofting can be tried. Personally, I don't free loft my red-tails but do free loft my smaller birds. Maybe the weight difference is the key, larger birds hit perches harder than smaller birds. Either way, I have not had any problems with bumblefoot yet (taps his skull - same as a piece of wood I have heard).

[everetkhorton]

Fred:
Have you ever used plastic with astro turf covering. The plastic allows the perch to give when the bird is landing. Taking up all the shock.

[FredFogg]

Fred:
Have you ever used plastic with astro turf covering. The plastic allows the perch to give when the bird is landing. Taking up all the shock.

Ev,

I use pvc pipe to make perches for the car and for my smaller birds, but in the weathering areas, I haven't used it. I may try it if I can ever afford the wood to put up vertical boards in my weathering area so I can try free lofting a red-tail.

[wesleyc6]

How do you mount the PVC pipe?

[FredFogg]

How do you mount the PVC pipe?

Wes,

Was that question to EV asking how to mount the pvc pipe in a mew or was it meant for me asking how you mount it in the car?

[everetkhorton]

Wes:
If the question was for me I use pipe flanges and use a PVC adopter.
I do not cement anything together I use self tapping screws. That way I can get them apart. I go straight out then 45 to 45 and then up. If you use a 90 sometimes the bird will jump on the section coming out from the wall.

[wesleyc6]

Wes:
If the question was for me I use pipe flanges and use a PVC adopter.
I do not cement anything together I use self tapping screws. That way I can get them apart. I go straight out then 45 to 45 and then up. If you use a 90 sometimes the bird will jump on the section coming out from the wall.


It was for the mews. Thanks Ev!