Peeko came to Birdline with a broken leg. His previous owner had taken him to a vet who told her there was nothing that could be done for him and advised putting Peeko to sleep. This is just one example of why it is essential that you always take your parrot to a specialist Avian vet. Peeko’s first mum couldn’t accept that an otherwise healthy bird should be put to sleep and so she contacted Birdline asking for our help. One of our volunteers collected him and drove him from the North of England to London, to visit C.J. Hall vets.

An x-ray showed us that the bone had overlapped to such an extent that it had become foreshortened and he would never be able to use it properly if it was left to heal that way. The vet recommended surgery to break and pin the leg – using a pin less than 1 mm in diameter. He was kept in for several days to monitor for healing and infection, before going back to safehouse Mum for rest and recuperation.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t all plain sailing, the leg had swollen so much and stretched the skin to the point that it died off, leaving a constricting band of dead tissue around her leg. She had to have antibiotics and pain killers for two weeks as well as F10 ointment to keep her skin supple and clean. She was such a good girl, but he really hated being confined to a hospital cage the majority of the time.

Fortunately, in time Peeko healed well. She is now living in a new home with a little Conure friend called Batman who she loves dearly. Her original mum keeps in touch and we give her updates as to how she’s getting on.

Peeko’s surgery and follow ups cost Birdline over £1000. Vet bills account for over 50% of Birdline’s outgoings. If you donate to Peeko’s fund, you will help other birds get the surgery they desperately need too.

Update: 2022

Unfortunately, Peeko passed away in 2022. Her foster family are devastated that their loving girl is no longer there to greet them every morning. But she was able to have several happy years of life with Birdline after her broken leg was mended - and that new lease of life was of course priceless.