We speak of egg-binding when the female bird cannot lay her egg. If there is egg-binding, the female leaves the nest and sits on the bottom with puffed-up feathers. Egg-binding occurs in young females and in females that have to brood too intensively (more than 3 brooding rounds). Severe changes in temperature as well as severe cold can also cause egg-binding. Egg-binding is – if it is not discovered within 12-20 hours – almost always fatal, certainly in smaller birds that have a higher egg production. Egg-binding must be treated very carefully. Try to grab the female with your hand and wash your hands beforehand. A female that has been egg-binding for a longer period can get serious injuries around her cloaca if the egg-binding continues for too long. You can try the following yourself. Try to catch the female carefully. Once you have caught the female carefully, you can try to break the egg-binding by wrapping the female in a moist warm cloth (lukewarm, not too hot!). The cloaca is lightly greased with salad oil and then you have to hold her cloaca above the steam of a boiling pan of water. The steam will cause the cloaca to expand slightly, and the steam will be able to enter the cloaca a little as a kind of lubricant. It is possible that the female will be able to lay the egg on her own. Gently massaging the cloaca can also help, because the reflex causes the muscles of the oviduct to press to lay the egg. Laying an egg is quite a job for a bird. Many building materials are needed to make an egg, especially calcium (lime). The bird must obtain these nutrients from its food. If the bird has too little lime in its food, this can lead to lime deficiencies, which can cause wind eggs or egg binding. Incidentally, egg binding does not only occur due to a lime deficiency in the food: egg binding can also occur when the need for lime is increased, for example because the bird lays an excessive number of eggs.
Well insured at the vet
Now there are many options and many insurers to choose from. It is important to compare different insurances to see which insurance suits you best. At Figo Pet they understand that your pet is your best friend. They offer the best care in case of illness or an accident. If you do not want to be faced with unexpected expenses and want to choose your own vet, they are the ideal insurer for you. Then you do not have to worry about unexpected events. You choose which vet you go to in the Germany. You send the bill to the insurer. They reimburse up to 3500 euros per year. With only one deductible of 50 euros if you submit the declarations once per calendar year.
