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186 Hand-Rearing Birds

(an integrated circuit device or Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) transponder
encased in silicate glass), typically placed in pectoral muscle, that contains a unique identifica-
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tion number that can be linked to information contained in an external database (AVID
Identification Systems).

­ Common­Medical­Problems­and Solutions

Omphalitis/Open­Umbilicus

Wet hatches from eggs that have not lost sufficient weight during incubation and contaminated
water sources in incubators can both cause incomplete closure of the umbilicus and/or infection
caused by gram negative bacteria (see Chapter 3). Antibiotics or surgery may be necessary for
chicks that hatch with an open umbilicus. Consult with a veterinarian.

Pododermatitis

“Bumblefoot” or pododermatitis is an infection on the plantar surface of the foot. Proper substrate
on a soft but textured material with a flat surface combined with exercise reduces bumblefoot.
Discourage chicks from standing on a hard, flat surface for prolonged period of time. Provide non-
slip matting, grass, or a similar substrate and encourage frequent walking. If a chick develops
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cracks or ulcers on the bottom of the foot, clean and disinfect the area and use Super glue or tissue
glue to close the crack. Antibiotics may be necessary to prevent infection. Once a crack develops,
the foot should be monitored closely. Flamingos will walk onto mats soaked in dilute disinfectant
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(Nolvasan ) if placed in front of feeders. The solution should just cover the mats to prevent flamin-
gos from ingesting it.

Leg­Abnormalities
Inadequate diet, exercise, and/or sunlight exposure can easily result in leg problems, including
slipped tendons and rotation. Flamingos raise young on cone shaped mounds for about the first
week of life until the chick is large enough to begin walking around the nest site in increasingly
further distances from the mound. Parents brood the chick tightly the first 24 hours and then
increase the exposure to sunlight rather rapidly after the first week. Flamingo nesting sites are
generally found in brackish, wetland habitats on mudflats in direct sunlight. Provide indoor‐raised
chicks with adequate exposure to UVB light for proper vitamin D metabolism. Vitamin D and cal-
cium are integral nutrients for proper leg development. Standard fluorescent, incandescent, and
halogen lights provide a poor substitute for sunlight (Gehrmann 1987). Provide an outdoor exer-
cise area if weather permits (Figure 11.1).
Proper diet and exercise reduce leg issues, but if these occur many can be corrected when caught
early. Kinesio Tex Gold™ tape creates tension on the flamingo leg to encourage growth in the cor-
rect direction to correct angular limb deformity issues (Collinsworth 2014). If caught early enough,
the growth plates on the bird’s leg have not closed, allowing the corrective changes to occur. Legs
should be visually checked daily throughout the growth phase. Limping is often one of the first
symptoms of growth issues which can be painful to the chick. Severe cases of angular limb deform-
ities may require the bird to be placed in a sling during care. Flamingo chicks should be standing
for short periods by day 3 and are able to climb off the mound by day 10. Hand‐reared flamingos