Alright guys, let me tell you about what happened with my penguin pal Pete’s feet the other day. Completely threw me for a loop.
The Gross Discovery
Was doing my usual check-up on Pete during feeding time, right? Just pouring out his fish, chatting away like I always do. Glanced down while he was shuffling around and saw something nasty on his left foot. Looked red, kinda swollen, maybe even a little cracked? Definitely not normal clean penguin foot. My stomach dropped. Pete looked uncomfortable, shifting his weight oddly.
Panic & First Moves
Okay, honest reaction: I panicked a little inside. Pete’s tough but seeing anything wrong just worries me. Didn’t wanna touch it and make it worse. Rushed straight to my cleaning kit. Grabbed:
- Mild disinfectant spray (the bird-safe kind!)
- Fresh, super clean cloths
- A tiny tub of plain petroleum jelly (nothing scented!)
- His favorite fish snacks (distraction tactic!)
Brought it all back to his enclosure. Took a deep breath. Had to stay calm for Pete.
The Not-So-Glamorous Fix
Sat down real slow near him. Tossed him a fish. While he was busy snapping it up, I lightly sprayed the clean cloth. Didn’t drench it! Dabbed very gently around the yucky spot on his foot. He flinched a bit, so I tossed another fish further away. Just careful little pats to clean it off, see what was underneath the muck. Didn’t want to scrub. Wasn’t a cut, thank goodness, but raw and irritated looking.
Let it air dry for a few minutes while I talked to him. Then dipped a finger in the jelly, just a speck. Applied the tiniest amount only to the cracked, dry-looking parts. Didn’t goop it on. Figured if it helped cracked human skin, maybe just a tiny bit for protection?
Figuring Out Why
After, I sat back and thought hard. What changed? Then it hit me. Last cleaning, I’d swapped his usual substrate for a new one – thought it looked fluffier, better. Wrong. Some penguins can be sensitive to textures or even tiny dust. Also checked the enclosure floor – felt slightly more humid than usual near his favorite lounging spot. Needed better drainage. And his pool ramp? Maybe a tiny rough patch near the top edge. Three little things adding up to mess with his little foot. Felt terrible I hadn’t spotted it sooner.
Pete’s Foot Care Boot Camp (My Rules Now!)
Learned my lesson the hard way. Here’s the drill I stick to now:
- Daily Foot Inspections: Non-negotiable. Catch stuff early!
- Perfect Substrate: Back to the old stuff, kept super clean and dry.
- Enclosure Patrol: Checking daily for damp spots or rough edges anywhere.
- Super Clean Pools: Water quality, ramp edges – everything gets checked.
- Fish Bribery Works: Makes foot checks way less stressful for both of us!
Pete’s foot looks much better now, back to its normal healthy color after a week of cleaning and the environment fixes. Those little feet do important work! Gotta keep them happy.
