EXTREME HEAT TAKING A TOLL ON THE FERALS

It was 111 degrees yesterday and today it reached a whopping 114 degrees. It is HOT, HOT, HOT........and to those who say......well it's a dry heat.......so is the inside of a blast furnace.

My ferals are suffering ..........I have three tubs of water out in the backyard that I keep refreshing every other hour. The poor birds are so overheated that they just sit in the tubs.

I had to take a little one inside this afternoon........it came down from the roof at feeding time, but did not have the enery to fly back up. It just sat in the grass, unable to even stand on it's feet, breathing with it's mouth open. It's a young bird, maybe 2 months old. Severly emaciated, the keel bone is like a blade and was totally dehydrated. Pooping brght green liquid starvation poops.

I have the little one settled in. I rehydrated him with honey water. He held it down. I just gave him 10 cc's of watery Kaytee mixed with baby applesauce. He is comfortable lying down on a little towell. He has not attempted to stand. He is breathing more normally, no more open beak.

Hopefully he will make it through the night. I will start him on flagy and antibotics in the morning.

Louise

I'm so sorry to hear that, Louise. Extreme weather is really difficult to deal with whether it be cold or heat. I can't decide which one I dislike the most.
That baby is lucky you were there.

We're having the same here, Louise.
I believe it did reach 114 today and is supposed to be 115 tomorrow. We get absolutely no relief whatsoever as the low this morning was 92 and will be around the same tomorrow.

Interestingly enough though, the ferals seems to be fairing all this quite well, in that none have gone into any type of distress.
I don't understand why they don't get on the roof under the ac unit. Instead some lay right in the middle of the yard, while others do seek shade on the walkway.

We have a few squeakers among the flock and I'm keeping a close eye on all of them.

I'm so glad you brought the feral in Louise, poor baby!

Our temps. aren't as bad as yours & Cindy's but next week we are suppose to get in the 90's and thats hot around here! :eek: Our spring was very unseasonly hot this year

I have fans running in both lofts & in our other shed for our big dog, she hates being in the house.

I'm glad the feral have both of you to keep an eagle eye on their health.

EgypSwiftLady wrote:

I'm so glad you brought the feral in Louise, poor baby!

Our temps. aren't as bad as yours & Cindy's but next week we are suppose to get in the 90's and thats hot around here! :eek: Our spring was very unseasonly hot this year

I have fans running in both lofts & in our other shed for our big dog, she hates being in the house.

I'm glad the feral have both of you to keep an eagle eye on their health.

90 actually sounds great to me, but for those who aren't used to it it's very uncomfortable.
It seems like a lot of areas are much warmer hotter this year than in the past.

Even for here, 114/115 can be tolerated once in a while. But it's been at least 110-115 for 11 days now, and it's expected to continue for at least a few more days. That gets a bit wearing.

Fans make a world of difference.

I hope your little heat affected baby is doing good this morning, Louise.

My little heat baby from yesterday made it through the night. He was up on his feet this morning, but is listless and just standing in one place all fluffed up. He has no desire to eat or drink on his own. I am hand feeding Kaytee. His poops seem to look a little better today. I honestly think he was severly dehydrated and starving. Hopefully he will continue to improve over the next few days.

I HAVE ANOTHER NEW RESCUE..............I received a call at 11:30PM last night from my sister-in-law. She had found and caught a pigeon that was gounded and unable to fly in the parking garage of her high-rise building. She offered it water and bread and kept it safe for the night inside. This morning I went over to pick up the bird. IT IS A SQUEAKER.......approx. 3 weeks old. Not fully fledged, squeaking like crazy from hunger. Crop completely empty. I now have it home with me. Have started with gradual Kaytee hand feeding. I have him caged with the little heat suffering bird. The two of them are sunggled together on a towell over a heating pad.

Will try to get some pictures up later.


Louise

Thank you Louise. I'm happy to post pictures if you need me to.

Waiting for pictures.....I am happy to read Louise's rescues.

I'm glad to hear the little squeakers are doing OK, Louise.
Do you think the second rescue might have gotten booted out of his nest?
I bet they are glad to have each other as companions.
We'll all be looking forward to a picture or two.

Please keep us posted.

Pictures and updates are now over on:

http://www.pigeonangels.com/rescued-pigeon-suspect-illness-f5/causalities-of-heat-t2029.htm

Louise

I have updated on the other thread.

The squeaker is doing well..........The other young bird is very ill

Louise

Jackie's Mom wrote:

I have updated on the other thread.

Louise

Here is the link to the other thread: Causalities of heat

Glad you were present and could rescue them Louise
I will be praying for the little one to recover. 114 is a very high temperature :( at least you were there for these birds. Feel terrible to think of other feral animals and birds that don't get any help :( Here in India, during summer, the temperature rises to 118 sometimes. You are right, it is a veritable furnace

The hottest recorded temp in AZ was on June 26, 1990 and it was 122 degrees F.
Interestingly enough, if you add the month, day and year (06 +26 + 90) it equals 122.

That is really hot ! Hottest I can remember here was 112, although that was not the offical temp for the day, as that temp is recorded at the airport and because it's next to the river...it's cooler.

Matilda wrote:

That is really hot ! Hottest I can remember here was 112, although that was not the offical temp for the day, as that temp is recorded at the airport and because it's next to the river...it's cooler.

And I remember it well.