No rest for the wicked

Sammy -- update:

It's two steps forward, one step back with this customer!
Tonight his crop wouldn't empty properly, until Charis suggested warmed baby apple sauce and a crop massage. That did the job!


So here are the promised photos:

'Those peas were yummy!'


'Look at me, I'm so cute!'
https://s333.photobucket.com/albums/m381/Skbllz/Pigeons/Sammy/?action=view&current=DSCNB3460-Cute.flv

'Are those my peas and corn? Are you keeping them warm until I finish eating?'


'And this is me at 3.40am, after !
'
'She's padded up my entire cage because I seem to have banged my eyebrow...ouch!'

Betty -- another string injury

On Sunday afternoon I took some food to the park pigeons, as the weather has been a bit miserable and they looked hungry.
One of the pigeons that came over was a blue-band with a yellow ring -- one of 'mine', for sure, almost certainly Tweedledum, who I haven't seen since his voice changed. But I never got to have a closer look, because a string injury landed on my hand... and I brought her home.

This is Betty:



Before string removal



During



And after (sorry, it's a bit out of focus)



She was released later that evening, and flew to the top of a nearby building



But came back to eat some more!

I'm so glad to hear the crop issue has been resolved.

for the photos, Teresa.
Sammy is adorable. He looks so content all bundled up.

on getting that darn string untangled from Betty's foot, Teresa.
It's always heartwarming to see the ones that have been rescued and released mingling with the flock.

Kim (Kippy) bought a pack of bands that are numbered. This helps her to keep track of her releases.
She keeps a log of her releases. Before a bird is released, she bands them, then logs in their name, a short description of their illness/injury and the band number.

That way if one comes back not looking so good she can refer to her log and see if the bird's symptoms are those of the original issue or new ones. This system has worked well for her.

Fancyfeathers wrote:

on getting that darn string untangled from Betty's foot, Teresa.
It's always heartwarming to see the ones that have been rescued and released mingling with the flock.

Kim (Kippy) bought a pack of bands that are numbered. This helps her to keep track of her releases.
She keeps a log of her releases. Before a bird is released, she bands them, then logs in their name, a short description of their illness/injury and the band number.

That way if one comes back not looking so good she can refer to her log and see if the bird's symptoms are those of the original issue or new ones. This system has worked well for her.

That's a brilliant idea!

I can't actually bring myself to band string injuries, for fear that they may again visit the places where they got entangled, and get into more trouble because of the band. The only exception was Paul, I banded him so that Paulo could identify him.
As for the others, I engrave their names on the snap-on bands with a diamond-tip engraver. As Piper is unreleaseable, her band also has my phone number, should she ever escape.

But as the number of rescues continues to increase, I'm definitely going to have to start a log!

By the way, I'm typing this with one hand wilst holding Sammy with the other. He's very puzzled that I'm pecking at keys, probably wondering what they taste like... :That\\\'s so f

Teresa wrote:
By the way, I'm typing this with one hand wilst holding Sammy with the other. He's very puzzled that I'm pecking at keys, probably wondering what they taste like... :That\\\'s so f

Or maybe wondering why there are no seeds covering the keyboard.

Betty is one lucky Pigeon.

Teresa, I just love these kinds of news!!!!!

Not such a good day for Sammy.

He hasn't spent more than a couple of minutes with his head the right way up today. He's been quite unable to even drink by himself.
He's getting his 50 plus peas and corn twice a day and tepid water with a drop of ACV and a little honey. His poops are good. But his stargazing is much worse, to the point that he gets himself stuck at the corner of the cage, facing the corner, but with his head between his legs, staring upwards, behind him. Scared the life out of me. I've been picking him up all day and resettling him in a more comfortable position. As usual, he spent most of the evening tucked in my cardigan.

Is it common for symptoms to get this bad?

I think the symptoms can get that bad. Poor Sammy. I'll be concentrationg on him extra hard.

I'm so sorry to hear of the recent changes in Sammy.

His posture has finally improved, so I'm going to get some zzzzzzz!

Hi Trees,

I am sorry that Sammy is going through such a bad time. I am certain that love helps!

Teresa,

I know when Danny was at her worst she just never could stand or stay upright, I had to support her head between my fingers just to get her neck straight enough for food to go down. Then as you're doing would try and place her in her box supported with sponge underneath her head to try and keep her head up. Somehow she always moved and ended up lying awkwardly upside down again and never stayed where I'd placed her for long.
She also seemed to have no use in her one leg for a while and so couldn't stand at all for a short time.
Here's a couple of pictures as she was at her worst, permanently twisted lying down.

https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/14/42/04/83/sick_p10.jpg
https://i.servimg.com/u/f82/14/42/04/83/sick_p11.jpg

I really hope Sammy will pull out of this bad stage soon, It's upsetting to see them so helpless, but I'm sure he will.

Janet

ps. great string injury pictures.

Janet, these pictures are really heartbreaking. I wonder whether the birds feel pain during these seizures and whether they are frightened to death. It is so sad to see a bird helpless as that. It makes me

Teresa - I send all my love for Sammy
I dearly hope so very much that he gets healthy again.

Thank you so much for all the advice, support and encouragement!

He's been much better today and I hope the worst will be over soon.
When I picked him up for his evening feed, he was keeping his head straight most of the time. He looked me straight in the eye and responded to my voice, and showed that he knew I was going to feed him by opening and closing his beak and pecking lightly at my sleeve.

PS. He even had dessert after his peas and corn: 1ml each of apple sauce and live yoghurt with honey!

I'm so glad Sammy is doing better, Teresa.
His dessert sounds good.

Teresa wrote:

PS. He even had dessert after his peas and corn: 1ml each of apple sauce and live yoghurt with honey!

YUM!

pigeonwriter wrote:

It makes me

I'm sorry Petra, that was the last thing I intended.

Teresa, I'm really pleased Sammy's had such a good day and showing some real improvement.

Janet

Quote :

showed that he knew I was going to feed him by opening and closing his beak and pecking lightly at my sleeve.

That is so cute! He must really appreciate the care you are giving him!

Teresa wrote:

PS. He even had dessert after his peas and corn: 1ml each of apple sauce and live yoghurt with honey!

I am so glad that he is feeling better again!

jamy wrote:

pigeonwriter wrote:

It makes me

I'm sorry Petra, that was the last thing I intended.

Janet

Oh I know that Janet but I think it is important to actually see the symptons so that one can take action. I am just always so sad when I see a creature suffering

Sammy's general condition has improved a little, in that the contortions are less intense.
Today, after his evening feed, he wriggled out of his towel and started clambering up towards my face, and when I supported him with my hand he settled down and fell asleep. I daren't move for ages, to avoid disturbing him!
:That\\\'s so f
I believe he thinks my face and my hands are three separate entities: the first is always present when food arrives, so that's good! The other two trespass into the cage, remove things from the cage to clean them (how dare they!) and grab him occasionally, so they are enemies and deserve growlings and wingslaps!

Oh, by the way, I got another pigeon today! Found her in the park at lunchtime, soaking wet and frozen, almost unable to fly. With classes about to start, I just put her in a soft carrier next to the heater, with a bowl of seeds and water. After warming up and drying, she started pecking at the seeds, which pleased me immensely.
Later, when I had a look at her, I couldn't find any symptoms of illness, the poops were excellent, and she had polished the entire content of the seed bowl!
We'll see how she's doing tomorrow!

Bless little Sammy. What a love.

Please do keep us posted on your most recent rescue.

Does the new rescue have a name yet?