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Post by boobaby on Jan 30, 2014 2:58:14 GMT
I feel so, so, so bad. This is all my fault.
I need some kind of urgent advice from someone who knows birds... my 7+ year old budgie fell behind her cage stand between the wall and the stand at some point this afternoon when I stupidly let her out and forgot to put her back. She was wedged back there for who knows how long. I found her a few hours ago and had to nearly pry her out she was so stuck, and she's VERY stressed. I think she's in shock. Extremely puffed up, shaking, breathing hard, dilated pupils, and her wings slightly elevated. She's allowing me to touch her which you would think was good but if any of you know my Boo you know she doesn't allow me to pet her or handle her wings/tail. She's not sitting on the bottom of her cage which is good but its been hours and she's still sitting stooped and puffed with short breath. I unfolded her wings to see if they seemed broken and they don't, but I honestly don't know. Her legs don't seem mangled either but I'm sure she struggled like crazy to get out... When I found her she wasn't even struggling any more. I feel SO bad. She's a very old bird and I don't want her to die. Is there anything I can do for her? I covered her cage for comfort and I'm checking on her constantly but I don't know what else to do. I can't afford a bird vet and our vet doesn't take birds. She doesn't SEEM broken anywhere but does seem super sore. Her tail feathers are all bent up and frayed and she isn't even trying to fix them.
I can't believe I forgot to put her back. I'm such an idiot.
But...I think she's been not feeling well for the past day or two as well. Starting two days ago it seems like her body (mostly neck) locks up, because she freezes with her head thrust up and body tense occasionally, makes a weird squawky sound, has wide eyes...and then releases and acts fine. Her feathers have looked a little unkempt too.
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Post by luvsanimals2 on Jan 30, 2014 3:32:12 GMT
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Post by boobaby on Jan 30, 2014 3:44:12 GMT
I have a heating pad, but its really small (maybe 16"). Maybe I can prop it against one side, or some hot water bottles? My room is temp controlled though so I can bump the heat up if that helps...I'm making sure everyone leaves her alone and a friend said to keep the room dim, so I turned the lights off except for her nightlight and partially covered her cage.
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Post by luvsanimals2 on Jan 30, 2014 4:46:43 GMT
yes, heating pad should work, try to cover one side of it. it that doesnt work you can bump the heat up a bit, mayb a few degrees? is there any noises she likes? any type of music? if so, mayb try to play some of that
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Post by Pammy on Jan 30, 2014 4:52:38 GMT
I don't know either, but I'm thinking that keeping the lights dim around the clock could be depressing for Boo. Super bright lights might not be the best idea, but I'm thinking some daytime cheery light would be better than moping in the gloom. I'm sure she's terrified, stressed, and sore from struggling herself to exhaustion. All you can do is keep her as comfy as you can, and speak happily to her. Maybe some extra millet or another favorite treat like peanut butter would help her refocus on happier things. Poor baby. Yes, it's a shame that you forgot her out, but you've beat yourself up enough. Try to forgive yourself and just do all you can to make your baby feel secure again. Best wishes for you and Boo. Tell us how she's doing tomorrow.
Oh, and she might be a bit more prone to night frights for a while, if she has nightmares about her ordeal. Just keep an extra ear open for any disturbances, and be ready to flip the light on real fast if you hear her thrashing around. But don't sit up thru the night. You need your rest, too.
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Post by Sarah on Jan 30, 2014 5:18:35 GMT
She may be dehydrated or having small seizures or both. If you have some sort of small syringe or pipet, use it to try to get some water in her. If you don't have either of those things, dipping a clean Q-Tip will do.
I'm afraid in a case like this - with trauma and injury, you have to wait and see if she can make it through the night and then we can really try to do something. All these suggestions are good - keep her calm and quiet and warm.
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Post by saif on Jan 30, 2014 8:31:32 GMT
How's she doing ?
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Post by luvsanimals2 on Jan 30, 2014 14:34:04 GMT
did she make it?
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Post by boobaby on Jan 30, 2014 16:51:08 GMT
Yes, she made it. I'm still worried about her though. I did put the heating pad against her cage during the night and she cuddled up to it, so that was really good thinking. I kept my room silent all night and dark until about 9 am, then I opened the blinds so she can have a bit of daylight, but half the cage (the side with the heating pad) is still dimmed in case her head or eyes are hurting and she just wants to rest. I turned her radio on low this morning for her as well. She normally listens to it all day so I figured keeping things 'normal' was a good idea. I also made her a nice little spinach, cuttle bone, millet, broccoli, and blackberry salad. She doesn't eat peanut butter though. She just recently started eating non-seeds so she's a bit picky.
She's still acting very stressed (super spooky, making strange sounds, not playing) but picked at her salad a little and has been moving around a little which is better than yesterday. I'm really worried about her head though. I'm assuming they can get concussions right? She's acting rather disoriented. I have my laptop and homework set up near her to watch her, and she has fallen twice while trying to fly from perch to perch in her cage, and keeps mis-judging distances when climbing around which I've never seen her do.
I'm almost thinking she's sick though, and has been before she fell. She may have fallen from one of those neck spasms or from misjudging a distance. Like I said, she's been looking a bit unkempt and having those spasms, but she's been eating, drinking, and pooping normal as well as playing and singing up until her fall. She hasn't sang or played today though. She did have a bit of diarrhea during the night but its normal now. Can that be from the stress?
I really don't know what to do for her. I absolutely can't afford a bird vet (visits are $125 plus xrays, treatment, or whatever) and normal vets won't look at bird in my area... and I think that would stress her out too badly anyways. I'm thinking about putting some cotton batting at the bottom of her cage for when she falls though, to pad her. I'm sure she's super sore. Is that a bad idea?
How do I go about feeding her water from a droplet? She's tame-ish but nothing like some of the birds I read about on here. She is very recently tame too...as in, in the past 2 months. I can hold her/she'll perch on me and sometimes I can touch her chest or tail, but she typically doesn't let me do anything else...although right now she is. That's another things worrying me. How to I syringe her without traumatizing her further? Just hold it up to her and see if she'll take some? Normally she won't even eat out of my hand so I'm not sure it would work.
If its seizures she is having, there isn't really anything I can do for her is there? :/ I hate thinking of this, but its something I need to know for the future because she IS getting older. When her time comes, if she's hurting and ready to pass on, are there normal vets (our closest bird vet is 1 hours and 45 minutes away) who will euth a bird?
My poor baby. I honestly thought I put her up...she was in her cage when I left for classes yesterday so I didn't even think to make sure I had closed her door. I thought I did. I guess I didn't, so she came back out and I guess that's when she fell. :/
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Post by luvsanimals2 on Jan 30, 2014 22:49:46 GMT
i would just take the perches out and put a towel there so she can stand on. im not sure what to tell you with the other stuff.
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Post by rdkntriker on Jan 30, 2014 23:14:39 GMT
I had to put latched, plastic bread things, on Lucky's door or she would open it. Maybe that is what happened to you. Sending positive energy
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Post by Pammy on Jan 31, 2014 2:52:05 GMT
I hope BooBaby is doing better tonight. Poor girl. I think the folded towel is a good idea, to break her falls.
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Post by Sarah on Jan 31, 2014 3:37:47 GMT
A towel is a great idea, and you could also lower her perches almost to the bottom of the cage to see if that helps with the falls.
She could have a concussion, or as I said, she may be having small seizures. I would try to nurse her for about a week and see if there are any improvements before we try to do anything drastic.
If you can get a droplet of water on her beak with whatever tool you can, it will drip down her beak and she will lick the drop back into her mouth. This can take a very long time to give her a good drink - but if she stops drinking on her own you'll need to try. If she is drinking normally, don't worry about it.
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Post by boobaby on Jan 31, 2014 15:38:32 GMT
I took out two of her perches and lowered the other two to about 4 1/2" off the bottom of the cage, and have a soft hand towel under her. She's still perching, and I'm taking that as a good sign. She seemed to start feeling a little better last night and ate a good dinner, but doesn't appear to be drinking as much as normal so I'm going to try to give her some drops of it. She IS drinking, just less than usual. She's still acting off balance and is very, very quiet compared to usual. She has squawked the times she has been vocal- not chirped and danced- which is what she usually does all day. She didn't wake me up this morning screaming for her music like she typically does either. She just sat and waited until I uncovered her cage. Very unusual for her. Normally she'll chirp and scream and bang her toys around until I turn the music on for her. I think I'll start using the bread ties to close her doors too, as suggested. I know she knows how to lift them since she lifts and bangs them repeatedly if there are too many hulls in her food dish or she only has veggies left she doesn't like and she's still hungry (that bird can EAT!...but I didn't think she was skilled enough to lift it AND wiggle out too. I probably just left it open, but better safe than sorry. Poor little gal. Oh, I just heard her chirp a few times when her favorite artist (Brandon Heath...she has a crush on him) came on. Good!
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Post by rdkntriker on Jan 31, 2014 15:46:28 GMT
Sounds like she is doing better.
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