I'm sorry it's taken this long to write another post. It's certainly taken this long to just talk about it without becoming overwhelmed with emotion, but writing is just as painful. August 11th will be 6 months since Hal has passed, as well as Nancy's birthday. It's going to be a hard day but Nancy and I thought that this would be a good time to go back and talk about the events that led up to Hal's passing so that anyone who'd like to know can read this and remember him.
Tuesday, January 26th, Hal and Nancy came back home after he had his 3rd brain surgery for tumors. Although the surgery went very well and the doctors were very positive about it, Hal mentally was just not the same.
I was fortunate enough to see Hal the next week when we had a pizza party at the store to welcome him back. He seemed very positive and his surgical site was healing well. I could tell in conversation that he wasn't 100% himself. He asked the same questions multiple times. He complained about pain throughout the day. Nancy spent less time at the store and more time at home because he simply was too weak to be left alone for long periods of time and she worried for his safety.
I got to see him one more time that week on Saturday when I stopped by their house briefly. I kissed him goodbye and told him I'd see him soon.
On Tuesday, Nancy spent the day with Hal. They went into Augusta to go shopping and had lunch at Dairy Queen. He was having trouble swallowing and kept coughing during their meal. He said it felt like he had something stuck in his throat. From there they went to Walmart. She picked up what they needed while Hal rode around in an electric cart picking up what they didn't need. They got back to the truck and he took a drink of his soda and choked again. She wanted to take Hal to get checked out but he declined; he wanted to go home. They worked on woodworking projects with Hal's new tools he got for Christmas. Nancy made a base to raise his recliner higher so he could get up easier.
When they ate dinner that night he was still having trouble. With that along with his high levels of pain and double vision, Nancy planned on calling his doctor at the Mayo Clinic on Wednesday to ask him for his advice.
That night at around midnight, Nancy woke up to the sound of Hal's hearing aid chirping for a new battery. She removed the battery and noted that Hal's CPAP machine was breathing normally. At 1:45 am, Hal got up to go to the bathroom. Nancy was half asleep but could hear him in the bathroom coughing just like he had the previous day. She heard him fall hard and she rushed to see if he was okay. She found him face down, unconscious on the bathroom floor. She tried to turn him over but he was just too heavy for her to move him. He was completely unresponsive and wasn't breathing. Nancy then called 911. Two sheriffs showed up at the house first and were able to get him turned onto his back and started CPR. EMS showed up about 20-30 minutes after that and they could not find a pulse. They took over CPR and after another 20-30 minutes, they finally got a pulse.
Because his vitals were so unstable, they decided to transport Hal to the Kansas Medical Center in Andover. He arrived there around 3 am. We all rushed to meet Nancy there. My mother and I along with Hal's brother and his wife were all there. The Andover hospital was able to get Hal's vitals more stable but he still wasn't improving. He was unable to breathe without a ventilator and his eyes were dilated. They didn't have a neurologist there so Hal was transported to the neurocritical ICU at St. Francis in Wichita at around 6 am.
I arrived at St. Francis around 6:30. At St. Francis, they were able to take more extensive tests and determined he had not suffered a heart attack, brain bleed, or stroke. When I arrived they had just finished those tests and were in the process of doing an EKG. After about an hour the neurologists reported that he had very little brain function. The results were not looking good.
I left to go to school around 8:15. After school, I went by the shop for a couple hours and fortunately we have some very caring employees (more like close friends that also work with us) who were more than willing to cover for Nancy and I so that I could go back to the hospital. I believe I got back to St. Francis around 3 pm and stayed a few hours.
During the day, Hal's body temperature would spike and then drop, his heart rate would also spike and then drop. He still wasn't breathing on his own. The doctors believed the choking he was experiencing were actually seizures and that's what caused him to collapse. They also believed that the time that he stopped breathing to the time that CPR began was too long and his brain had suffocated and may have put him in cardiac arrest. Throughout the day at St. Francis he was experiencing frequent small seizures. The doctors still didn't know if he would come out of the state he was in but as of that point, he was still on life support.
I left the hospital around 7pm and Nancy left at around 9pm after all the visitors had come and gone. Hal's father, Rusty was among those who visited. He's 93 years old and just lost his wife Betty, Hal's mother, in 2014. He is really having a hard time understand what was happening and was very upset.
Later that night, (Thursday, February 11th) Nancy remembers the nurse calling her around 1am telling her that Hal was having a harder time and was in need of more assistance than before. Nancy was so exhausted that she fell back asleep until her daughter, Jennifer called her saying that the nurses had called her too saying that it was more urgent and we needed to come back to the hospital. I met them at St. Francis at around 2:15 and Hal had just passed at 2 am. He was 60 years old.
The doctors were very apologetic as they told us how Hal's body was shutting down despite their efforts. We believe it was just his time to go; his body had had enough. We went to see him and he was still feverishly hot from his temperature spikes. Shock and exhaustion was pretty much all we could feel at the time. Hal had struggled for so long and Nancy simply wouldn't let him give up so to lose him after he just had brain surgery was so defeating. Like the battle had been lost.
The funeral was held the following Tuesday, February 16th at Holy Cross Lutheran Church. Hal had wished to be cremated so grudgingly, Nancy conceded. Family, friends, and customers from near and far arrived to pay their respects and celebrate Hal's life. We put together a slide show of pictures with his favorite music playing. Some of the pictures and stories I had never seen or heard before! Stories of his adventures, pictures from when he was young. I enjoyed seeing pictures from his younger years when he was able to walk and especially liked the ones where you could see some of his friends that were in attendance to the funeral. I snickered at the hair and clothing choices from the 60s and 70s. On display were his wood turning projects, pens he had made, his favorite hat and boots.
Some of his closest friends spoke at the service. They talked about how good a friend Hal was to them, stories (only G rated ones of course) and how Hal deserved so much more than life gave him. Nancy's daughter Jennifer wrote a letter instead of speaking which Pastor Snow read aloud, talking about how much we loved him. His two brothers wrote a letter together. Nancy wrote a letter too which spoke of the night of the incident and how grateful she was to have that last day together. The theme that showed in everyone's stories was how he never blamed anyone for his problems and how courageous he had been through them. It was a very emotional day but we all felt so fortunate for our many friends and family that were able to join us and share their love with us. I always knew my grandparents were well known, but they were (and still are) loved and respected. The many lives that my grandpa touched overwhelmed me.
August 11th was Nancy's birthday as well as the 6 month mark since Hal passed. She said she's still waiting for the heartbreak to get better. From her point of view: "My family keeps me busy. They have been extra vigilant on the special days since February. Like Hal's birthday in March, our wedding anniversary in April, Easter, Mother's/Father's day, birthdays, and now my birthday. The last 6 months has been hard but I am so blessed to have family, friends, and good customers who have cried with me, showed care for me, and have been generous with financial help. I cannot think of words to express my gratitude. Life is truly a gift. Make the most of each day and tell the ones you care about how special they are. I hope I can give as much as I have received."
I know our family will never be the same, the business will never be the same. But the fact that so many people have been so supportive of my family has been eye opening. We're not just a business, our customers are not just customers. We are all family and everyone felt Hal's passing as a loss. Nancy started this business as an outlet for Hal and although he's gone, his friends (humans and animals alike) live on for him. I can still hear his voice in my head, mostly ornery comments and him crashing his electric scooter into things. My grandfather will always be with me as well as all the creatures he influenced throughout his 60 years.
His spirit remains at Birds of Paradise if you look for him.
--Jordan
Saturday, August 13, 2016
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
We are finally home!
Monday, January 25th
This day was a busy one. Mayo Clinic came to the facility Hal was staying at and did some blood work. They got all of his prescriptions ready for us to travel on Tuesday. He had his staples removed. We're watching the weather closely. We had some drizzle Monday afternoon that changed to snow that night. He had physical therapy, occupational therapy, a shower. He should sleep really well tonight.
Tuesday, January 26th
We had one more prescription that we had to get filled but the pharmacy didn't open until 9. We finally left Rochester around 10 am and it was snowing! The roads are a little ice packed. Going west-bound on I-90 there were deep drifts in the ditches; easily 6 foot. The snow had blown over and it reminded me of waves. All the trees had frost all over them; it was really quite beautiful. After about an hour, we made it to Albert Lea. After a few miles on I-35, the snow stopped, the highway turned dry. We had an uneventful trip til we got to Kansas City. We came across a large truck that had been on fire and we were caught in its traffic that was backed up forever. That was around 5:30. We got home a little after 10pm but I didn't get to bed until midnight.
I hope everyone can bare with me a little longer. It's going to be a few more days til I can leave him for long periods at a time. He's definitely getting stronger but not to where he can be alone all day. I'll continue to take baby steps with him and won't be able to be at the store full time. I do plan to trim but my schedule will be a little different. Please continue to be patient.
This day was a busy one. Mayo Clinic came to the facility Hal was staying at and did some blood work. They got all of his prescriptions ready for us to travel on Tuesday. He had his staples removed. We're watching the weather closely. We had some drizzle Monday afternoon that changed to snow that night. He had physical therapy, occupational therapy, a shower. He should sleep really well tonight.
Tuesday, January 26th
We had one more prescription that we had to get filled but the pharmacy didn't open until 9. We finally left Rochester around 10 am and it was snowing! The roads are a little ice packed. Going west-bound on I-90 there were deep drifts in the ditches; easily 6 foot. The snow had blown over and it reminded me of waves. All the trees had frost all over them; it was really quite beautiful. After about an hour, we made it to Albert Lea. After a few miles on I-35, the snow stopped, the highway turned dry. We had an uneventful trip til we got to Kansas City. We came across a large truck that had been on fire and we were caught in its traffic that was backed up forever. That was around 5:30. We got home a little after 10pm but I didn't get to bed until midnight.
I hope everyone can bare with me a little longer. It's going to be a few more days til I can leave him for long periods at a time. He's definitely getting stronger but not to where he can be alone all day. I'll continue to take baby steps with him and won't be able to be at the store full time. I do plan to trim but my schedule will be a little different. Please continue to be patient.
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Hal's Recovery pt. 4
Tuesday, January 19th
Can't believe we've been gone a week already. This morning was a start of a new chapter of this journey. After getting discharged from the hospital this morning, Hal was taken by a medical transportation service to a skilled nursing facility in Rochester. He thinks we will leave for home tomorrow but I know he is not strong enough to travel the 600 miles home. I hope by the end of the week things will look much better.
Can't believe we've been gone a week already. This morning was a start of a new chapter of this journey. After getting discharged from the hospital this morning, Hal was taken by a medical transportation service to a skilled nursing facility in Rochester. He thinks we will leave for home tomorrow but I know he is not strong enough to travel the 600 miles home. I hope by the end of the week things will look much better.
Monday, January 18, 2016
Hal's Recovery pt. 3
Friday-Monday, January 15th-18th
It would be Saturday night before Hal got any rest. He's very disoriented and his muscles are weak. His surgery site, however, looks better and the incision looks great. We got good news on Friday that pathology said they found no cancer. They started from light sedation on Saturday so they could try to get him to sleep through Saturday night. That's exactly what he did: he slept all through Saturday and all day Sunday. It looked like it was exactly what he needed. His skin color, alertness, and speech is much better. He's got a nice bruise around his eye but the swelling has gone down. By Sunday afternoon, though, his blood pressure and heart rate elevated and they're starting IV fluid. Things were improving Monday morning and we learned in the afternoon that Tuesday morning he'll be moved to a skilled nursing facility. There we'll try to get his strength built up so we can get him home. I would have not wanted to go home today anyway! When we woke up this morning it was -20 degrees with a windchill factor of -37. Really glad you guys are nice and warm in Kansas! Lots of the metal framed doors and windows are covered in frost. Visitors to the hospitals are writing their names and leaving hand prints in the frost.
Thanks again, everyone for your prayers, thoughts, calls, and any other ways that you've done to support us. I really hoped I'd be home by now but I'll be back as soon as I can.
It would be Saturday night before Hal got any rest. He's very disoriented and his muscles are weak. His surgery site, however, looks better and the incision looks great. We got good news on Friday that pathology said they found no cancer. They started from light sedation on Saturday so they could try to get him to sleep through Saturday night. That's exactly what he did: he slept all through Saturday and all day Sunday. It looked like it was exactly what he needed. His skin color, alertness, and speech is much better. He's got a nice bruise around his eye but the swelling has gone down. By Sunday afternoon, though, his blood pressure and heart rate elevated and they're starting IV fluid. Things were improving Monday morning and we learned in the afternoon that Tuesday morning he'll be moved to a skilled nursing facility. There we'll try to get his strength built up so we can get him home. I would have not wanted to go home today anyway! When we woke up this morning it was -20 degrees with a windchill factor of -37. Really glad you guys are nice and warm in Kansas! Lots of the metal framed doors and windows are covered in frost. Visitors to the hospitals are writing their names and leaving hand prints in the frost.
Thanks again, everyone for your prayers, thoughts, calls, and any other ways that you've done to support us. I really hoped I'd be home by now but I'll be back as soon as I can.
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Hal's Recovery Day 2
Thursday January 14th
We had a rough night. Hal was restless and his face was still quite swollen and was hurting. They took his "turban" and bandages off. There's about an 8 inch long curved incision. I counted at least 40 staples holding it closed. From 7am to early afternoon, it seemed like a parade of different people in and out. Doctors, nurses, PT, OT, social workers, diabetes management, the list goes on. Now we're looking at our options after dismissal. Today, Hal is not strong enough to travel 600 miles home. Some type of skilled nursing facility could be next. I'm sitting where I can look out the 9th floor window, facing west. The winter sun shining gently on the snow covered rooftops, all the trees with the hills in the background, it looks peaceful.
I'm really tired. Maybe tomorrow will be better to me.
We had a rough night. Hal was restless and his face was still quite swollen and was hurting. They took his "turban" and bandages off. There's about an 8 inch long curved incision. I counted at least 40 staples holding it closed. From 7am to early afternoon, it seemed like a parade of different people in and out. Doctors, nurses, PT, OT, social workers, diabetes management, the list goes on. Now we're looking at our options after dismissal. Today, Hal is not strong enough to travel 600 miles home. Some type of skilled nursing facility could be next. I'm sitting where I can look out the 9th floor window, facing west. The winter sun shining gently on the snow covered rooftops, all the trees with the hills in the background, it looks peaceful.
I'm really tired. Maybe tomorrow will be better to me.
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Hal's recovery
Tuesday, January 13th
I crashed at the hotel and slept like a rock all night. (It felt really good!) I arrived at the hospital around 8am. Hal looks like he's been in a bar fight. His left eye is almost swollen shut. He has a compression bandage around his head, it reminds me of a turban! They plan to move him from ICU to a regular floor later today. His surgeon was pleased with his recovery. He told him the left side of his face is going to be sore for quite a while. They had to go through muscles to get through the surgical site. About noon, they took us to his new room, one floor up. Finally, about 3 o'clock, the doctors and residents have been in, food services, new nurses, meds. It was all finally over so we both took a nap. Next they'll work on getting his system working again, like eating and drinking normally. He's having trouble eating because his jaw is so sore. They didn't take the compression bandage off today.
We'll see what tomorrow brings. They'll assess him to see how his progress is and predict when he'll be ready to go home. I'll continue to keep you posted!
I crashed at the hotel and slept like a rock all night. (It felt really good!) I arrived at the hospital around 8am. Hal looks like he's been in a bar fight. His left eye is almost swollen shut. He has a compression bandage around his head, it reminds me of a turban! They plan to move him from ICU to a regular floor later today. His surgeon was pleased with his recovery. He told him the left side of his face is going to be sore for quite a while. They had to go through muscles to get through the surgical site. About noon, they took us to his new room, one floor up. Finally, about 3 o'clock, the doctors and residents have been in, food services, new nurses, meds. It was all finally over so we both took a nap. Next they'll work on getting his system working again, like eating and drinking normally. He's having trouble eating because his jaw is so sore. They didn't take the compression bandage off today.
We'll see what tomorrow brings. They'll assess him to see how his progress is and predict when he'll be ready to go home. I'll continue to keep you posted!
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
Hal's Surgery
Sunday, January 10th
It's been suggested that I write a blog of our trip to Mayo Clinic. I journal every day anyway, so why not?
I awoke at 6:15 as usual. My regular chores take about 1 1/2 hours so I got moving. We had link sausages (to clean out the refrigerator) to go with our usual protein shake (which used the last of the milk). It was almost 9 when we locked the gate on our drive. By 12:15 we were in Kansas City to stop for a quick lunch. North of Des Moines, the fields were covered in snow. Big drifts, 3 foot or so, against the fences. By 6pm the car said it was -4 degrees outside. When we arrived at Rochester, Minnesota at 7:30, it was -13 degrees.
We checked into our hotel, went to a Chinese buffet, and back to our room by 10pm.
Monday, January 11th
We got ready and left for the clinic. It's still below zero but our rental car started. At 9:20 am, the first parking garage, 10 stories tall, was completely full. I let Hal out at Mayo Clinic's front doors. The staff brought a wheel chair and brought him inside. I headed for the second 10 story parking garage a couple blocks away. Its elevator took me to the subway level where I made my way back to Hal.
He had appointments with his surgeon, blood drawn, and then a good lunch at the Mayo cafeteria. Then a couple more pre-surgery tests. We left the clinic about 5:20 and it was snowing. We went to our favorite Mexican restaurant. Back at the room, Hal had to shower with special soap in preparation for his surgery tomorrow.
Tuesday, January 12th
The timer went off at 4am. Hal had a restless night's sleep. He fell against the tub in the bathroom and hurt his left side. That would be the same side that he broke ribs on last March when he rolled the tractor.
It's cold this morning, -6 degrees, and the wind is up pushing the windchill to 28 below. We arrived at the hospital just befor 5:30. Lots of other people were there. It was typical Mayo Clinic organization; assistants were there with wheel chairs to help us get him loaded. I parked in the underground garage, found Hal in the 5:30 am check in line. There were other lines for 5:45 and 6 am check ins. All of the pre-surgery questions, health checks and verification. He took a full, cleansing shower (Not even really a shower, more like a wipe down) with antibacterial cloths. All that took til 7:30. I kissed him goodbye, told him I loved him, and told him to "be nice to the nurses" as they rolled his gurney away.
About 9:15, my nurse coordinator called who said they were "in the surgical site" meaning they had started opening him up. I was escorted to a different waiting room by the ICU where he will be after surgery. An hour later she called and said things were going fine and they were in the microscopic part of the surgery. It's 11:50 and our coordinator just let me know that they are starting to close the site. She said it would take about an hour. Just before 1pm, I met with Dr. Marsh. He said the surgery went well and he thinks they removed all the tumors. The derma had an "icing" tumor. This coating did not show up on the MRI we had done in December. Dr. Marsh was able to scrape a lot of that off. It'll be a couple of days before pathology comes in but he feels it will not have advanced to a cancerous level.
Finally, about 4:30 I got to see him. His bandages are wrapped like a turban. He's doing well and seems to be in good spirits. We both thank everyone for their prayers, calls, and good wishes!
It's been suggested that I write a blog of our trip to Mayo Clinic. I journal every day anyway, so why not?
I awoke at 6:15 as usual. My regular chores take about 1 1/2 hours so I got moving. We had link sausages (to clean out the refrigerator) to go with our usual protein shake (which used the last of the milk). It was almost 9 when we locked the gate on our drive. By 12:15 we were in Kansas City to stop for a quick lunch. North of Des Moines, the fields were covered in snow. Big drifts, 3 foot or so, against the fences. By 6pm the car said it was -4 degrees outside. When we arrived at Rochester, Minnesota at 7:30, it was -13 degrees.
We checked into our hotel, went to a Chinese buffet, and back to our room by 10pm.
Monday, January 11th
We got ready and left for the clinic. It's still below zero but our rental car started. At 9:20 am, the first parking garage, 10 stories tall, was completely full. I let Hal out at Mayo Clinic's front doors. The staff brought a wheel chair and brought him inside. I headed for the second 10 story parking garage a couple blocks away. Its elevator took me to the subway level where I made my way back to Hal.
He had appointments with his surgeon, blood drawn, and then a good lunch at the Mayo cafeteria. Then a couple more pre-surgery tests. We left the clinic about 5:20 and it was snowing. We went to our favorite Mexican restaurant. Back at the room, Hal had to shower with special soap in preparation for his surgery tomorrow.
Tuesday, January 12th
The timer went off at 4am. Hal had a restless night's sleep. He fell against the tub in the bathroom and hurt his left side. That would be the same side that he broke ribs on last March when he rolled the tractor.
It's cold this morning, -6 degrees, and the wind is up pushing the windchill to 28 below. We arrived at the hospital just befor 5:30. Lots of other people were there. It was typical Mayo Clinic organization; assistants were there with wheel chairs to help us get him loaded. I parked in the underground garage, found Hal in the 5:30 am check in line. There were other lines for 5:45 and 6 am check ins. All of the pre-surgery questions, health checks and verification. He took a full, cleansing shower (Not even really a shower, more like a wipe down) with antibacterial cloths. All that took til 7:30. I kissed him goodbye, told him I loved him, and told him to "be nice to the nurses" as they rolled his gurney away.
About 9:15, my nurse coordinator called who said they were "in the surgical site" meaning they had started opening him up. I was escorted to a different waiting room by the ICU where he will be after surgery. An hour later she called and said things were going fine and they were in the microscopic part of the surgery. It's 11:50 and our coordinator just let me know that they are starting to close the site. She said it would take about an hour. Just before 1pm, I met with Dr. Marsh. He said the surgery went well and he thinks they removed all the tumors. The derma had an "icing" tumor. This coating did not show up on the MRI we had done in December. Dr. Marsh was able to scrape a lot of that off. It'll be a couple of days before pathology comes in but he feels it will not have advanced to a cancerous level.
Finally, about 4:30 I got to see him. His bandages are wrapped like a turban. He's doing well and seems to be in good spirits. We both thank everyone for their prayers, calls, and good wishes!
Thursday, August 20, 2015
New Babies August 2015
The Nursery is getting full again and with new babies that I've either haven't handfed in a long time, or have never handfed before!
Currently in the Nursery there's:
- Lineolated Parakeets
- Kakariki Parakeets
- Lovebirds
- English Budgies
- Cockatiels
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Computer's Back!
Since my last post our main office computer crashed and we FINALLY have it back! It's been a crazy few months. Hal started having double vision and shortly after he flipped our tractor and miraculously only broke a few ribs. We left for the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota on Monday, July 13th and got back on Wednesday. The trip wasn't too awful, just a long drive! Unfortunately they couldn't compare the MRI scans that we had done here to the ones that were done there so we have to go back up in October. They do believe that he has another brain tumor so when we go up in a few months they will decide what to do next. Hal isn't very happy about this but hopefully they can take care of it in 3 months.
I was correct in my prediction about the African Senegals. One was a boy and the other was a girl! I'm currently handfeeding Cockatiels, 2 Pineapple Green Cheek Conures, a Painted Conure, and 2 English Budgies. I detest handfeeding anything as small as Budgies but lately my pairs have not been so nice with their children and I had to step in. They are cute, though!
I'm so sorry I've been absent on my blog the past few months. Fortunately the computer is back and I can get back at blogging! Wish us luck in the upcoming months. Thank you to everyone who has been so patient with us and supportive. I don't know what we did to deserve such incredible customers and friends but I am so thankful.
I was correct in my prediction about the African Senegals. One was a boy and the other was a girl! I'm currently handfeeding Cockatiels, 2 Pineapple Green Cheek Conures, a Painted Conure, and 2 English Budgies. I detest handfeeding anything as small as Budgies but lately my pairs have not been so nice with their children and I had to step in. They are cute, though!
I'm so sorry I've been absent on my blog the past few months. Fortunately the computer is back and I can get back at blogging! Wish us luck in the upcoming months. Thank you to everyone who has been so patient with us and supportive. I don't know what we did to deserve such incredible customers and friends but I am so thankful.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
The Nursery is overflowing!
Wednesday, March 11th, 2015 - Sorry it's been a couple of weeks since the last post. The African Senegals are slowing down in their progress. The eldest baby turned 2 months old today! It is now up to 126 grams and its sibling is 119 grams. They're on 2 feedings a day, 10-15 cc's per feeding. We've started feeding them veggies which they're eating very well and offering them some Roudybush. I set them up in a cage this week which is new and kind of scary but they're learning to perch! I'm still waiting on DNA's to come back with their genders but hopefully soon the results will come in so we know what they are! I'm guessing that one is a boy and the other is a girl but I suppose we'll see. They spent a short amount of time in a play bin today which was equally as scary as the cage but they did just fine. The older baby was playing with a foot toy in the play bin. Only a month left to go!
I am just swimming in baby birds! I've never had this many birds at one time.
I am just swimming in baby birds! I've never had this many birds at one time.
- 2 African Senegals
- 4 Sun Conures
- 3 Crimson Bellied Conures
- 6 Lovebirds
- 15 Cockatiels
- 1 Bourke Parakeet (expecting 3 more on Friday)
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
The little baby is catching up!
Monday, February 23rd, 2015 - I think the babies are about to reach their top weight. Over the last 6 days our older chick has only gained 2 grams. The younger baby is still working on growing, gaining 14 grams in the same time period. They are still on 4 feedings a day with 15 cc per feeding. There are now only 17 grams difference in the 2 chicks. Keep in mind they are 6 days apart in age. I think our itty bitty baby is doing just fine!
I am anxious to get the DNA's. I sent them in last week but I will probably have to wait another week or so to get an email with results. This company I've been using lately is fine but just takes longer than I like since it's in Canada. Just looking at their skull structure, I'm guessing the older baby is a male and the younger baby is a girl. We'll see - I don't have a hat like Johnny Carson wore on his late night show when he did predictions!
We are starting to introduce veggies to the babies. I always like to change things on Mondays. It helps me keep track of what I'm doing. This week I moved them into a different brooder that will give them more room, but as of right now they're still confined in a container within the brooder. Next week we will give them the entire brooder to move around in and introduce pellets.
I am anxious to get the DNA's. I sent them in last week but I will probably have to wait another week or so to get an email with results. This company I've been using lately is fine but just takes longer than I like since it's in Canada. Just looking at their skull structure, I'm guessing the older baby is a male and the younger baby is a girl. We'll see - I don't have a hat like Johnny Carson wore on his late night show when he did predictions!
We are starting to introduce veggies to the babies. I always like to change things on Mondays. It helps me keep track of what I'm doing. This week I moved them into a different brooder that will give them more room, but as of right now they're still confined in a container within the brooder. Next week we will give them the entire brooder to move around in and introduce pellets.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
The youngest African Senegal baby is 1 month old to today!
Tuesday, February 17th, 2015 - Happy Mardi Gras! The youngest African Senegal is one month old today! It will not be long and we will have a hard time telling them apart. I guess this is a good time to talk about leg bands.
I know some people think they are too dangerous and a poorly fitted band is. However, a proper-fitted band with good information can be amazing information throughout a bird's life. The closed band should fit snug, like a wedding ring, but not too tight. Easily turning on the leg. They must be put on at an early age before the top of the foot is too large. I think it is a waste of time to band a bird with a band that is not traceable. One example: leg band # ABC 890 gains no useful information unless you happen to know who ABC is. I use bands from SPBE (Society of Parrot Breeders and Exhibitors). My identification number is 454. I like to use the current year on my bands and the individual number of the bird, which reflects which pair produced the chick from your hatch records. An example of how my band would look is: SPBE 454 15 10 which means that it's from SPBE, my personal ID #, the year, and the number that bird was in my records. Anyone, anywhere can trace that band back to me. Which has come in handy many times!
When we sell a bird, we keep a record of any information we know, including the leg band and who we sold the bird to. If my records are kept up to date, I can tell you the hatch date and genetics of that bird and who I sold it to. Who I sold it to can perhaps be the difference of someone getting their lost bird returned or not. In addition to being helpful for information, it's also good to have the info on the band written down to prove ownership should the bird ever come up missing or stolen. Over the years, Birds of Paradise has had several times that traceable bands have helped us get birds back to their owners. There are numerous sources for traceable bands. The Lovebird Society (LBS), American Cockatiel Society (ACS), and the American Budgerigar Society (ABS) are just a few examples.
Unfortunately, these Senegal babies will not be banded so I will have to rely on trimming opposite wings or mark under the wing to distinguish the birds as they become fully feathered. Usually this breeder does band but these babies actually hatching caught her off guard. I never put my bands on someone else's birds. In the case that the bird is not banded, you could get it microchipped. Another
I'll close with our babies' current weights. The youngest is now 101 grams and the eldest is 130 grams today.
I know some people think they are too dangerous and a poorly fitted band is. However, a proper-fitted band with good information can be amazing information throughout a bird's life. The closed band should fit snug, like a wedding ring, but not too tight. Easily turning on the leg. They must be put on at an early age before the top of the foot is too large. I think it is a waste of time to band a bird with a band that is not traceable. One example: leg band # ABC 890 gains no useful information unless you happen to know who ABC is. I use bands from SPBE (Society of Parrot Breeders and Exhibitors). My identification number is 454. I like to use the current year on my bands and the individual number of the bird, which reflects which pair produced the chick from your hatch records. An example of how my band would look is: SPBE 454 15 10 which means that it's from SPBE, my personal ID #, the year, and the number that bird was in my records. Anyone, anywhere can trace that band back to me. Which has come in handy many times!
When we sell a bird, we keep a record of any information we know, including the leg band and who we sold the bird to. If my records are kept up to date, I can tell you the hatch date and genetics of that bird and who I sold it to. Who I sold it to can perhaps be the difference of someone getting their lost bird returned or not. In addition to being helpful for information, it's also good to have the info on the band written down to prove ownership should the bird ever come up missing or stolen. Over the years, Birds of Paradise has had several times that traceable bands have helped us get birds back to their owners. There are numerous sources for traceable bands. The Lovebird Society (LBS), American Cockatiel Society (ACS), and the American Budgerigar Society (ABS) are just a few examples.
Unfortunately, these Senegal babies will not be banded so I will have to rely on trimming opposite wings or mark under the wing to distinguish the birds as they become fully feathered. Usually this breeder does band but these babies actually hatching caught her off guard. I never put my bands on someone else's birds. In the case that the bird is not banded, you could get it microchipped. Another
I'll close with our babies' current weights. The youngest is now 101 grams and the eldest is 130 grams today.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Friday, Feb. 6th
Friday, February 6th, 2015 The oldest baby weighs 84 grams. Eating 5 feedings per day (7am, 11am, 3pm, 7pm, 11pm) 9 cc a feeding. Sleeping through the night is wonderful! Getting a faint hint of green in the feather shafts on its shoulders. The youngest baby weighs 53 grams! A long way from the 8 grams where we started January 20th. Also eating 5 times a day, 6cc at a feeding, sleeping through the night. Eyes are completely open now but color is not apparent yet.
Both babies are alert, moving around in the brooder. When I see them picking at the paper towel I will know it is time to start vegetables. We use the frozen mixed variety and some of our cooked crock pot mix that we sell. Most of the birds eat soft food well. If I have some left over broth, plain cooked pasta or any chicken/turkey, I'll mix that in with my vegetables for my birds. If I have any left over, I'll just refrigerate it in a Ziploc baggy or a container until the next serving of cooked food.
Monday, February 9th, 2015 the babies are almost a month old! The oldest baby has more green showing now. Even a little on its tail. In the last 3 days its weight went from 84 grams to 103 grams, a 19 gram increase. Food per feeding is up to 15 cc. The younger baby is doing just fine. Its weight went from 53 grams to 65 grams, an increase of 12 grams. I will post a one month old post on the eldest baby on the 11th.
Both babies are alert, moving around in the brooder. When I see them picking at the paper towel I will know it is time to start vegetables. We use the frozen mixed variety and some of our cooked crock pot mix that we sell. Most of the birds eat soft food well. If I have some left over broth, plain cooked pasta or any chicken/turkey, I'll mix that in with my vegetables for my birds. If I have any left over, I'll just refrigerate it in a Ziploc baggy or a container until the next serving of cooked food.
Monday, February 9th, 2015 the babies are almost a month old! The oldest baby has more green showing now. Even a little on its tail. In the last 3 days its weight went from 84 grams to 103 grams, a 19 gram increase. Food per feeding is up to 15 cc. The younger baby is doing just fine. Its weight went from 53 grams to 65 grams, an increase of 12 grams. I will post a one month old post on the eldest baby on the 11th.
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
February is here and I'm loving these babies!
Monday, February 2nd, 2015 - These babies are really starting to grow. The youngest baby had a growth spurt over the weekend. On Saturday it was 29 grams and today it's at 39 grams. I am really encouraged by the increase in what the crop can hold. Just last Friday its capacity was at 2.3 cc and now I can feed 4 cc. The older baby had a good weight gain over the weekend also. Moving from 63 grams to 72 grams. This baby can take 6 cc at a feeding now. I will go to 4 hour feedings and sleeping through the night! There are 6 days difference in the two babies. The little one had such a slow start but looking at the weight gains for the last 6 days it has gained 20 grams. The older baby gained 18 grams for the same number of days when it was the little one's age. Both babies have their eyes wide open and are growing in some pin feathers. This makes me feel better and more confident the little one is healthy and will be fine. Originally I had the little one in a cool whip container by itself and the older one in another container. They were in the same brooder, just in different containers.I did this to keep the little one from getting squished and help strengthen its legs and neck. Now they're together in the same container huddling up to each other for warmth. They are too sweet!
Record keeping is so important. With all the babies I am sometimes feeding I get away from logging in my records. In looking back over the last 30 years, it would be interesting to see how many Senegals I have handfed and their weights at certain ages. All the different species I hand fed for that matter. I have some records here and there but certainly nothing comprehensive.
If you are starting to raise birds, develop a system. 3x5 notecards, computer programs, notebooks, anything that you can keep track of. You could learn a lot from your records. 30 years from now you can find that information interesting and educational to someone new that you are mentoring.
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Wednesday, January 28th, 2015 the little baby is back to a 1 gram gain. At some point soon we may have to go to the veterinarian for some cultures. In looking back at our weights January 20th, we started at 8 grams. This morning we are at 20 grams. Only a 12 gram gain in 7 days. The older baby hit 53 grams today. A 9 gram increase again today. On January 20th we started at 25 grams. That is a 28 gram gain in 7 days.
Some of the things to look at are weighing the babies about the same time of day. I like to weigh before a feeding so the crop is empty. My gram scale is metal so I set it in warm water for a few minutes to take the chill off before their little rear ends touch the surface!
I might question what handfeeding formula I'm using. In this case it is Zupreem's Formula. I have been using their handfeeding the last 3 years. I have fed a wide range of species and have been pleased with this for the most part.
I have fed African Senegals many times and never encountered any special differences in their nutritional needs over other babies.
Is it possible this younger baby has a defect? Of course. That may be why it was rejected by the parents in the first place. As long as we keep inching forward we will put this thought on hold. Hopefully it quickens its pace!
Thursday, January 29th, 2015 another night done is one closer to the babies being able to sleep through the night. I am now waking up just before my timer goes off.
At weigh in this morning both babies have gained 3 grams. The youngest baby is at 23 grams and the eldest is at 56 grams. The youngest baby is opening its eyes now. The older baby has opened its eyes all the way. The older baby is taking 4 cc at a feeding and could take 5 but we're waiting for the little one to catch up. I have switched the older baby to a 10 cc oral medication tip syringe but the little one is still on a 1 cc tuberculin syringe. It's taking 2.3 cc now but its beak is so tiny; the larger syringe is just too big.
Some of the things to look at are weighing the babies about the same time of day. I like to weigh before a feeding so the crop is empty. My gram scale is metal so I set it in warm water for a few minutes to take the chill off before their little rear ends touch the surface!
I might question what handfeeding formula I'm using. In this case it is Zupreem's Formula. I have been using their handfeeding the last 3 years. I have fed a wide range of species and have been pleased with this for the most part.
I have fed African Senegals many times and never encountered any special differences in their nutritional needs over other babies.
Is it possible this younger baby has a defect? Of course. That may be why it was rejected by the parents in the first place. As long as we keep inching forward we will put this thought on hold. Hopefully it quickens its pace!
Thursday, January 29th, 2015 another night done is one closer to the babies being able to sleep through the night. I am now waking up just before my timer goes off.
At weigh in this morning both babies have gained 3 grams. The youngest baby is at 23 grams and the eldest is at 56 grams. The youngest baby is opening its eyes now. The older baby has opened its eyes all the way. The older baby is taking 4 cc at a feeding and could take 5 but we're waiting for the little one to catch up. I have switched the older baby to a 10 cc oral medication tip syringe but the little one is still on a 1 cc tuberculin syringe. It's taking 2.3 cc now but its beak is so tiny; the larger syringe is just too big.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
The Senegal babies are growing!
Saturday, January 24th, 2015, the younger baby is now taking 1.2 cc but only gained 1 more gram today. We are still on 3 hour feedings. The older baby is taking 2.5 cc and its eyes are starting to open. Its eyes are only a slit today but it's major progress! Birds of Paradise was really busy today. It was after 4pm before I finished trimming birds. I fell asleep on the sofa after the 10 pm feeding and woke up at 2 am. I got 1.5 cc in the younger baby and 3 cc in the older baby. We celebrated by going to 6 am for the next feeding!
Sunday we stayed on 3 hour feedings during the day. I do not have a scale at home so tomorrow will be interesting at weigh in. The younger baby is now a week old so I am only going to get up once at night but continue our 3 hour schedule throughout the day. I am really exhausted from my sleep pattern being so interrupted. Hopefully I can bounce back to my regular level of tired! New pictures soon!
Monday the youngest baby moved up to 2 cc at a feeding. Its weight today is 16 grams. That's only 4 grams since Saturday, not very impressive. But, we continue to gain weight with no losses and its feeding response is good, color and demeanor are good, and it's pooping. The older baby has gained 9 grams in the same time frame. Again, I am holding at 3cc per feeding so it doesn't get off schedule from the youngest baby.
Tuesday - My couple of hours extra sleep last night helped a lot! The babies seemed to have taken a growth spurt! The little baby is 19 grams today!! That is the biggest increase yet, 3 grams since yesterday. The older baby jumped also going from 43 to 49 grams. A 9 gram increase from yesterday. This baby is starting to show the pin feathers under the skin. They resemble tiny blackheads at this point. Its eyes are a little more open. I fed 4 cc during the night. They're starting to grow much faster, like weeds!
Sunday we stayed on 3 hour feedings during the day. I do not have a scale at home so tomorrow will be interesting at weigh in. The younger baby is now a week old so I am only going to get up once at night but continue our 3 hour schedule throughout the day. I am really exhausted from my sleep pattern being so interrupted. Hopefully I can bounce back to my regular level of tired! New pictures soon!
Monday the youngest baby moved up to 2 cc at a feeding. Its weight today is 16 grams. That's only 4 grams since Saturday, not very impressive. But, we continue to gain weight with no losses and its feeding response is good, color and demeanor are good, and it's pooping. The older baby has gained 9 grams in the same time frame. Again, I am holding at 3cc per feeding so it doesn't get off schedule from the youngest baby.
Tuesday - My couple of hours extra sleep last night helped a lot! The babies seemed to have taken a growth spurt! The little baby is 19 grams today!! That is the biggest increase yet, 3 grams since yesterday. The older baby jumped also going from 43 to 49 grams. A 9 gram increase from yesterday. This baby is starting to show the pin feathers under the skin. They resemble tiny blackheads at this point. Its eyes are a little more open. I fed 4 cc during the night. They're starting to grow much faster, like weeds!
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Starting 2015 with a baby crisis!
Tuesday (January 20th, 2015) was one of those days that I already had too much on my plate. The perfect time for a baby bird crisis!
My friend and owner of an African Senegal pair called. I already knew that they had fertile eggs and one had hatched January 11th. I had been planning its arrival to be handfed next week but this afternoon she had found the 2nd baby, who was just 3 days old, in the corner of the nest box cold and almost dead. She wisely knew to slowly warm the baby with her hands.
We both scrambled to meet at my store, Birds of Paradise. She brought me both babies and kept them warm with her body heat while I got a brooder ready. The cold baby was alive but struggling. It could not stay right side up and kept falling over onto its back. The older baby seemed to be doing well and was quite a bit larger.
Finally the brooder was up to 95 degrees. The babies' crops were almost empty but I chose to wait at least an hour to feed them. I wanted them to be fully warmed and stable. I have found one of the most common errors in handfeeding is to feed food that is not warm enough or the babies are not warm enough, or both. Then you are just asking for yeast to start forming in the crop.
First handfeeding for these babies came about 8 pm. The older baby took 1 cc and the younger one took less than 1/2 a cc. I will start at 3 hour intervals and observe how long it takes them to empty. My 1st night on a 2 or 3 hour schedule is always the hardest. I usually go to bed and sleep til morning. Wish me luck!
Wednesday (January 21st, 2015) the babies and I all made it through our 1st night together. They were empty at 3 hour intervals. If you plan to handfeed and have to travel with little babies, an inverter for your car is essential. Thirty years ago I learned a hard lesson with newborn Umbrella Cockatoo chicks that chilled while in transit without a heat source. Even worse, I didn't know to warm them slowly in my hands. I plugged the brooder in when I got to work but they died of hypothermia.
The little baby is still having trouble staying off its back. I have it in a small dish with scrunched up paper towel so it can hang its head over the ridges. The older baby is still doing well; active and moving normally.
We hit the scales this morning. The older chick weighed in at 25 grams and the younger baby was just 8 grams! Wow, that's little! I am using Zupreem's handfeeding formula with boiled water and a tuberculin syringe. I mix the food in a jigger glass and that works well for me. Its small in diameter so the food does not cool as fast and can easily be set in warm water to hold the temperature. The younger baby is almost at 1/2 cc. The older baby is up to 1 1/2 cc. We are going to stay on 3 hours for now. Gotta go, it's time to feed babies!
Thursday (January 22nd, 2015) morning. We have two successful nights behind us. I have a queasy feeling this morning. It seems to be my body's response to sleep interruption. The little baby is looking much better today. Having a lot less trouble staying upright. Finally a strong feeding response! Take a full 1/2 cc or a bit more per feeding. At weigh in this morning, we are at 10 grams. Moving in the right direction! The older baby is really starting to move forward. Taking 2 cc per feeding and body weight is 29 grams. We will stay on 3 hour feedings again today.
Whatever caused the parents to not care for the youngest baby, so far, doesn't seem to be an issue. Perhaps they only want to feed one chick? The breeder will note this in her records and be watching carefully when they have another clutch.
Record keeping is important for many reasons. This is just a few examples: keeping track of the time of year, number of eggs laid and hatched, how well they fed, did they start picking the babies at a certain age, certain foods or other factors that were needed to get them to go to nest, are all important facts. If only you have one or two pairs, your memory may be your filing box. I, on the other hand, like to commit some of this to a 3x5 card filed by species.
My friend and owner of an African Senegal pair called. I already knew that they had fertile eggs and one had hatched January 11th. I had been planning its arrival to be handfed next week but this afternoon she had found the 2nd baby, who was just 3 days old, in the corner of the nest box cold and almost dead. She wisely knew to slowly warm the baby with her hands.
We both scrambled to meet at my store, Birds of Paradise. She brought me both babies and kept them warm with her body heat while I got a brooder ready. The cold baby was alive but struggling. It could not stay right side up and kept falling over onto its back. The older baby seemed to be doing well and was quite a bit larger.
Finally the brooder was up to 95 degrees. The babies' crops were almost empty but I chose to wait at least an hour to feed them. I wanted them to be fully warmed and stable. I have found one of the most common errors in handfeeding is to feed food that is not warm enough or the babies are not warm enough, or both. Then you are just asking for yeast to start forming in the crop.
First handfeeding for these babies came about 8 pm. The older baby took 1 cc and the younger one took less than 1/2 a cc. I will start at 3 hour intervals and observe how long it takes them to empty. My 1st night on a 2 or 3 hour schedule is always the hardest. I usually go to bed and sleep til morning. Wish me luck!
Wednesday (January 21st, 2015) the babies and I all made it through our 1st night together. They were empty at 3 hour intervals. If you plan to handfeed and have to travel with little babies, an inverter for your car is essential. Thirty years ago I learned a hard lesson with newborn Umbrella Cockatoo chicks that chilled while in transit without a heat source. Even worse, I didn't know to warm them slowly in my hands. I plugged the brooder in when I got to work but they died of hypothermia.
The little baby is still having trouble staying off its back. I have it in a small dish with scrunched up paper towel so it can hang its head over the ridges. The older baby is still doing well; active and moving normally.
We hit the scales this morning. The older chick weighed in at 25 grams and the younger baby was just 8 grams! Wow, that's little! I am using Zupreem's handfeeding formula with boiled water and a tuberculin syringe. I mix the food in a jigger glass and that works well for me. Its small in diameter so the food does not cool as fast and can easily be set in warm water to hold the temperature. The younger baby is almost at 1/2 cc. The older baby is up to 1 1/2 cc. We are going to stay on 3 hours for now. Gotta go, it's time to feed babies!
Thursday (January 22nd, 2015) morning. We have two successful nights behind us. I have a queasy feeling this morning. It seems to be my body's response to sleep interruption. The little baby is looking much better today. Having a lot less trouble staying upright. Finally a strong feeding response! Take a full 1/2 cc or a bit more per feeding. At weigh in this morning, we are at 10 grams. Moving in the right direction! The older baby is really starting to move forward. Taking 2 cc per feeding and body weight is 29 grams. We will stay on 3 hour feedings again today.
Whatever caused the parents to not care for the youngest baby, so far, doesn't seem to be an issue. Perhaps they only want to feed one chick? The breeder will note this in her records and be watching carefully when they have another clutch.
Record keeping is important for many reasons. This is just a few examples: keeping track of the time of year, number of eggs laid and hatched, how well they fed, did they start picking the babies at a certain age, certain foods or other factors that were needed to get them to go to nest, are all important facts. If only you have one or two pairs, your memory may be your filing box. I, on the other hand, like to commit some of this to a 3x5 card filed by species.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
5 Tips to Preparing Your Birds for Severe Weather
Spring has sprung and us Kansans know what that means... severe weather. We're no strangers to nasty storms no matter what season it is, but it never hurts to be prepared. Rather be safe than sorry I always say! So here are some tips that could make the difference if you only have a matter of seconds. Most of these tips work for almost any natural disaster and to keep almost any animal safe.
1. Be aware! If you hear on the news or the radio that your area may experience bad weather in the couple days, always take it seriously! Again, you're better off being safe than sorry.
2. Prepare! Take the time to gather items that you can have ready with your animal's carrier or travel cage such as extra bird food, bottled water, towels/blankets, newspaper/paper towels, sandwich baggies (can be used for daily portions of food), and of course your usual disaster prep items: batteries, flash light, radio, food, etc. I like to keep these items ready all the time in a bag or backpack near my animals or in my basement. Again, if you only have a matter of seconds, having these things ready before disaster strikes could mean saving lives!
~Another important step to preparing is to have carriers or travel cages ready. Make sure they're thoroughly cleaned and have their cups and perches in place. Line the bottom with newspaper and/or paper towels. Have spare towels/blankets set with them just in case you need to keep your animals warm.
3. *IN CASE YOUR BIRDS ARE NOT TAME OR ARE IN FULL FLIGHT* - This is very important! A lot of people have birds that are temperamental and may not come out of the cage easily or aren't trimmed. If you have to get your birds out of its cage in order to put it in a carrier, take a thick towel (make sure your hands are covered!) and grab the bird gently but firmly. The easiest and most comfortable way to do this is to wrap the towel around the bird's body, restraining its feet and wings but keep the head exposed. Keep a firm hold on the bird and put it in the carrier. The bird will most likely not enjoy this, but the key is to keep them safe without you getting bit or the bird being hurt.
Here are some pictures of Nancy catching up "Joker", an Umbrella Cockatoo that came in for a trim. Nancy is demonstrating how to properly catch up a bird with a towel safely.
4. Try to get your bird adjusted to your travel cage/carrier BEFORE an emergency happens! Your bird should not be afraid of the carrier. If they're not familiar with the carrier it can cause a traumatic experience and give the bird more stress than necessary. To do this, put your bird in its "back-up transport" at least once a week, comfort it and give it treats. This will help immensely any time you have to take the bird somewhere.
5. Another tip that most people don't think of is having an ID or info sheet attached to the bird's cage or carrier. Just like how dogs and cats can have ID tags on their collars just in case they get lost, an info sheet for your birds (or any other animal that doesn't wear collars) can be just as important. Some details to include would be bird's name, type of bird, your name and contact information, what the bird eats, and any other emergency contacts such as a family member, friend or even us at Birds of Paradise.
When anything happens suddenly or unexpectedly, we all would like to think that we'd know what to do, but the only effective way is to organize and set up an emergency plan with your family. Go over drills once every six months and keep items on standby just in case. Another thing to keep in mind is that although we would want to save as many living beings as we can, the reality is that sometimes you just don't have time. That's why it's so important to pay attention to the weather and prepare as much as you can ahead of time.
If tragedy does strike and you need somewhere to take your birds while you settle your affairs, you can always board your birds with us at Birds of Paradise. We board birds 365 days a year and every major holiday. You'll know your birds are in good hands and are safe with us while you're away. Give us a call at 316-263-0850 if you ever need to set up a reservation for your birds.
1. Be aware! If you hear on the news or the radio that your area may experience bad weather in the couple days, always take it seriously! Again, you're better off being safe than sorry.
2. Prepare! Take the time to gather items that you can have ready with your animal's carrier or travel cage such as extra bird food, bottled water, towels/blankets, newspaper/paper towels, sandwich baggies (can be used for daily portions of food), and of course your usual disaster prep items: batteries, flash light, radio, food, etc. I like to keep these items ready all the time in a bag or backpack near my animals or in my basement. Again, if you only have a matter of seconds, having these things ready before disaster strikes could mean saving lives!
~Another important step to preparing is to have carriers or travel cages ready. Make sure they're thoroughly cleaned and have their cups and perches in place. Line the bottom with newspaper and/or paper towels. Have spare towels/blankets set with them just in case you need to keep your animals warm.
3. *IN CASE YOUR BIRDS ARE NOT TAME OR ARE IN FULL FLIGHT* - This is very important! A lot of people have birds that are temperamental and may not come out of the cage easily or aren't trimmed. If you have to get your birds out of its cage in order to put it in a carrier, take a thick towel (make sure your hands are covered!) and grab the bird gently but firmly. The easiest and most comfortable way to do this is to wrap the towel around the bird's body, restraining its feet and wings but keep the head exposed. Keep a firm hold on the bird and put it in the carrier. The bird will most likely not enjoy this, but the key is to keep them safe without you getting bit or the bird being hurt.
Here are some pictures of Nancy catching up "Joker", an Umbrella Cockatoo that came in for a trim. Nancy is demonstrating how to properly catch up a bird with a towel safely.
5. Another tip that most people don't think of is having an ID or info sheet attached to the bird's cage or carrier. Just like how dogs and cats can have ID tags on their collars just in case they get lost, an info sheet for your birds (or any other animal that doesn't wear collars) can be just as important. Some details to include would be bird's name, type of bird, your name and contact information, what the bird eats, and any other emergency contacts such as a family member, friend or even us at Birds of Paradise.
When anything happens suddenly or unexpectedly, we all would like to think that we'd know what to do, but the only effective way is to organize and set up an emergency plan with your family. Go over drills once every six months and keep items on standby just in case. Another thing to keep in mind is that although we would want to save as many living beings as we can, the reality is that sometimes you just don't have time. That's why it's so important to pay attention to the weather and prepare as much as you can ahead of time.
If tragedy does strike and you need somewhere to take your birds while you settle your affairs, you can always board your birds with us at Birds of Paradise. We board birds 365 days a year and every major holiday. You'll know your birds are in good hands and are safe with us while you're away. Give us a call at 316-263-0850 if you ever need to set up a reservation for your birds.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Springtime ~ The birds are all atwitter!
Spring is finally here! There's something about this time of year that makes the animals so chipper. Now is the perfect time to get your birds outside to enjoy the beautiful weather!
Natural sunlight and fresh air is essential to a bird's health and happiness. It also gets you outside to enjoy it for yourself! We encourage all of you to make "outside playtime" as part of your routine but there are a lot of steps you need to consider to keep your birds safe.
How do you plan to take your birds outside? There's plenty of easy and safe options! Consider a "travel cage". This is a smaller cage than what your bird may be used to, but if your bird's cage is large and difficult to move, a smaller cage would be much easier for you and would only be for temporary reasons, such as travel or just to enjoy being outside! A travel carrier would work just as well. However, if your bird's cage is not too large and is easy enough to take with you, you might be better off just using that!
Another option, but would take some time to get your bird adjusted, would be a harness. Avian harnesses are growing in popularity but finding the right kind and size can be tricky, as well as training your bird to wear it. Once the bird is comfortable in the harness, your bird will have the freedom of being out with you while also being safe and you being in control. We've started carrying Feather Tethers which seems to be a decent product that our customers have been happy with.
Other simple things to remember when getting your birds outside to play:
Natural sunlight and fresh air is essential to a bird's health and happiness. It also gets you outside to enjoy it for yourself! We encourage all of you to make "outside playtime" as part of your routine but there are a lot of steps you need to consider to keep your birds safe.
How do you plan to take your birds outside? There's plenty of easy and safe options! Consider a "travel cage". This is a smaller cage than what your bird may be used to, but if your bird's cage is large and difficult to move, a smaller cage would be much easier for you and would only be for temporary reasons, such as travel or just to enjoy being outside! A travel carrier would work just as well. However, if your bird's cage is not too large and is easy enough to take with you, you might be better off just using that!
Another option, but would take some time to get your bird adjusted, would be a harness. Avian harnesses are growing in popularity but finding the right kind and size can be tricky, as well as training your bird to wear it. Once the bird is comfortable in the harness, your bird will have the freedom of being out with you while also being safe and you being in control. We've started carrying Feather Tethers which seems to be a decent product that our customers have been happy with.
Other simple things to remember when getting your birds outside to play:
- Provide lots of water
- Keep all cage doors closed (locks, clips or wire ties)
- Most importantly - NEVER leave your birds unattended outside! You never know when a predator or person might have their eye on your bird. Always keep close watch over them while outside!
- If it's too hot or too cold outside for a human baby - same for your bird.
- Try to keep them off the ground if you can to prevent bugs from entering the cage/carrier.
- Make sure they are freshly trimmed! (But remember, even if a bird is trimmed, a gust of wind can pick up your bird and take it great distances! Avoid taking your bird outside on windy days without protection.)
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