Freshly Hatched baby dove...

AmberMuffinz · 11/12/12

Ah jeez, I could rant about hunting too. At least they have each other though, and you to make sure they are safe.

Birdbabe · 11/12/12

I would keep them both till shes ready to go. They been together this long, theyll split up soon enough after release. Spring would be better, the weather, no hunters, plenty of new boyfriends and girlfriends to chose from. :hug8:

Welshanne · 11/12/12

My hat goes off to you and think you are an amazing person to spend so much time and effort on those little balls of magic fluff!
Years ago that is what I tried to do and also hatched eggs in an incubator. I lost a lot of chicks at the stage of weaning and eating on their own in those days.
Then a pet gander who we could not bring ourselves to kill for a Xmas lunch took over by accident and really only wanted the warmth of their heat lamp for himself! The chicks hid in his feathers for comfort and warmth and he taught them how to eat the seed and from that day on we never lost one chick. Good luck with what you are doing. :hug8:

penny'smom · 11/12/12

I think they need to stay the winter - every time we discuss it, we can't find a compelling reason not to wait. I will do what's best for them regardless of my attachment, even though they are ridiculously cute and I raised them from eggs :heart:

The days are mild, but the nights are freezing. I think it would give Trevor a disadvantaged start to try to release now, and I don't want to stress Olive in any way. My only real worry is that they will be more tame for not having left sooner. The other clutch we raised and released took just a week to get wild enough that we could no longer get close enough to catch them - keeping in mind that we did not handle or play with them because we wanted to limit any attachment to us.

penny'smom · 11/16/12

Olive had her appointment today to get her cast off. The prognosis is pretty dim. She almost certainly won't be able to be released. She will be having physical therapy 3 times per day to work her joints on both feet, and extra time planting her feet under her in correct position and holding her to get her used to a normal standing position. The second thing is to be done as much as we can (while watching TV, etc). I feel awful. She went through surgery and having a cast (she has ointment to put on her hurt leg because the skin is irritated), and now she doesn't have any better chance to have good legs than she did before. We changed her cage set-up to mostly flat, a padded towel, to encourage movement and she can get around with the help of wing flapping. Poor Olive. We'll reevaluate her condition after 4-6 weeks. At that point we'll know better what her permanent disability situation will be, and can look at setting up an appropriate cage for her.

The vet thought that releasing Trevor now (rather than waiting until Spring) may give him a better chance. He said they have pretty short lives in the wild regardless of when we release him, but being in captivity longer may lessen his chances out there.

Crappy, depressing day. I wasn't incredibly optimistic in the first place, but I didn't think it would be such a gloomy prognosis.

AmberMuffinz · 11/16/12

I'm so sorry. If she can't be released I imagine you are going to keep her, right? At least you would know she would be in a safe place with fresh food and water everyday with someone who loves her. I think she'll be happy with you even if she doesn't end up being able to be released. Do hunters normally go around the area by your house? I wonder how much danger there is for little Trevor.

penny'smom · 11/16/12

I live in the middle of town, so no hunters unless he flies a few miles away. I always feel like it's a catch-22 when I release anyone. The entire point of my doing rehab is to give them a chance and get them back out there in the wild, but it is very very hard not to hold myself responsible for whatever happens to them in the future. As irrational as I know that is, I have a lot of worry for them. At the same time, I can't help anyone if I try to keep them all to make myself feel better - and that's selfish and impossible. I can see it both ways with Trevor. With the vet's suggestion I worry that it may not really help to keep him for the winter. I just don't know what to do. *sigh* We did some physical therapy with Olive this evening and I can tell it will be difficult. I will keep her, as she will have special needs.

Birdbabe · 11/17/12

Im sorry about Olive, and I know how you feel about Trevor, Im the same when I release, but you gotta go with your heart. :hug8:

penny'smom · 11/19/12

No change with Olive yet, but it hasn't been very long. There is a red tail hawk hanging out around our house the last few days. I'm glad my husband spotted him, because we were going to let Trevor outside today. The doves have been in an outdoor enclosure, and maybe that's why he sticks around. There was another smaller hawk chasing after the sparrows that hide in our bushes. *sigh*

Thugluvgrl187 · 11/21/12

You have done a great job with these two

penny'smom · 12/18/12

really down... the vet doesn't have any hope for Olive being able to get around normally. We lined the inside of the cage with plexiglass to protect her wings from rubbing, and we switched to fleece to provide a softer bottom. The big concern is the wear and tear that she's getting on her legs and wings from the way she moves around. She is the sweetest dove, and I wish there was more we could do for her.

Birdbabe · 12/21/12

Im sorry, is she really struggling? Or do you feel she has a good quality of life? I still think your so awesome for not giving up on her, if you dont mind, Id like to see a pic.

penny'smom · 12/21/12

Birdbabe said:
Im sorry, is she really struggling? Or do you feel she has a good quality of life? I still think your so awesome for not giving up on her, if you dont mind, Id like to see a pic.

We talked with the vet, and I think she still has a good quality of life at this point. We have not given up, and are going to continue her physical therapy (which means we have a chance to look her over well every day). I expect to see her not looking quite as ruffled after she has been in her modified cage for a while. She obviously enjoys her morning formula (I still give it to her to dispense her supplements, and to keep her hydrated, and it is something she clearly gets excited about). She struggles to get around, but gets into what appear to be comfy "nest" areas where she sits and preens a lot. She is very alert and curious, and is around activity and sounds all day, and on warm days she is outside with the other doves in the sun. She appears to be very content when we spend time holding her in a fleece blanket - she preens, fluffs, and naps a little. She is fearful of anything new, but I'm looking for toy/enrichment ideas. Foraging was my first thought, but I don't want to make eating difficult for her.

I'll try to get a new pic tomorrow

Osprey · 12/21/12

Aww... :< That is so sad!!!

It sounds like you really love these guys.

Oh, I hate hunting with a passion! :mad:

Ziggymon · 12/21/12

I want to say how grateful I am to you and others like you. :hug8:

The decisions you have to make are so heartwrenching. You have guts as well as heart. Kudos to you.

Maxsmom · 12/21/12

Ashley, I am awestruck by your love and devotion. I am sorry about Olive's health.

Welshanne · 12/21/12

Once you have given them a name you are lost! You are doing a wonderful thing to give them some quality and life with the odds stacked against them, and providing they are enjoying the life you have given them, then go with your heart and do not end up beating yourself up about them.
Over the years and looking after different species of mainly domestic birds, I have noted the way nature looks after its own.
When I have had clutches of eggs hatch with the parent birds any chick that had anything wrong with it and sometimes it did not show up for awhile, the mum would ignore the chick and walk away from it and let it die. She was doing what she thought was the best for it, being cruel to be kind if you like but that is nature and nature can be so cruel. You are in a catch 22 situation and providing you give them quality of life and not quantity then it is a dilemma you are going to have to come to terms with eventually. Good luck and stop beating yourself up about doing a marvellous thing. :hug8:

penny'smom · 12/21/12

Thanks so much for the encouragement, everyone. I could have stacked the odds more in her favor had I known at the beginning what I know now. With Olive, we're just taking her a day at a time, and doing as much as possible to make her comfy and provide her enjoyment. The biggest issue now is to keep her from getting irritated as she scoots around.

On a happier note, little brother Trevor is as perfect as can be - and a difficult little bugger to catch! They enjoyed a lovely sunny day outside today in the enclosure. He is so cute, perching on top of her cage, or sitting near her in the grass.

Birdbabe · 12/22/12

Well then,, keep it up! Shes sounding happy to me, and how cute that her brother stays with her. :hug8:

Welshanne · 12/22/12

Hope all is going well for them both today?

Freshly Hatched baby dove...

Rollerblading along the road

Ripping up the road

Ripping up the road

Rollerblading along the road

Rollerblading along the road

Rollerblading along the road

Rollerblading along the road

Ripping up the road

Rollerblading along the road

Joyriding the Neighborhood

Rollerblading along the road

Ripping up the road

Rollerblading along the road

Sitting on the front steps

Biking along the boulevard

Biking along the boulevard

Ripping up the road

Rollerblading along the road

Ripping up the road

Ripping up the road