Beebleburb
Strolling the yard
Yesterday, we had an emergency vet visit after an injury.
I was re-arranging the bird's toys- something they HATE. they do not like it when I touch their stuff and they get very territorial and wound up. They have squabbled with each other in the past only a few times, never resulting in bloodshed. I've posted about it about two months ago, with an issue with the GCC swooping the red belly. It only lasted for about a week, I think it was something hormonal or a stressor. I worked on proximity desensitizing with them for about a month until I felt they were okay again- but I still have not ever left them both alone out of the cage since that time.
This is where I screwed up- The GCC kept freaking out at me for touching his toys, I was working on rinsing off his favorite play station in the bathroom that is attached right to the bedroom. I put the GCC in his cage so I could get my work done faster- and left the red belly out. That was my mistake. It never even occured to me that they would fight through the cage bars, but the GCC was super wound up and stressed at me touching his toys, RBP was on the outside of the bottom cage chewing cardboard when I last looked., its a stacked cage unit so the outside usually a communal area though so I didnt see any issue. I was washing the toy so I dont know exactly what happened but my assumption is the RBP went to climb to the top of the cage and got in his territory. they both latched on to each other, and even though I seperated them as soon as i heard the squabble, the GCC's toe had been almost completley severed about 1/8 an inch behind the nail. RBP has never bit like that before since she was a baby. She has only ever been agressive towards another bird once (a cockatiel very determined to have babies with her) and it just resulted in a few pulled feathers. RBP dropped a good chunk of her tail in the fight cuz thats where GCC latched on to her as well, but she is fine.
We went to emergency vet immediately, a three hour drive and probably the longest 3 hours Ive ever had in the car. and got my boy fixed up. He is at home doing great.
However, I'm really starting to question myself as a bird caretaker. My guys are mostly rescues, Im always trying to give them the best life I can... but this is my second toe GONE!! first was a completley random accident- cockatiel was walking across a hardwood floor and toe slipped between the floorboards, wich I dont even know how he managed it cuz it was such a narrow gap it had never even occured to me that it might be dangerous. he freaked out and tried to fly away, spun in a few circles so I knew that toe was broken immidiatley and there was blood around the nail... took him to the vet and they said he was fine, sent me home with antibiotics and painkiller. Toe mysteriously dissapeared about a week later. I think it must have been damaged somehow and he somehow removed it himself wich is horrifying to think about. By the time I came home from work, the toe was long gone and there was no bleeding. and he was already on antibiotics and painkillers so I treated it at home (plus I was frustrated with the vet for saying it was fine when I knew it wasent...) and now my GCC looses the tip of a toe only 3-4 years later...
I try so hard to provide them with the best life I can. All the wires are protected, they have tons of free roam and attention, eat fresh foods and quality pellets, always have somthing to chew, have large and always clean cages... But obviously i'm doing somthing wrong if i'm down TWO TOES in the course of about 14 years of bird ownership, and both happening so close in time to eachother. I know that they are getting a better life than they would at the 'average' home, but I dont think other people's incompetence equates to my competence. I am obviously still heavily flawed and I feel so ashamed and frustrated. If anyone has any advice or comments on how I can better myself, please let me know.
I was re-arranging the bird's toys- something they HATE. they do not like it when I touch their stuff and they get very territorial and wound up. They have squabbled with each other in the past only a few times, never resulting in bloodshed. I've posted about it about two months ago, with an issue with the GCC swooping the red belly. It only lasted for about a week, I think it was something hormonal or a stressor. I worked on proximity desensitizing with them for about a month until I felt they were okay again- but I still have not ever left them both alone out of the cage since that time.
This is where I screwed up- The GCC kept freaking out at me for touching his toys, I was working on rinsing off his favorite play station in the bathroom that is attached right to the bedroom. I put the GCC in his cage so I could get my work done faster- and left the red belly out. That was my mistake. It never even occured to me that they would fight through the cage bars, but the GCC was super wound up and stressed at me touching his toys, RBP was on the outside of the bottom cage chewing cardboard when I last looked., its a stacked cage unit so the outside usually a communal area though so I didnt see any issue. I was washing the toy so I dont know exactly what happened but my assumption is the RBP went to climb to the top of the cage and got in his territory. they both latched on to each other, and even though I seperated them as soon as i heard the squabble, the GCC's toe had been almost completley severed about 1/8 an inch behind the nail. RBP has never bit like that before since she was a baby. She has only ever been agressive towards another bird once (a cockatiel very determined to have babies with her) and it just resulted in a few pulled feathers. RBP dropped a good chunk of her tail in the fight cuz thats where GCC latched on to her as well, but she is fine.
We went to emergency vet immediately, a three hour drive and probably the longest 3 hours Ive ever had in the car. and got my boy fixed up. He is at home doing great.
However, I'm really starting to question myself as a bird caretaker. My guys are mostly rescues, Im always trying to give them the best life I can... but this is my second toe GONE!! first was a completley random accident- cockatiel was walking across a hardwood floor and toe slipped between the floorboards, wich I dont even know how he managed it cuz it was such a narrow gap it had never even occured to me that it might be dangerous. he freaked out and tried to fly away, spun in a few circles so I knew that toe was broken immidiatley and there was blood around the nail... took him to the vet and they said he was fine, sent me home with antibiotics and painkiller. Toe mysteriously dissapeared about a week later. I think it must have been damaged somehow and he somehow removed it himself wich is horrifying to think about. By the time I came home from work, the toe was long gone and there was no bleeding. and he was already on antibiotics and painkillers so I treated it at home (plus I was frustrated with the vet for saying it was fine when I knew it wasent...) and now my GCC looses the tip of a toe only 3-4 years later...
I try so hard to provide them with the best life I can. All the wires are protected, they have tons of free roam and attention, eat fresh foods and quality pellets, always have somthing to chew, have large and always clean cages... But obviously i'm doing somthing wrong if i'm down TWO TOES in the course of about 14 years of bird ownership, and both happening so close in time to eachother. I know that they are getting a better life than they would at the 'average' home, but I dont think other people's incompetence equates to my competence. I am obviously still heavily flawed and I feel so ashamed and frustrated. If anyone has any advice or comments on how I can better myself, please let me know.
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