Poor Kamara!

[hrafn]

My poor little Mars Bar.

When Kamara was picked up by peace officers and brought to the Humane Society, she was immediately clipped. They didn't know any better, and clip every bird for the sake of 'safety'. We know that before that Kamara was able to fly, and very well, because she was flying from tree to tree trying to evade rescue when she was spotted.

Unfortunately, being once such an amazing flier has ingrained in her head that she can still fly, and that leads to a lot of thumps and bumps to the floor as she hasn't molted back in her full set of flights. She takes off when she spooks, when she wants to go somewhere in the room, when she wants to follow me...and every time, she hits the ground like a sack of bricks.

Experience hasn't yet taught her her lesson, and honestly I'm worried that if she gets too afraid to use her wings she won't fly once she has her feathers back. I have ladders and perches all over the room so she doesn't have to fly to travel, and she uses them, but still tries to fly. I have blankets and foam tiles all over the floor to protect her, but it probably still hurts to fall.

So basically, I need advice. Is there anything else I can do? I'm anxious she's going to do herself serious injury, when she already has disabilities due to her mangled feet. I love her so much and it's agony to see her suffer.

 

[Tazlima]

Poor dear. If you have access to someone with the skills to perform the procedure, and if there's enough length left on the clipped feathers, she sounds like a good candidate for imping.

It's certainly worth looking into, and I'm sure if you put out the word on this forum, you'd have your pick of donor feathers.

If that's not an option, padding surfaces may be your only option until she moults again (others will undoubtedly have lots of good advice on how to help her adjust to living without wings for a while).

 

[EkkieLu]

Poor baby! My heart breaks for her. Hopefully the padding will help keep her safe until her feathers grow in enough to support her again.

 

[faislaq]

I wonder if @Brittany0208 might have some good pointers? Kamara's current situation reminds me quite a bit of Java.

 

[Kodigirl210]

Brittney didn’t come up with a solution as she has a cat that has free roam of the house and the best chance of success in not hurting himself was making sure Java stayed on or near the ground.

And while that won’t work for Java - I think it’s a good solution for Kamara.

Part of her frustration and her want and will to try has to be Kamara looks up and sees the lovely playground that was set up for her to move around on up above.

If you can lower everything so even if she falls it’s a much shorter distance that will help out a lot. I would be worried that no matter how good of padding is down, if there is enough height and she lands wrong then she could damage her keel bone.

Hopefully her feathers come in fast. As long as they are still trying to grow in just lower everything down. Once she gets enough in so you know she won’t fall - you can start moving things back up.

 

[tka]

I wonder about imping too. If she can't walk or grip well, flying is probably her favoured way of getting around. Not having that must be awful for her, poor girl.

 

[hrafn]

Brittney didn’t come up with a solution as she has a cat that has free roam of the house and the best chance of success in not hurting himself was making sure Java stayed on or near the ground.

And while that won’t work for Java - I think it’s a good solution for Kamara.

Part of her frustration and her want and will to try has to be Kamara looks up and sees the lovely playground that was set up for her to move around on up above.

If you can lower everything so even if she falls it’s a much shorter distance that will help out a lot. I would be worried that no matter how good of padding is down, if there is enough height and she lands wrong then she could damage her keel bone.

Hopefully her feathers come in fast. As long as they are still trying to grow in just lower everything down. Once she gets enough in so you know she won’t fall - you can start moving things back up.

Poor dear. If you have access to someone with the skills to perform the procedure, and if there's enough length left on the clipped feathers, she sounds like a good candidate for imping.

It's certainly worth looking into, and I'm sure if you put out the word on this forum, you'd have your pick of donor feathers.

If that's not an option, padding surfaces may be your only option until she moults again (others will undoubtedly have lots of good advice on how to help her adjust to living without wings for a while).

I asked around, but unfortunately none of the exotic vets in my area provide imping, or I would have seriously considered it. I even asked the wildlife rehab centres I know, but they don't even do it for wild birds.

I will definitely try lowering her play areas down! Her cage itself is very tall, though, and her usual takeoff point. Maybe I could lay a mattress or something to...raise the floor? Shorten the fall?

I feel so bad for her.

 

[tka]

That's such a shame about imping, Kamara sounds like an ideal candidate for it. Is it worth looking further afield for someone who can do it?

 

[hrafn]

That's such a shame about imping, Kamara sounds like an ideal candidate for it. Is it worth looking further afield for someone who can do it?

I'll keeping looking for sure!

 

[Cynthia & Percy]

welcome

 

[fashionfobie]

Imping is a really cool idea. Too bad you don't have access to it. Poor Kamara. I hope some extra padding will help. It would also be important to encourage exercise. I have read that birds that were once flighted can turn to feather destructive behaviour.

If Kamara is happy with floor play maybe you can devise some high energy games that require running about. Just a thought. I hope Kamara gets her wings back asap!

 

[Kodigirl210]

Raising the floor would help or making it impossible for her to launch from the top of her cage.

I guess the next thing to ask is how does she feel about cardboard boxes or totes. I’m wondering if instead of taking her up we bring her down. That means making the floor more interesting. Could you make obstacle courses using boxes, totes, perches & ladders?

This is a very crude drawing as I don’t know how the room is set up but would something like this be feasible?

 

[fashionfobie]

Raising the floor would help or making it impossible for her to launch from the top of her cage.

I guess the next thing to ask is how does she feel about cardboard boxes or totes. I’m wondering if instead of taking her up we bring her down. That means making the floor more interesting. Could you make obstacle courses using boxes, totes, perches & ladders?

This is a very crude drawing as I don’t know how the room is set up but would something like this be feasible?

View attachment 304462

Great idea!

 

[hrafn]

Raising the floor would help or making it impossible for her to launch from the top of her cage.

I guess the next thing to ask is how does she feel about cardboard boxes or totes. I’m wondering if instead of taking her up we bring her down. That means making the floor more interesting. Could you make obstacle courses using boxes, totes, perches & ladders?

This is a very crude drawing as I don’t know how the room is set up but would something like this be feasible?

View attachment 304462

That looks great! I'll definitely try that out!

 

[Kodigirl210]

Great! We really just need to make sure that Kamara keeps on the move. And with the ladders perches and boxes all incorporated she could still hop, using her wings for balance, from box to perch or ladder to box. This should keep her fit, plus use her wings so she doesn’t atrophy. Sif will often run up my arm to my shoulder and she flutters her wings to give her a push but not to fly. I hope she enjoys it!!