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Stunted Chick Help! Is this an emergency?- Sad Update Post #14

Hipcricket

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What a roller coaster you’ve been on! It sounds to me that you really, truly did everything you could do. I can’t comment on it really as I’m very new to this but what a huge effort you and your partner made on these birds behalf! Big hugs on your loss. If you can, take comfort in the ones you’ve succeeded with!
 

Cecily

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Thank you so, so much for your kindness, everyone. Fostering littler babies is always a roulette, I know, and normally I can stay more impartial as a helper, but this one just hit so unexpectedly and deeply I couldn't explain how bad I was grieving to friends or family who might think of birds as less "conscious" or emotional than, say, a pet dog. I desperately needed empathy, and being given it from people who understand the loss has been helping me process and heal. @expressmailtome , @camelotshadow , @Sylvi_ , @tka , @Hipcricket , thank you SO much for taking the time to share kindness. @Zara , thank you for everything you've done! I have never raised any parrot babies under weaned age, and your experience has been invaluable, not to mention kept me from panicking constantly. @Laurie , thank you for so much advice! I've been trying to harvest lovebird information from internet pages and not all of the information has been useful (like one that said to slowly work up to thicker formula over the course of a week or two, for example -- that's the opposite of what Jon needs!! Thanks to you I have him on non-diluted formula only and papaya occasionally if digestion seems off, and he's gobbling it up!)

Everyone's kindness and patience with this journey has been priceless. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

For a more positive update, Jon is coming along wonderfully. He has a few issues I suspect are due to abandonment that I'm working on. Initially, he was food obsessive, begging as long as he suspected anyone was nearby, well beyond the point of stuffed (until I figured that out, we twice got to where he would be begging for food as his overstuffed crop regurgitated it!! PANIC.) He'd scream endlessly if you held him, and sometimes in the incubator, too, if he noticed your silhouette. He also didn't want contact much, even though he was clearly lonely, and panicked if you touched his head outside of feeding.

I felt a little more competent to treat this, since I've seen the same behaviors fairly often in abandoned/nest-removed fledglings who went without food for a while before we got them. My current treatment (and please note any advice otherwise!) has been to feed him, hold him with gradually increased gentle contact, and slowly lengthen the amount of time I keep him out of the incubator with me before being put back (with a monitored heat pack to maintain his temp, of course.)


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Over the last week he's graduated from screaming and hiding from hands, to screaming and hiding in a pocket, to grumbling and hiding in a sleeve, to begging occasionally and settling down in a hand, to starting to recognize fullness and running for a hand to snuggle with! Today instead of unnecessary begging he started making little beak grinds while I held him, and my heart about burst with relief. I have cautious hope that he's going to have a healthy little brain and body with time and care. :)
 

Hipcricket

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I’m so happy your hard work and patient dedication is paying off! Ahhhdorable pics too! I can’t wait for the day my tiny vulture comes runnin towards me rather than away!! Lol
 

tka

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You are doing magnificently. It sounds like the early trauma of being abandoned and hungry affected Jon and made him a little insecure, but with your help he is healing from that. Beak grinding is something parrots do when they are relaxed and contented, and shows that he's feeling more secure and happier.
 

Zara

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Great update on Jon, sounds like things are going very well for him - he´s very lucky to have landed in good hands. :heart2:

I couldn't explain how bad I was grieving to friends or family
It´s a strange thing when the little ones go, we don´t really know them much, but the impact is just the same. It´s awful to witness a little life snatched away.
 

Cecily

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A little update, if that's ok!

Jon is doing wonderfully!! He's weaning a little slower than I am used to, but I kind of expected that since everything was moving slowly. He's showing interest in the range of foods we keep in his cage and he's starting to consider veggie bites instead of get offended by them, so I'm calling that a win.

He's also turned into an absolute snugglebug.

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ALL this bird wants is snuggles. He's shown some interest in toys, but he mostly spends his day sitting on his swing or talking to himself in his strangely low, grumbly voice. He doesn't seem unhappy -- plenty of beak grinds and content fluffing -- just quiet. He comes running every time he hears you though and makes little monkey squawks to be let out. Doesn't want to explore, just cuddle!

I'm hoping with time and shared playing he'll get more toy-active, but in the meantime, he seems totally happy and he's painfully sweet. I am THRILLED. He's going to make someone a wonderful companion (we've let Lauren's company know we'll be placing him in a home of our choice instead of back in an aviary.) Our parrot Pumpkin despises lovebirds more than any other breed in the world (your guess is as good as mine) but every day I try to work on her like she's going to change her mind, lol. So far it's just made her more jealous but I keep trying. He's just so loveable. D:

Long story short, so far, this seems a great success!
 

Sunni Tiel

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Oh my goodness, He's so fluffy!
 

Gigibirds

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Ohmygoodness his colours are STUNNING!! I'm so happy he's doing well! :) Good job!
 

Zara

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This is a wonderful update! Jon is just the cutest! You did absolutely fantastic!!!
Nice to hear he won´t be returned to that aviary, and will have a great life :bliss:
 

iamwhoiam

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Sorry for your loss of Martin.
Great that Jon is doing well. He is cute!
 

DesertBird

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He is so cute!!! I just want to hug him. :xflove:
 
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