So.
We went to visit the little noodle head at the clinic again today, over lunch. I was late getting back to a meeting, but the featherhead is our responsibility and he comes first right now.
Kirk was able to come along today, and we had another little half hour visit with him.
And he was interactive, and happy, and just wanted little more than for me to scratch and massage his little weird head.
And he made his little happy burping noises…..and he seemed largely normal for that half hour, aside from the fact that he’s in a little glass fronted box with no perches.
But by and large his behaviour was pretty normal.
We spoke to Dr. McDonald again and she said that he would have to have some changes to his cage if he was to come home. She suggested an oxygen concentrator for a period each day, or when he seemed to need it, and that an incubator could be easily made and that they could provide instruction sheets on how to set up a little geriatric home that would be safe for his convalescence, a safe haven for a disabled bird, so he couldn’t hurt himself, would be warm and safe, and healthy and happy for his remaining time with us.
Turns out that we already do a lot of the suggestions…..perches wrapped in veterinary tape for better grip, a radiant heater by the cage (he actually has two) to protect from drafts, rope perches, and a few other things. But we will have to modify his existing cage to bring the floor up and make it shallower so that he can’t hurt himself in a major fall; that will take a bit of ingenuity. We will also move his cage away from eh corner he has lived in for the past ten years because, despite the heaters that are positioned to reduce the drafts, he will be warmer against a wall away from the window.
Ironically, we think he may like the change when it happens, because it will put him in line between he couch and the television, which he will probably like because we will always appear to be looking at him 🙂
So it’s looking like the little noodlehead will come home soon….though that probably may mean that I won’t be travelling much and overnighters may be restricted for me because of the medication that he may need (we haven’t had a discussion on changes to his heart medications but I assume there will be some) and the fact that Kirk can’t handle him to deliver them. We’ve had a way to get around that for the past couple of years, but it may not work with all medications. It may end up being a staycation this year.
Anyway, day by day….
