Loretta Update - June 16th

[FoxersArtist]

Our DYHA Loretta ended up in an amazon fight with OWA PJ about 6 weeks ago which left her seriously injured with a number of bites to the face, broken toe, and brain swelling. Amazingly, Loretta, who is about 45 years old survived the attack and fought hard for her life. Loretta is still recovering from the really deep puncture wounds and there is still some scabbing on her toe, but she has been healing really well.

Unfortunately Loretta has had quite a few health concerns since we first rescued her 3 years ago. She has really bad arthritis, is blind and deaf on one side, and has been prone to chronic infections, including a sinus infection she had endured for over 10 years before she came to us. Loretta still gets chronic infections, usually related to a prolapsed cloaca and has stinky-poop issues. We have to treat her regularly for these infections and they have always seemed pretty unrelenting. We can always tell when she is starting to battle one as she eats less, loses weight, sleeps more, and has the stinky poops. As soon as we took Loretta out of the incubator, which was keeping her warm and humid, she quickly developed one of her chronic infections. It seems like no matter what we treat her with, including probiotics, the infections come right back once they are wiped out. Needless to say, Loretta is still in her incubator. She has been eating less and sleeping more and the vet wants to put her on antibiotics again. some days I just wonder how long she can keep doing this. I am so proud of Loretta for fighting so hard to overcome her trama after PJ got her, but always worried that she will not be very long for this world. She is a really special bird and we are trying to give her everything she could want in her old age. Despite not feeling too well at the moment, she really seems to love the incubator and seems much happier in there, tucked away in our kitchen where I am always near her, as opposed to out in the aviary where she probably felt like just one of many voices shouting for attention, since she is so old. We are really happy that the accident drew her closer to us and probably landed her right where she most wanted to be. We cherish every day that we have with her.


A familiar sight, Loretta has spent most of her days sleeping lately.


Most of her feathers have grown back that she lost in the accident and most of her wounds are healed.


She still has one fairly large scab that is taking it's time to heal, right by her beak. This was the deepest wound that she suffered.


-Anna

[nestbox]

Thanks Anna for the update. I think of her so often and I'm glad that is holding her own, poor ole lady. She's lucky to have you.

[Valo's Moirana]

the way you care about these birds is really really amazing... every sentence in all your posts is only about the birds around you... loretta looks great - she's healing really nicely. no better person could be helping her than you... you have my deepest respect, anna.

[Tom Lawless]

She looks great. I hope she has many days ahead of her but even if there aren't, I am glad she knows unconditional love.

[debbielabella]

she is looking much better Anna, nice to see her progress. I am confused about this though, can you shed some light for me? I thought Amazons are normally social with each other. I also thought Orange Wings tend to be more even tempered, easy going. I am baffled that an Orange wing would attack a double yellow head. Is this bird more agressive due to baggage from her background?

The reason I am asking.. I have a Panama, he means everything to me and my 19 yr old son. He has chosen my son clearly as his person. I always say I'm OK with it but it is clear he hangs out with me because he's bored but really wants my son. If he's with my son and I come near he warns him to get away from me. My son is thinking of joining the national guard and will need to go away to boot camp, then training for 8 months. After that, there's more college, it will be years before he can afford the type of place (his own home) where he can keep a noisy parrot. It may be that Tiki's affections will turn towards me, but if not, at some point, I was thinking of getting another amazon so Tiki would have some company while my son was gone and so I would still have an amazon once my son takes Tiki.

Are there some unusual circumstances around this episode? What have your observations been about amazons interacting with each other? is it hit or miss, depending on the individuals? I guess that's usually the case, but I thought amazons tend to enjoy each others company (NOT In the same cage of course and likely not even on the same playstand) Any insight you can offer is appreciated.

[RubyMuse]

Originally Posted by debbielabella

The reason I am asking.. What have your observations been about amazons interacting with each other? is it hit or miss, depending on the individuals? I guess that's usually the case, but I thought amazons tend to enjoy each others company (NOT In the same cage of course and likely not even on the same playstand) Any insight you can offer is appreciated.

I have several Amazons. Some I would allow to come into contact with others and others I am more cautious about. I noticed that despite my attempts to keep them separate so they could not ever harm eachother - they would always seek eachother out and try to get on the other's cage and vice versa. Each of them seemed to be better off in the company of other amazons and in the same room versus not. They communicate with each other and eat at the same time, nap at the same time, etc...

Several of them have chosen what I consider to be pair bonds. I start by allowing one to get on the others cage, I monitor to see if they are interacting nicely through the bars before allowing them to come into contact with eachother openly and then it is only with supervision and for short periods in the day.

I have one older amazon who is not fond of people and came in around the same time as a cape parrot - they now completely love each other and are the only two larger birds that can have unsupervised contact with eachother. I also have a 45 year old blind one who I would not allow contact with another bird because I think it would be too frightening for him...

My belief is that birds do well in the company of other birds in the household. They still will want attention from you, though.

[donnakris]

Thank you Anna for the update on Loretta and for your wonderful, caring heart. Loretta couldn't be anywhere better for her and I know you are a blessing to her. She's strong and knows she is loved I'm sure.

[debbielabella]

Originally Posted by RubyMuse

Each of them seemed to be better off in the company of other amazons and in the same room versus not. They communicate with each other and eat at the same time, nap at the same time, etc...

thanks for the info Ruby. Anna, sorry didn't mean to hijack your thread. I'm very grateful there are people like the two of you making a difference in their lives.

[FoxersArtist]

Never worry about hyjacking any of my threads. I don't mind. Sorry for not getting back to you sooner regarding your question. I would never assume that just because two birds are of the same or similar species that they will get along. At the same time, some parrots of the same as well as different species DO get along but it largely depends on the individual. In my experience with amazons, many of them tend to be quite territorial and can be very grouchy with other amazons or other birds who enter their space. I have seen amazons get along beautifully together, but more than some other species, they do seem to covet their space and will protect it. Most parrots enjoy being in the same area as other parrots as long as everyone has their own space.

In the case of my two birds - our orange wing (who attacked the DYHA is a very mellow, easy going, relaxed bird who does well in an environment with the other parrots. He can be a little territorial, like many other male amazons, but he is not nearly as bad as most of the others I have worked with. The other bird, Loretta, is only protective when something enters her immediate space and she is too weak and old to put up any kind of reasonable fight. She is physically incapable of getting down off her stand to seek out another bird for it's space as she is too arthritic to climb. We had just moved cages and stands around the day before the fight and PJ had decided that it wasn't fir when he noticed for the first time that Loretta had a taller stand. I am willing to bet that he was not really looking for trouble and figured she would be easy to defeat, but Loretta has a BIG bark, even if she cannot follow it up with a big bite. Once he reached her stand, his survival instincts probably just kicked in as he saw that her body language was inviting a major battle. He got himself so wound up that instinct just took over and instead of fighting over a perch, he was now fighting for what he thought could be his life. It was an easy fight. He won with hardly any effort, but perhaps something inside him realized that she was old and weak and that it would be better for the flock as a while to pick her off. He would be doing everyone a favor - so he just kept attacking her.

The attack took us totally by surprise as both of thesw birds have co existed in the same area for years. Neither has shown any signs of aggression toward one another or toward an of our other parrots in the past. It was sudden, random, and without a doubt very scary for all, including PJ (who is now kept in a cage when he is out there). Accidents can happen even among friends when tempers flair so parrots that are out together should be watched closely and it is up to owners to know their birds as best as possible.
-Anna

Originally Posted by debbielabella

she is looking much better Anna, nice to see her progress. I am confused about this though, can you shed some light for me? I thought Amazons are normally social with each other. I also thought Orange Wings tend to be more even tempered, easy going. I am baffled that an Orange wing would attack a double yellow head. Is this bird more agressive due to baggage from her background?

The reason I am asking.. I have a Panama, he means everything to me and my 19 yr old son. He has chosen my son clearly as his person. I always say I'm OK with it but it is clear he hangs out with me because he's bored but really wants my son. If he's with my son and I come near he warns him to get away from me. My son is thinking of joining the national guard and will need to go away to boot camp, then training for 8 months. After that, there's more college, it will be years before he can afford the type of place (his own home) where he can keep a noisy parrot. It may be that Tiki's affections will turn towards me, but if not, at some point, I was thinking of getting another amazon so Tiki would have some company while my son was gone and so I would still have an amazon once my son takes Tiki.

Are there some unusual circumstances around this episode? What have your observations been about amazons interacting with each other? is it hit or miss, depending on the individuals? I guess that's usually the case, but I thought amazons tend to enjoy each others company (NOT In the same cage of course and likely not even on the same playstand) Any insight you can offer is appreciated.

[asulli]

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your flock. Hope Loretta continues to get better. I am sure that she is happy knowing that she is with you.