14yrs and near RB............

[Monica]

I really hate to say this, but the mother bourke may cross over to the Rainbow Bridge soon... Noel bit off her beak sometime this morning when she, and 3 of the other birds escaped from their cage... I have called two animal hospitals, though only got recordings. Both recordings refferred me to an emergency hotline, where I finally got a person, though they refferred me to UC Davis... I got a hold of someone there, and they paged me over to an avian vet (student), who said that she could not help me much via advice wise and that she would try to find some numbers that I could call in my area... For just a visit alone though, at UC Davis, it costs $150, and I only have $40 at the moment... my mother only believes that a vet could put the mother bourke down, so refuses to take her to one, and also says that we don't have the money...

I'm not too sure my reason for calling as what I had expected was that the person on the other line wouldn't be able to do much without seeing the bird first... and that is what I got...

My mother is going to go and pick up some formula though, and some syringes (I've had both in the past, but I'm not sure what happened to the syringes and formula... probably lost it during the move, though the formula would have been old anyway...).

I've had the mother bourke, and her oldest daughter for nearly 3 years (3 years in November), and the mother bourke is now about 14 years old, quite old for being so small, but glad she has atleast lived this long. If I am unable to feed her by syringe, and she is unable to eat seeds on her own (don't know if she'll be able to eat fresh foods or not, even if they are soft), she may starve to death... I've been watching her picking at the seeds, though it's too hard to tell for sure if she is actually able to eat any, especially saying that she most likely can't crack them...

I know though that by posting this, someone might jump down my throat for not being able to take her to an a-vet, or for 'letting' it happen (they have escaped from the cage before, and the cage I was using to let them be outside in is now inside as they cannot escape from that one)... I'm just going to see what happens tomorrow, and if she is still alive (and suffering) I may beg my mother to take her to the vet to put her down... Otherwise, if she is still able to live and eat, then I may just let her live a bit longer....

[Casa Amazona]

Monica, I'm so sorry about your mishap. I'm not an expert, but to offer a bit of encouragement I'll tell you about a friend of mine. She took in an infant dove that showed up on her lawn and hand fed it, turning it into a pet who was with her for twelve years. Over the past couple of years his beak became deformed and useless for eating seeds. She hand fed him three times a day for at least the past year until he passed away. The hand feeding was plenty to keep him alive. Don't beaks grow back? If there's no bleeding and you can keep him nourished until that happens, maybe he can be saved. I'll be praying for you.

[Joel]

Got my trampoline shoes on............ :( .....J/K

Monica, ya didn't say how much of the beak was bit off? The whole top beak, the whole bottom beak or parts of both. Could you be more specific? Was there any blood? Do you know of a local breeder or bird only pet shop (my how familiar this sounds). They both would have the equip. & experience most likely to crop feed. The beak(s) may grow back?

What kind of bird is Noel again, sometimes hard to keep up around here.

Local breeders and bird only pet shops will also be able to refer ya to local A.V.s.......Remember they got a payment plan most likely. If the bird can be saved, please save it or give to someone asap who will.

I feel bad for ya both and I'm sure you won't let that happen again. I hope she is still alive.

If the beak(s) are bit off then of course she can't crack open seeds so you MUST feed her formula and supply constant fresh foods like soaked pellets, slightly mushy unsalted crackers, scrambled egg, etc....... Please do it at least until you can find someone to take her. The vets can also put you in contact with a breeder. Come on Monica, be the gal I know you are and get on the phone & start calling around some. DO NOT give up easily. That bird is depending on ya.

[Monica]

Joel, she lost her entire upper beak, except for some on the right side... Her lower beak is slightly damaged, but for the most part, is intact... There was blood, though it's dried up right now.

I have a list of RAAVE members (once I can find it again), and do know of a local bird club, even though I am still awaiting the phone call from the avian vet student who is suppose to get back to me on avian vets in my area.... I'll call around more tomorrow, if I can. At the moment there is not much more I can do until tomorrow. I examined her tonight, and she had a seed stuck up in what's left of her beak, slightly hulled.... I tried to find her crop, to see if there was any food, but couldn't feel anything (though I do believe that she has eaten atleast some since the incident happened).


Yes, the beak might grow back, but how long that will take in unknown, and is also unknown if she'll be able to live until it grows back, even though I have heard of a few stories of birds living and eating without an upper beak...

Noel is my cherry headed conure...

If I knew of someone locally who could help me out, one who actually KNEW anything about birds, then I'd ask for help, however sadly, I do not. I recently got back from town, got a couple syringes, and some feeding formula, and it's getting late so I'm going to wait till tomorrow.


I don't have pellets to feed, we are out of crackers (but they are salted anyway), they (smaller birds) don't take to scrambled eggs too well, though may sometimes nibble at it, though I have tried some lettuce and bread, which she had no interest in...

I just don't know what to say....

[Tiki]

Monica, I am no expert but I can at least offer prayers for your little guy.

[Joel]

Monica,

I see NO REASON why the bird cannot live for a very long time on formula alone, if NEED BE. I had a tiel live a whole year on just formula. Certainly if the beak can grow back, formula can sustain it until then although do offer ALL the other things I mentioned daily. Please go out first thing in the morning & get what ya don't have, ok sweetie or better yet, ask a friend, neighbor or relative to go get that stuff for ya while you go about finding an A.V. or a breeder or a local bird pet shop.

Can ya do a Google search (((NOW))) for A.V.s in your area? Just go there, first thing in the morning when they open, don't ask for an appt., just show up and wait till they can see ya, shed a tear or two if ya must. They can at least stabilize it with Sub-Q fluid if needed and crop feed it. Also, check those local bird only pet shops also first thing in the morning if ya won't do the A.V. vet thing (although now you can start looking thru the phone book for #'s and addresses, there are some, I'm sure that would help ya out).

Please drop the bird off at an Avian Vet office in the morning if ya don't have the time to do anything else and remember they will work with ya on a payment plan or like ya said, check with that bird club, certainly someone there can crop-feed it for ya & I'll bet ya their hearts are big enough to do it for free.

Btw, the A.V.s usually have people that work with them who will take your bird and rehabilitate it at no cost to you but you may have to give it up for good that way but IMO that sure is better than starvation for the poor bird or better than euthanasia, HUH?

We can even take up a collection for ya here to help ya with the bird's expenses if ya need to get on a payment plan. But for now, just get it quickly to that A.V. or an experienced crop feeder. That is a must. WE WILL worry about the $$$ later, ok. SAVE THAT BIRD.

Originally Posted by Monica

I have a list of RAAVE members (once I can find it again), and do know of a local bird club, even though I am still awaiting the phone call from the avian vet student who is suppose to get back to me on avian vets in my area.... I'll call around more tomorrow, if I can. At the moment there is not much more I can do until tomorrow. I examined her tonight, and she had a seed stuck up in what's left of her beak, slightly hulled.... I tried to find her crop, to see if there was any food, but couldn't feel anything (though I do believe that she has eaten atleast some since the incident happened).


Yes, the beak might grow back, but how long that will take in unknown, and is also unknown if she'll be able to live until it grows back, even though I have heard of a few stories of birds living and eating without an upper beak...

Noel is my cherry headed conure...

If I knew of someone locally who could help me out, one who actually KNEW anything about birds, then I'd ask for help, however sadly, I do not. I recently got back from town, got a couple syringes, and some feeding formula, and it's getting late so I'm going to wait till tomorrow.


I don't have pellets to feed, we are out of crackers (but they are salted anyway), they (smaller birds) don't take to scrambled eggs too well, though may sometimes nibble at it, though I have tried some lettuce and bread, which she had no interest in...

I just don't know what to say....

[Lynjupiter]

What part of the beak did Noel bite off? I know a greencheek with no top beak at all. She lives on soft food.

Have you tried offering the bourke soft foods? Things like applesauce, oatmeal, pellets soaked in hot water until they are mush, mashed banana? If you can get her eating something it can hold you over until you see the vet.

I would keep her in a very small cage or carrier, keep her warm and offer her little tastes of soft food until you find something she will accept.

I would also talk to a vet who has experince with birds. Tell him you have only forty dollars and want him to examine your bird and tell you what to do, If they see you really care there might be a chance they will work with you.

Good luck! and prayers for your bourke.
Lynda

[Monica]

Joel, I have a business card to one of the avian vets in this area. I have another card that I do believe has a list of atleast a couple (if not four) a-vets. I have called BOTH numbers on each card, and all I recieved was a recording that refferred me to ONE number. I have been calling, though having to deal with other people, or people at RAAVE (bird club), they may not take her in because she has not been to a vet and been cleared for 100% healthy since I've had her, so do know that I AM trying.

I cannot make any more calls though until tomorrow, just was gettin on to see if there were any other replies before going to bed (even though I am going to bed late...). I can't make any more calls until 2:30pm, when I get home from school... I have to go to school, though I am unsure if my mother would take me & the bourke to an a-vet because she doesn't believe that they'd be able to do anything for her except put her to sleep, she doesn't believe that they would allow us to do a payment plan, AND for the fact that she says that we do not have enough money (I really feel like screaming now because of all this.....). I'm saying now that I may never be able to take her to the a-vets office, even if I BEGGED my mother to take her...


I know this may be frusterating, but please know that I am trying! I have to go to school, but once I get back, I'll make some more phone calls, probably first to the bird store to see if there is anything they can do for me now because I can't seem to get a hold of any avian vets...


Lyn, she is missing most of her upper beak, I can possibly get a photo if you would like... I've tried offering the birds soft foods like those, but they never quite understood that it was food because of it's consistancy... At the moment I have her in the cage with the others. I was going to transfer her to a smaller cockatiel cage, though hadn't had enough time to clean it all up for her. I'll transfer her to it tomorrow...

And to everyone, thank you very much for the advice and prayers, it's greatly appreciated.

[smallonion]

Monica,

My friend's tiel once lost his top beak on an unsafe toy. It DID grow back. The only problem was he wasn't able to preen properly, so she had to give him lots of baths and do lots of preening for him (he was very hand tame).

I am so sorry about your bird - I know you must be upset.

MIchele and Humphrey

[smallonion]

Also - is pet insurance available in America? I have insurance for Humphrey and it only costs me about 5 dollars a month. If god forbid anything happened to him, I am covered for up to 4000 dollars worth of treatment.
I know this won't help you now, Monica, but for everyone else it might be something to look into in case something like this happens to anyone else.

MIchele and Humphrey