disabled, "Special Needs," parrot project

[LadyJean63]

Since bringing home Little Anna bird, "Kiwi Anna actually from a sanctuary in 2004, a little nanday conure now 12 years old who is somewhat blind and crippled I gave this much thought and figured there just isn't enough public information on caring for disabled special needs parrots, and thought how great it would be to research, and put together a book on the subject, and so I have actually, today in fact for the first time thought of several questions that should be asked of parrot owners that have special needs, and yes, I do intend to use the responses I get in the book, "I expect the book to take me anywhere from 3 to 5 years to do it correctly, so don't expect fast and furious work in the book and yes for copyright reasons this web site would be refrenced as a place where I got answers to some questions in the book.

so I'm pasting some of the questions I asked on another forum and whenever you think about them please add your thoughts, or add a question you think I should be asking:

I was sitting in church today, "lol, I'm attending the Spanish speaking group, so how much I understand of the services comes far and few between but I am starting to pick up a phrase or a word or two hear and there. Today, oddly enough I was clearly understanding the speaker, probably because of some of the props he was using, and yes although listening don't tell me how I did it, but the questions I was having to begin the bird disabled project started to hit me in a rush so I took out a piece of paper and covered it until I had absolutely no more room to write.

To start with, and yes, any info I get off the web, yes I intend to site, for copyright purposes, but these questions are so important I thought I would ask them in a number of places including this one, so think about it, and if you don't have a disabled parrot but a friend of yours does I would really appreciate it if you would get your friend with that bird to answer some of the questions I had.

I haven't catagorized them yet, but some of the disabilities in birds I am looking for and what must be done to cater to them are for
the crippled, the blind, some without a wing or both, and birds with diseases, splay leg, and deformed and or missing beaks or half of their beaks.
this is the group of parrots I'm concerned with for this project so let me ask some of the questions I wrote on that paper here.

Questions:

Would you accept charitable donations for your disabled parrot/parrots if you are short on funds, or need the extra financial help and with things?

What is your birds disability and or handicap?

Did you have to make some modifications to yoiur bird's cage?

Does your bird require extra special care?

Do you treat your bird differently than you do from yoiur other birds if yoiu have other birds?

Would you allow a visitor handle your disabled bird?

If your bird needs a prosthetic can you make one or would you support a veterniarian school that is working on this?

Do yoiur other birds pick on your disabled Parrot?

would you allow a student vet to treat your disabled pet bird medically?

Is your bird cage bound?

If it is cage bound what exercises does your bird get?

Do you keep your bird seperated from your flock?

Do you have additional expenses because of your disabled bird?

Will pet care insurance cover the medical costs related to, or in part for your disabled parrot?

Would you in lui of a regular avain vet agree to let a vet school treat your disabled bird medically even if it meant that your bird would be the subject of an experiment? Especially if you were short handed on funds, or wish to advance avian medicine?

What if those experiements were injuring and harming your bird in any way? Would you flat out stop the procedue that was being done by the school for ethical reasons?

Would you euthanize your disabled parrot over rehoming it if you ever got in some unfortunate cirmistances where you could not take care of this bird anymore?

Would you choose a sanctuary or euthanization if you had to give up your disabled parrot?

Do you have to modify and make toys that are specifically modified for your disabled bird?

does one disease or physical limitation effect one species of bird more than another?

How much extra time must you spend in caring for your special needs parrot than you do your other birds?

If you have liked your birds vet for years, but suddenly he gives you an improper diagnoses or rubs you the wrong way in two or three other visits would you change vets, and take your birds records?

how important is it to you to have a vet referred to you for your disabled bird?

Would you support a sanctuary geered specifically and designed only for special needs parrots?

Does your bird require a special diet?

If you had to rehome this parrot what criteria would you require of a potential new owner?

How much of a rehoming fee would you charge for a special needs parrot?

Do you let this bird get away with naughty behavior?

Do the emergency first aid treatments need some modification for your bird if something injures your bird?

what stores do you purchase product from that caters to the needs of your special needs parrot?

How do you feel about Anti depressants for birds?

How do you feel about collars for birds?

How do you feel about flight suits and sweaters for birds?

Do you believe a special needs parrot's life span is or will be shortere than a healthy vibrant bird?

How do you think you will handle the death of your special needs parrot?

How would you honor this parrot?

Do yoiu think if you were caring for one special needs parrot that you could handle caring for an additional or more special needs parrot?


LadyLynn
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#3 Today, 03:15 PM
LadyLynn
PetLovers.Com Member Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,207


here are some of my own answers concerning Anna bird who is crippled and somewhat blind.

Anna is healthy and vibrant and does not seem to need any additional modifications to anything.

No I do not treat her any differently than the other birds. I just feel badly that she can't see that well and wonder if I'm doing enough for her because of this condition.

Would I accept charitable donations for her care? If I felt I was not meeting the financial obligation but knew full well I was the best birdy momy I could be I would most likely accept the donation.

Would I allow a student vet to treat my special needs bird medically? FAT CHANCE!! I won't let a student vet touch or handle any of my birds if I know about it, not even a newly graduated vet.

Would I allow my bird to be the subject of a vet school for experiement if I was short handed on funds and my bird needed medical care. FORGET IT!!! I will not allow anyone to experiement on my birds period!

Does my bird require cage modification? No

Do I spend extra time cleaning and caring for her because of her disability? No I do not.

Do I allow my bird to get away with being naughty? Although birds do not understand punishment and I do not really punish Anna is placed in her cage for a short time out, so no I do not treat her differently?

Does Anna need a platform? No, Anna does however need a solid rope perch to stay stable.

would I support a sanctuary specifically geered for disabled parrots? Yes, I would.

Would I allow a neighbor or friend to handle my disabled bird? Only if my bird wanted it. Anna, however does not like anyone to handle her and I never force my birds to go to someone they do not want to go to.

If my bird needed a prostthetic could I make one? No, I'm not that coordinated, or think creatively enough to do so. Would I let someone else make one for a disabled bird? OH Yes.



so far I know of "Punkin- a blind cockatoo at birth that was operated on and can now see. Visit Jungle to Jungle aviaries to rea this awsome story.

Kiwi Anna- somewhat blind, and crippled because a macaw bit two of her toes off.

Tweek: A little sun conure with only one wing. He is a very fast hopper and has no problem getting around and getting what he wants:

Some diseases I'm aware of:

bleeding syndrom.
splay leg
deformed beaks.
and I was just reading about a little african grey in the Gabriel foundation that has some type of disease that has deformed his body, but not quite sure what it is.

I expect this project to take a very long time, but I believe it will be worth the research, and worth publishing especially for owners that end up taking care of a special needs bird.