13 October 2006
Friday the 13th
I'm not superstitious, so that means stuff all to me, but didn't know what else to call this today!
Here is the news. Ryan came last night, and I watched him for quite some time. He does actually lay down on the newspaper and go to sleep! I was worried about this really but then thought well it's exactly what he used to do when I had him here, he used to chuck out all the bedding and just lay on bare newspaper most of the time, so he obviously feels comfortable doing that. He ate all his food, and kept going out of camera shot, and then coming back and looking at the empty dish, so I did him another one again. I was watching his face as he was eating, and it didn't look right around one of his eyes. Decided to investigate and sure enough, he has been in the wars. He had a huge sore looking lump over one of his eyes, looked like a tic, but was just flesh. I ended up bringing him indoors for a good check over, and I found three tics on him, so gave them a good soaking in cooking oil. Two behind one ear, and one small one behind his other, I am wondering if he had one above his eye, and has scratched it off. It was scabbing over, and not affecting his eyesight, so I didn''t want to stress him out too much, so left it alone. Will have another look if he comes back tonight. He certainly has an appetite though, he ate 200g of cat food and lots of sultanas and peanuts.
Second news, Emma's leg. Well today, she was still limping but nowhere near as bad, so I thought I'd leave it till this afternoon to see how it was and assess her before I took her back to the vets. I had to go to the doctors this afternoon, so was going to do it in one trip anyway. The thing is, I'm wondering how much of her scratching is psychological because she hasn't scratched at all since her leg started to play up, she has something else on her mind in other words. Anyway, she was trotting around almost normally, and then started pestering to go out so we went to the Doctors, then down the park, and she went in the river, and was hardly limping at all. She didn't want to walk all the way round mind, but in all honesty, it wasn't bad enough to warrant another £15 consultation, only to be told to rest it and maybe give her a pain-killing injection. So I didn't take her. I'll tell you though, driving past that vets on the way home, knowing HE was in there, was a very hard thing to do, how crazy am I? Don't answer that. But it's for the best, I'm just being stupid. But do you know, I got to the top of the hill, and nearly turned round and went back. I figured it would be worth the fifteen quid just to see him for a few minutes.... Silly cow, I need locking up at my age.
What else today? Been another lovely day, warm and dry, got some more washing done, and cleaned out my aviary. That sodding cat come slinking round the corner and did a swift about turn when it saw me. I thought I was rid of it, hasn't been here for a couple of days. Diddy was up in the bank near the aviary too, thought it was okay as I was in sight of him most of the time, just shows, if the cat had pounced it could have done him injury before I could have got out there. Just not safe at all anymore. Bastard thing.
Oh yes, here's something that will be boring to most of you, but anyone doing a blogger search for cockatiels may find this interesting, it's just an observation that astounded me this morning when I went up to the aviary. When I first got an aviary and birds in 1995, I started with a pair of Lutino cockatiels, the hen of which was Primrose who died this week. A week or so later, I got another pair from elsewhere, both pairs were supposedly 4 years old. Well the hen of the second pair, Pearl, died last year, and the male decided he wanted Primrose, despite the fact that there were and still are other unattached hens in the aviary. This caused some awful fighting, as cockatiels pair for life, and this has continued with some bloodshed on and off for a year now. At one time, I brought the male in because I didn't think it was fair to break up a pair that had been together for at least 14 years, and I got him a new hen, but he didn't want to know. He wanted Primrose and that was that. I had even thought, with heavy heart, that one of them would have to go. They did seem to call a truce at night though, and he would allow Prince to sit with her when they roosted, but never anywhere near her during the day time. I think Primrose actually enjoyed the attention! Two males fighting over her (lucky thing). Anyway, that sets the scene, deadly rivals. So how amazed was I this morning to see them sitting together on the perch. I mean, close together. Really quite touching, as if they have united in their grief, their loss. Strange things happen in nature don't they?
Last thing, I've cut right back on the feeding this past few days, I've disinfected all my feeders, I sweep and clear up the feeding areas every day, and have disinfected them too, and am putting the canker stuff in the drinking water, but everywhere I look are sick sparrows. I've seen at least five today. So sad. I reckon its about 20% of them. :(
Here is the news. Ryan came last night, and I watched him for quite some time. He does actually lay down on the newspaper and go to sleep! I was worried about this really but then thought well it's exactly what he used to do when I had him here, he used to chuck out all the bedding and just lay on bare newspaper most of the time, so he obviously feels comfortable doing that. He ate all his food, and kept going out of camera shot, and then coming back and looking at the empty dish, so I did him another one again. I was watching his face as he was eating, and it didn't look right around one of his eyes. Decided to investigate and sure enough, he has been in the wars. He had a huge sore looking lump over one of his eyes, looked like a tic, but was just flesh. I ended up bringing him indoors for a good check over, and I found three tics on him, so gave them a good soaking in cooking oil. Two behind one ear, and one small one behind his other, I am wondering if he had one above his eye, and has scratched it off. It was scabbing over, and not affecting his eyesight, so I didn''t want to stress him out too much, so left it alone. Will have another look if he comes back tonight. He certainly has an appetite though, he ate 200g of cat food and lots of sultanas and peanuts.
Second news, Emma's leg. Well today, she was still limping but nowhere near as bad, so I thought I'd leave it till this afternoon to see how it was and assess her before I took her back to the vets. I had to go to the doctors this afternoon, so was going to do it in one trip anyway. The thing is, I'm wondering how much of her scratching is psychological because she hasn't scratched at all since her leg started to play up, she has something else on her mind in other words. Anyway, she was trotting around almost normally, and then started pestering to go out so we went to the Doctors, then down the park, and she went in the river, and was hardly limping at all. She didn't want to walk all the way round mind, but in all honesty, it wasn't bad enough to warrant another £15 consultation, only to be told to rest it and maybe give her a pain-killing injection. So I didn't take her. I'll tell you though, driving past that vets on the way home, knowing HE was in there, was a very hard thing to do, how crazy am I? Don't answer that. But it's for the best, I'm just being stupid. But do you know, I got to the top of the hill, and nearly turned round and went back. I figured it would be worth the fifteen quid just to see him for a few minutes.... Silly cow, I need locking up at my age.
What else today? Been another lovely day, warm and dry, got some more washing done, and cleaned out my aviary. That sodding cat come slinking round the corner and did a swift about turn when it saw me. I thought I was rid of it, hasn't been here for a couple of days. Diddy was up in the bank near the aviary too, thought it was okay as I was in sight of him most of the time, just shows, if the cat had pounced it could have done him injury before I could have got out there. Just not safe at all anymore. Bastard thing.
Oh yes, here's something that will be boring to most of you, but anyone doing a blogger search for cockatiels may find this interesting, it's just an observation that astounded me this morning when I went up to the aviary. When I first got an aviary and birds in 1995, I started with a pair of Lutino cockatiels, the hen of which was Primrose who died this week. A week or so later, I got another pair from elsewhere, both pairs were supposedly 4 years old. Well the hen of the second pair, Pearl, died last year, and the male decided he wanted Primrose, despite the fact that there were and still are other unattached hens in the aviary. This caused some awful fighting, as cockatiels pair for life, and this has continued with some bloodshed on and off for a year now. At one time, I brought the male in because I didn't think it was fair to break up a pair that had been together for at least 14 years, and I got him a new hen, but he didn't want to know. He wanted Primrose and that was that. I had even thought, with heavy heart, that one of them would have to go. They did seem to call a truce at night though, and he would allow Prince to sit with her when they roosted, but never anywhere near her during the day time. I think Primrose actually enjoyed the attention! Two males fighting over her (lucky thing). Anyway, that sets the scene, deadly rivals. So how amazed was I this morning to see them sitting together on the perch. I mean, close together. Really quite touching, as if they have united in their grief, their loss. Strange things happen in nature don't they?
Last thing, I've cut right back on the feeding this past few days, I've disinfected all my feeders, I sweep and clear up the feeding areas every day, and have disinfected them too, and am putting the canker stuff in the drinking water, but everywhere I look are sick sparrows. I've seen at least five today. So sad. I reckon its about 20% of them. :(
# posted by flicker : 16:16
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Wonderful story of the Cockatiels. So happy to hear that Emma is almost back to normal. Sounds like a very dishy vet you have there, lol.
I don't think there's a lot of chance of that, I couldn't possibly embarrass myself that much by asking to take his photo, I suppose I could hide in the car park on the days he is at the practice and take a secretive snap from the car.... but you would be most disappointed in my choice of hunk I'm sure. It's the accent not the looks that leaves me weak. He is about mid-30s I guess, 6 feet-ish, dark hair, but slightly balding, nice bod tho.... oh stop it!
O.M.G., Nics after him now Jan, better keep him secret if I were you, where abouts is the vets.....lol.
Next time you visit, pretend to scratch your head with phone in hand while he is looking at dog, then cough loud and click same time lol, go on I dare you....aim for the legs if shorts on.
Strange about the cockatiels, we will never really understand them, my doves had a family, but once there were more on the way, they chased the first lot out of the dovecote.
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Next time you visit, pretend to scratch your head with phone in hand while he is looking at dog, then cough loud and click same time lol, go on I dare you....aim for the legs if shorts on.
Strange about the cockatiels, we will never really understand them, my doves had a family, but once there were more on the way, they chased the first lot out of the dovecote.
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