We received the call early last week that Sweet Pea does in fact have some sort of bacterial infection.
We took her back to Shively vet for her 1st of 3 antibiotic injections on Wednesday the 29th. She handled it well enough, but was very tired all evening afterwards.
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| Receipt from her 'injection visit' at Shively |
She ventured out of her cage for the the 1st time on Christmas Eve, this was very exciting and emotional for the family. We were all smiling ear to ear, just shortly before heading to my aunt's for round 1 of Christmas celebrations.
Unfortunately this is where I picked up covid-19 (yes, we are vaccinated!). -I fell ill on Sunday night, and am almost 100% well now... and it's the following Monday.
-Christmas break, and being home sick has offered us an ideal time to bond with Sweet Pea. For better or for worse, she's gotten used to us being here all of the time now due to the quarantine.
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| Sweet Pea getting some head scratches |
However, tomorrow I do go back to work as a sub; I'm in the middle of a month-long teaching assignment now. Fortunately, Fab is helping out with the rescue full time for the time being, so he will be home with Sweet Pea!
He knows Sweet Pea must be let out of her cage, and held at least one time for 30 minutes or more during the day while Sam and I are gone- this is what Sweet Pea has grown accustomed to, and expects. Typically, she gets out 2-3 times/daily from morning to night.
She's learning to be affectionate with us, which is a very natural and healthy behavior for a bird. She's enjoying her enhanced diet of cooked, organic whole grains, fresh nuts, seeds and more. We can see a change in her too since her vet-prescribed UVA/UVB light has arrived. She loves that thing, and we've learned it is necessary for her body to be able to properly absorb many vitamins and minerals (especially vitamin D).
I just ordered her 2nd bottle of "Pluck No More" (she's still plucking but this stuff definitely calms and soothes her), and I ordered her a fringy-cone-collar for 'severe pluckers' from birdsupplies.com. We have been in contact with the owner of birdsupplies.com too, who is a bird behaviorist. Her name is Diane, and she has been really great.
Sweet Pea's avian vet tech said that they 'do not recommend' putting any type of 'clothes on birds,' as I did ask vet tech Denise about these sweaters, ponchos and what not that I found on the bird supplies website.
That being said, birdsupplies.com works with avian vets to design its products, and many avian vets do prescribe their clothes-like-collars with success, so I'm leaning towards trying this with Sweet Pea. -She will end up needing to be coned anyhow via the methodical-intervention-vet-care she's getting, so I don't see any harm in trying something a little more comfortable, and a little less rigid for her at some point in the meantime (the worse that would happen- she gets it off as quickly as we get it on her!). -And that would be bad since the product is not cheap... we'll just keep our feathers and fingers crossed over here!
Author's Note: This was written for Sweet Pea's owners' daughters, as they've entrusted us with her care, and equipped the rescue with some financial provision for her care. This, and following updates, will be public, so that anyone who may desire, can follow Sweet Pea's rescue journey.
A large, exotic bird is a lot of work: they are very smart and require a lot of regular interaction. We hope this information helps someone else along the way. Of course Sweet Pea's former family's name will never be mentioned in the updates. Thank You.
~Pets, In Your Heart, In Your Home, In Your Will~
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