Hiya Sandy!

Hijack away! :-)Are you giving Metamucil to get things or keep things moving for your kitty? Whole milk has a natural laxative effect and may be all you need, if your kitty will drink it.

The Metamucil ....there are tablet forms and you could give 1/4 tab. by mouth once daily and feed canned food to increase the natural water intake. In general kitties are not big water drinkers.

There is a product called 'CatLax' or 'Laxatone' from your vet or from the pet store that will get things moving too.
So will some olive oil or vegetable oil.... about a teaspoon once a day. No castor oil please. VERY harsh on kitty giblets!

If none of that works your kitty might need an exam / radiographs to see if there is a condition known as megacolon, where the lower intestine is so stretched out that it no longer has the normal contractions and movement forward to keep the poop moving. In the severe cases the kitty might need sedation and several enemas (NEVER FLEET ENEMAS AS THEY ARE FATAL FOR CATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) or in the worst case scenario, a surgery.

Your vet might prescribe something like 'Enulose' which is for people with intestinal movement issues (and other needs).

Hope all this extra stuff I wrote is not needed and a nice bowl of warm milk get things right again. :-)

Then there is Bub. :\-( He can't use his left foot. No movement of the toes at all although he does not seem upset by this condition at all. There is no apparent pain with his foot being turned in either. We gently turn his foot back into the normal position and flex and stretch his ankle and toes. Then his foot goes back to the side. I hope he needs more time for things to fix themselves but hope for that is fading fast. Chick\-a\-Bub

Sandy, you could always kick the poop out of your cat or send it down here and I'll do it. :o)

G'day,
Scott

Scott, even at the age of 23 I suspect she would be more than a match for you. Once my hand was between her and the object of her intentions and the ER nurse stopped counting at 72 lacerations. Pookie spent two weeks in quarantine which meant nothing since she was supposed to be a house kitty in the first place. Her original objective was a dog the size of a small pony that had wandered into our yard by mistake. She was once caught by a red shouldered hawk. The hawk retreated in disgrace. She was mad she couldn't keep it. She misses stalking the deer in Wisconsin. By the way, she weighs about 7 pounds.
Chickie, thanks for the info. I was afraid to do the wrong thing and she won't eat any of the things that are supposed to do the job so I am very grateful. Guess my imagination wasn't working very well. She has been drinking lots of water recently (ice water if you please)and is eating quite a bit although not gaining weight. She recently discovered a heating pad and is spending most of her time curled up on it when she is not demanding tummy rubs or complaining bitterly about anything that does not meet her wants. She still tries to do the thunder kitty romp through the house after using the litter box although her back legs don't always cooperate since last summer's illness.
I hope Bub's foot responds. It is terrible to see the damage they can do to themselves when a leg or wing doesn't work and they keep trying to use it. Sandy

sandy and chicka, if i may step in with some suggestions....?

oh, and all wishes for the sweet grackling (a new word!)

sandy, have you tried plain canned pumpkin, if she will eat it, mixed also with brown rice bran supplement and acidopholus from the refrigerated section?
also, slippery elm syrup. if interested, i can offer you the preparation of it. sorry if i step on any toes.

hope the gal feels spry in no time!

All *FANTASTIC!* suggestions FTM !!! Please, please, please.... no apologies needed ... no toes stepped on in the slightest! I am the first, second, third and so on to admit that I don't know everything about anything and any suggestions (of a safe nature) are more than welcome any time I am giving my 2¢ consultations on any subject. :-)

My cats have never even wanted to look at canned pumpkin but you should see the looks they gave me when I offered it to them! (No kitty dictionary translation needed for what they were thinkin' about that swill I gave them. LOL!)

At least one of the suggestions that FTM or I gave should get things moving for dear little Pookie. If she is on the dehydrated side, which many elderly kitty tend to be, she can get some fluids like 0.9% NaCl under the skin and that too will set things right.

Forgive me if this is something you already know ... If you pull up the skin on the back of your hand and let go, the skin quickly returns to the normal position. When you pull up gently on the skin over Pookie's shoulders, it should snap back as quickly. If it returns back to normal slowly or stays up and tented, she is dehydrated and would do better with some fluids. The elderly ( insert species name here -----> (______________) do have less elastic skin and it does tend to be a little slower to go back to a normal position ... within reason.

I hope our combined information helps little Pookie. :-)

I type this as Bub's cereal gets warmed up. He still cannot use his foot and I believe this is not reversible. :-( He's going back to the avian specialist this week and see if there is ANY possibility to get him where he should be.

Me

... our little Bub saver, Daisy:

{{gwi:168441}}

Looks innocent doesn't she? This morning she **rescued** EVERYTHING non moving in the pond: cattails, water lilies (3 varieties WITH baskets!), stones, barley mat, Poly Filter pad, bald cyprus seedling, Egyptian Papyrus, Water Bamboo, taro, variegated planty things, drift wood that was there so things that fall in can get out....

GOOD GIRL!!! :-)

Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing. Pets are relaxing..........

Daisy is lovely, brave and kind. She is just practicing her rescue methods.LOL. We once had a dalmation that tried to rescue me from the bathtub. Which water stories remind me to tell you that one of the third generation gouramies has her fins on backwards. She seems to get along fine but the fins are bent backwards like a ribbon and she has to swim twice as fast as the others. Sandy

Lies lies lies Chickafibber, that beautifull innocent looking creature could never do anything like that!!!!!!!!
"Horton"

Hi Sandy.

When I was a little kid, our first dog was a German Shepherd. As we lived (and still do) on Lake Erie we were often on the beach. The dog rescued everyone from the lake!

He would swim out and bring back family and strangers alike! He'd gently grab their arm and swim back to shore while still holding onto the person. He knew there was potential danger, I suppose, and NO ONE would be harmed while in the lake during his watch!

We have movies of his endless rescues and no one was arguing with a hundred pound G. Shepherd if he wants you to go with him. :-)

Hi Horton.

You caught me ! Not only that but I have been exposed!

EEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!

You know me too well. I was trying to protect my beloved Mike by blaming the new puppy for chewing the water lilies and tossing pond baskets around the yard.

The secret is out. :-(

Mike likes to munch duckweed and frog bit. (hold the mayo.)

Can't get anything past you Canadians, ehh? ( Darn those Goosi fly over spies!) Betcha you even have video evidence !

Chick-a-liar

Oh my what a CUTIE!! I can see why you couldn't resist that face!

I'm sorry to hear about Bub, I hope you get some good news at the specialist. You are such a dear for what you do. Just curious, how many animals have you adopted?

such an adorable fluff ball!

i have another tip...from experience only and that was suggested to me. my old man didn't want this pumpkin any more. he also didn't want his fish oil or vit. e. BUT, mixed in gerber (and only that brand, it didnt' have oh, some ingredient that i cant think of thta starts with an m. which is toxic to felines) anyway, mix the pumpkin, geriatric tabs, vit e, and fish oil in a tsp of gerber chicken and gravy or turkey and gravy.....ya better move faster than that! he might as well have been pounding this fork and knife on the table. :)

how's our little grackling today?

'You caught me ! Not only that but I have been exposed!

EEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKK!!!!!!!! "

You betcha! We have the pictures and I must say they are selling quite well.
All proceeds go to the RCG Retired Flyers Benevolent Fund to cover the cost of grog and toilet paper. [Got to watch these goosi when they are no longer on active duty!]

Glad to hear Mike is keeping up the "green diet", even if he does get a little out of hand he'll be healthy.

Give the pup a pat from me and a "Good Boy".
The eye in the Sky.

Wow, I go out of town for 2 days, and I miss important stuff here!

C3D, I sure hope that Bub is able to start using that little foot again. If not, he has a great Mom (and Dad!) to take care of him, and that's enough to make any "grackling" turn his foot in. :)

As for Daisy, well....she looks innocent to me, too! LOL The look on her face in that pic says, "But, you still love me, right?!" :D

Sandy, I hope Pookie (or Poopie, as I call my Pook :D) is able to let it all out soon. All kitties named Pookie must have attitudes, since mine does, as well. Especially when there's someone invading her territory. :)

Brenda

Jean: How many animals have I adopted? Fuzzy or feathered or other? That I know of, I am on the rehab contact list of at least three animal emergency hospitals and many more other animal hospitals. Ya just never know what I'll come home with after a late night phone call. :-)

Horton, Horton, Horton.... Those photographs do have a high entertainment value. Glad they have a monetary value to support the brave, and poopy, retired Goosi.

Brenda: Our innocent little Daisy was standing in the temporary pond this morning. All four feet were in the water, the remnants of a once beautiful variegated dwarf cattail in her puppy mouth as she is trying to rescue to fish from the water too! Talk about your multi-tasking! :-) She and Bosco got doggy ice cream today. She likes vanilla wafers too.

FTM asks the age old question: "How's our little grackling today?"

:-( His toes move a little but what would be his ankle does not and the foot is turned inwards. When he fell from the nest, or was kicked out, he probably landed on this foot the wrong way and it was twisted at that time.

There was damage to his ligaments/tendons and the ankle joint was bruised or otherwise traumatized. Daisy probably did not cause the injury because that skinny little leg would have been fractured or bitten or at least bleeding ... and it was not.

The injury to BuB's ankle has resulted in inflammation and scar tissue around his ankle. He will probably get arthritis and then the ankle joint will fuse and become immobilized naturally and then non painful as well as non functional.

If we can keep his ankle moving with birdy physical therapy and try to loosen up the scar tissue he has formed he has a slight chance that his foot will return to the proper position. He is still likely to get a stiff ankle ... but ... if he can use his toes to grab onto a branch and perch he would be able to be released and have a fair chance of doing well.

He has recovered from the riboflavin deficiency and the specialist is not sure how much of a role that played in Bub's foot injury.

Bub was formally introduced to the folks in the aviary today. The herd of birds was very nice to Bub! :-) He like's vanilla wafers too.

C3D the birdy physical therapist

FTM, thanks for the recipe. I found some Asidopholis capsules today but just get strange looks when I say I want the refrigerated kind. Will try health food store tomorrow. Pookie just pretends the pumpkin doesn't exist.
Chickie, I'm glad to hear there is some hope for Bub's foot. I remember seeing chicks that caught a claw in the nesting material and were bullied to death by their siblings because they couldn't get free. Some had an injury just like Bub's simply because they kept getting pushed over on top of the leg that was bent wrong. Bub has at least a chance in your care that he wouldn't have had with mother nature. Sandy

thanks for the update, chicka. i am bearing with little bub. my ankle started to "freeze" while healing from a severe ankle sprain complete with nerve injury...still healing 3? years later. bub is in great hands!

your welcome, sandy. i must apologize for missing that all important info that only the health food store, and some pharmacies, will have refrig acidopholus. the "pearls" supposedly is better and does not have to be refrigerated, but the powdered caps are much easier to sneak into the food. just in case you pick up the slippery elm, directions for making a syrup may be on the bottle. it is good for hairballs as well as intestinal irritation.
from a list i belong to: "* Slippery elm syrup: Sprinkle 1 teasp slippery elm bark powder onto half a cup of water. Heat with stirring till nearly boiling, and keep
the thickened syrup in the fridge. Dose 1 or 2 ml about 20 minutes before any main meal. It coats and soothes the intestines and has a few good nutrients. It works well in cats. (Not all herbs do.)"

not all cats like the pumpkin. frost and romeo ignore it. frost used to eat it years ago when my old man didn't. funny how they switch roles. if i remember correctly though, he wouldn't eat it until i put the baby food in there. i also finally found a glucosamine supplement he would take, mixed into this cocktail. it was dr.s foster and smith brand (capsules). he would take vanilla flavor. was he spoiled??? :)

Ahwwwwwwww, I just got around to reading this thread. I love your stories, chickasweetheartvetperson! I'm glad Bub is doing well. Daisy is awesome for bringing him to you! I can't imagine how one might perform tiny bird toe/ankle/foot physical therapy! I wouldn't know where one ended and the other began!
How wonderful you are! Three cheers for our Chickahero!!! :)

I've seen a house finch with a deformed leg because he was at the bottom of the pile in the nest. The foot was so twisted it would get caught in his wings!

Bub is moving the toes on his left foot really well today but that ankle is still turned in. :-( We can get it straight and his foot works. We were thinking to maybe put a simple splint on him for a day or two and see if the ankle would stay in the proper alignment. Things grow, change and heal so fast on baby birds !

Daisy is the only hero in this story. Found out she can climb up a tree fairly high in an attempt to rescue a squirrel that was chattering at her. LOL!

Good Girl!

LOL!!! Daisy is a Dingo! :D Oh, what I wouldn't give to see her up in a tree. That is hilarious!

Great news about Bub's toe movement! The ankle splint sounds like a great idea, since it doesn't seem to be improving without it. I know this all must be stressful to you, C3D. Bub sounds like a patient and understanding little man. :)

Brenda

Any further news on Bub's ankle? Sandy

Hi Sandy.

Thanks for your concern. Sadly the ankle remains turned inwards. We tried the splint for a few days at a time but there seems to be no difference. We still put on his splint for 2 days, take it off and do some physical therapy so the ankle does not freeze up ... but once that splint is off the ankle turns in.

We have another appointment with the avian specialist in a few days. I am hoping there can be a surgery to tighten his little birdy ligaments?

Other than that he is a happy camper. He eats seeds and moistened Pedigree dry dog food as well as his baby bird cereal out of a bowl like a big bird. I see his siblings outside on the patio and they seem the same size, or maybe just a bit larger than him, and all seem to be doing well.

C3D

He's such a little man! I bet he doesn't even realize he HAS an impediment. I could see myself running up to windows facing the patio and trying to block his view to the other birds. "There's nothing there! Just keep eating." LOL

Wishing for the best, as always, C3D!

Brenda

Hiya Brenda.

Thanks!

LOL! You are 113% correct! He does not know there is something wrong with his ankle. He doesn't remember it being any other way, probably. His ankle *DOES* need to be bandaged because it gets a wound very easily on the side that he walks on.

He is on soft towels as his bedding but that is still too rough for his baby skin. Needs to develop a callus there I suspect. Oh Bub is a hearty eater ! Cleans his dishes several times a day! LOL! He's in the aviary so he does have a lot of bird company. :-) Never a lonely moment at Camp Nappy Resorts....

CDDD

chicka, i had a thought the other day and forgot to ask. really just rambling curiosity, but here goes:

as i understand it, birds have decreased circulation in the legs as a survival against frostbite, etc. first, i am not sure if that is right or wrong. maybe it is just nerve endings.

ok. decreased circulation usually slows down the healing process, correct?

so, if circulation is increased, or can it be for a bird, will the healing process be put in forward motion since it seems to be at a standstill?

Do they make little birdie hyperberic (sp???) chambers?
Increased oxygen does speed the healing of wounds, but would it straighten out a twisted foot?
Good question, Fairy.

Oh Chickabirdiemommy, where are you?

Good luck Bub, you're in the best hands!

Hi again FTM.

Your logic is very sound Increased circulation would speed up the healing process because .....

as Poo Cubed correctly noted, increased oxygen aids in the wound healing process. :-)

If Bub's problem is a ligament issue, they have no direct blood supply and get their nutrients and oxygen from the surrounding tissues. Given that Bub's legs are a little thicker than two tooth picks, there just isn't a lot to work with either way.

There are hyperbaric chambers for animals and I have made my own primitive O2 chamber when I was caring for a starling (named Grace) who had a brain injury after flying into a window. ((But that's a long story in itself.))

I have also used our O2 chamber for our asthmatic bird when he was in need. If Bub could have a surgery to help his ankle, without a doubt increased oxygen would help him heal faster. We need to see what the avian specialist has to say next week.

~~Wonder what he will say when I tell him I also have a Bubba (as of today) with a fractured pelvis and right leg fracture.
Bubba's also a young grackle. More about him later when I have more time to lull everyone to sleep.~~

Thanks Sheepco. :-)

C with 3 Ds and 2 grackles

"...and I have made my own primitive O2 chamber..."
C3D, how impressive! May I ask how you did that?
And now another one to nurse and love. You are such a sweet individual. Good luck with both. They couldn't have found a better person to nurse their boo boos. :)

Hi Poo-Poo-Poo . :-)

Thanks.

The primitive O2 chamber is less than impressive, I assure you! We got an O2 tank with all the gauges when our older dog, Connie, had severe heart problems and needed oxygen at times. She passed away at the age of 17 years but we kept the O2 set-up.

We have had occasion to use oxygen for this or that. But the oxygen tank is basically like an aquarium, with solid walls and the oxygen line is dropped in and the top is sealed with something like saran wrap or press and seal wrap.

There is a soft towel on the floor of the tank and who ever needs the oxygen is placed in there with food and water as the oxygen is delivered. There is also a heating pad underneath the contraption as the oxygen that is delivered tends to make the whole thing very cold.

It isn't really a proper hyperbaric situation, but rather more of a saturated oxygen arrangement that so far has worked well in most cases.

(Bubba can move his tail today! :-) HOORAY for Bubba!!!)

Talk to you later.

C3D

Yes, Hooray for Bubba!!! Great news. Do you know which day next week Bub will see the specialist? Please keep us posted.
I personally think the animal stories posted here are the best and the pics are all just wonderful. :)

poo beat me to it! so innovative chicka! too cool...

just a comment on grackles. hmph. they have disappointed me, sort of. i always thought of them as very intelligent birds, HOWEVER, the starlings have figured out how to raid my squirrel feeder box. did they learn it from watching the squirrels, or on their own? it has been up a few years. dh pointed them out to me the other day.

well, i guess taking grackle personalities into the equation would be reasonable. they ARE flighty. they just don't have the nerve to withstand that lid coming down and fly off before they get some food. unlike the starlings. or are starlings just thick headed? :)

i don't really notice the starling raids. the grackle raids are very noticeable b/c they are at least persistent. clap, fly, clap, fly, clap, fly, clap, fly, clap....give me a break! i almost feel like i should prop up the lid for some quiet. nature is relaxing, nature is relaxing, nature is relaxing,

LOL!!! FTM, that reminds me of a situation the other day, when the menfolk wanted to watch a movie. One of them actually closed the living room window because the birds were too loud! Hmph, if it were my choice, I'd put them outside and bring the birds in with me. :D

Good luck, Bubba!!! Shake that booty, shake it!

Brenda

LOL at the booty!

Do Bub and Bubba know they have a cheerleading team here????

Good Luck with both of them - I don't know how you do it with all you've got going on.

Hi everyone and thanks for your concern for the Grackles.

I am very sorry to report Bubba died this morning. He had a huge bruise on his chest so maybe his heart was bruised too and just couldn't recover. :-( But he was warm and fed and we tried to control his pain and make him as comfy as possible while he spent his last days here. He was buried in a secured Daisy-proof area.

Then there is our Bub...

As I feared there is little to do to help Bub's ankle. He has a lot of calcium deposits in his joint and most likely that is the result of having had severe riboflavin deficiency. He could have a surgery to remove the calcium but the damage to his joint is already done so that would just give him more pain in his ankle. :-(

A splint will get the joint to freeze faster. It would be better to allow him to have his towels in his cage and let him build up a callus on the side of his ankle.

The specialist said that aside from the ankle issue, Bub looked very healthy and alert and happy. Bub was active, tossing seeds about and chattering during our 45 minute consultation.

He is not considered releasable because he has one leg that functions normally. He would soon become hawk food or get injured on his functional foot. He told me to make some modifications to a flight cage which would include soft wrap on the perches and shelves or ledges also with padding to protect his feet. So looks like I'll be getting a larger cage for him and that will be his home unless I can place him with someone else who needs a Grackle.

I asked the specialist if the Grackles are having a bad year this year because I have now had 4 of them in the last 3 weeks.

(Just before leaving for the specialist, I let the dogs out to go potty and Daisy, the one who brought Bub to me, brought home yet ANOTHER young Grackle! Can you believe that? He was in the pond too. He was dried off and placed in a cage with food and water until I came back home. He was fine and released when I got home looking none the worse for his close encounter and flew off into the crabapple tree to tell the other grackles of his (mis)adventures.)

Well, anyway... The specialist said the rehab. centers check in with him on an almost daily basis and he had no reports of Grackles being in the facilities. I laughed and said:

"Of course not. They've all been at my house!"

He dubbed our home Grackle Central.

So... That's the Bub story for now. Thanks for caring about him!

C3D

Ahh, sorry to hear about Bubba. But he got the best in care thanks to you. Nature is one tough lady, heh?

ANd I'm sorry to hear that there is nothing that can be done for Bub although it's good to hear that he is adjusting to being caged. Now thats he's been nursed back to health, can he be adopted by anyone or does it have to be a certified rehabber? Can you keep a bird in captivity outside in a large cage or do they need to be kept inside?

So are Daisy's rescue abilities due to her breed or are you rubbing off on her :^)

very sorry, chicka! :=

Thanks.

Being a native bird ya need a permit to keep 'em.
He can be in an outdoor flight cage but ... he may attract hawks who may themselves get injured trying to get to him or they might frighten him into injuring himself trying to get away from the hawk.

Inside is safer for all.

Awww!! Bubba, I didn't mean for you to shake your booty THAT much, sweetie! :(

I just can't tell you how much I admire you, ChickaBigHeart X infinity. Bub and ALL the little creatures you've cared for are so lucky to know you. Thank you for being an inspiration!

Brenda

C3D, sorry to hear Bubba didn't make it.
No matter how many animals we nurse, it's always sad when one dies. As cruel as nature seems at times, it also knows when suffering has to be ended.
I know, if you have to give up little Bub to another home, you will find someone as kind and caring as you.
~He's in good hands!~
Thanks for keeping us updated.

Hi all.

We got a puppy crate for Bub and fixed it up with two platforms of differing sizes covered with soft towels so SHE will be more comfortable. (Yes. It seems Bub is a female.) Her accessories include a large bowl with water so she can cool off and have bath time. There is one of those cat toys that is a ball with a bell inside. All this is on the lowest level, again covered with a whole bunch of towels.

On the middle level she has a large platform of styrofoam covered with towels and there are here her three food dishes. One has mixed seeds, one has assorted bits of fruit and moistened dry Pedigree and BilJac moist food, the other has her baby bird cereal mixture plus blueberries, strawberries and little chunks of apples.

On this level there is a hanging birdy toy with a bell. The top level, a higher section has a smaller chunk of styrofoam covered with a towel, and has nothing but another hanging toy with a smaller bell.

Her new home is next to an enclosure that has two ring-necked doves. They seem a bit surprised that they have a new neighbour but not upset about it. Little Bub has plenty of room to exersize her wings and can take short flights too. She can also see the other birds outside eating their jelly and seeds.

So far she seems ~VERY~ happy with her bigger home. Here and there, of course, she will be let out to have a proper fly around the breezeway and not get stir-crazy.

~~I do hope none of you think Bub is getting spoiled at all!~~

Yes Scott. Pictures are a coming. Patience is a virtue! :-)

Me again

BTW... Why a puppy crate? SO much cheaper than a proper bird cage and it is nice and large! This makes our third crate for birds. NEVER for a K-9 here!

Bubette sounds like she's getting the royal treatment, but she sure deserves it, after all she's been through! Thanks to your descriptions, C3D, we can not only picture it all so well, we can use it for future reference. You never know when the stork is going to visit bearing children of different species. :)

Brenda

capital, chicka, capital!

Sounds like Bubette or (if she's latino), Bubina, has a nice little set up. That WAS a great description. So does this mean you are going to still be her mommy for a while? :)

Awwwwwww Poo x 3... Bubina is a great name! :-) Sounds so dainty although she does not act very dainty! LOL!

Bubina is a card carrying member of Camp Nappy and is most welcome to stay. We went shopping the other day to get more towels of varying sizes for Bubina to lounge upon. She needs to have her upholstery changed daily.

If you need ideas how to set up house keeping for a squirrel, chipmunk, mouse, groundhog, opossum or some sort of bird, there's a chance I might be able to suggest luxury accomodations for your guest. :-)

Ian? If you are out there and care to, do register and let me know. I'll send you my e mail address through this site.

--------------> still just Me

I wish I had access to you when I was raising little "Rocky" a juvenile squirrell with an injured spine and paralysis. It was a battle keeping him from rubbing all the skin off his belly. Padded trees are hard to come by!! lol But he got a great home and is still doing fine after 2 yrs!
Keep up the good work. You are certainly an asset to this forum! :)

Ooooooooo I am thinkin' I can help Rocky! Contact the ~wonderful~ people at K-9 Carts and explain to them what Rocky's condition. I betcha they will be able to help make his life more comfortable!

They have made a bunny cart and a cat cart for patients of mine. :-)

They will do all they can to make Rocky happier and more mobile!

C and 3Ds and a Bubina too

I am sorry Bub passed away, but still...it is always nice to hear that someone is helping animals. having a baby crow with curled toes myself, I would really appreciatte an advice on how and in which doses I should give her riboflavin. she can't stand on her toes, but otherwise is very lively and eating good. thanks in advance.

best regards,

lovely&thelittlecrow

Hiya Lovely.

Our dearest Bub did NOT die. She is still very much alive and Grackle-ish! :-) We have had other Grackle youngsters die soon after arrival but Bub is going strong since her arrival in 2006. :-)

Riboflavin ....
I do not know of any *real* dose for the ~curled toe paralysis~ but usually one can get or order the 100 mg. tablets. Generally I mix in 1/8 of a 100 mg. tablet with the baby cereal I feed and use that with each feeding. What they do not need gets pooped out. ( Actually peed out but no matter....) Depending on how severe the problem is ... the paralysis or weakness will reverse within a few days to a week.

How much of a baby is your crow? Depending on the age they need to be fed between every 15 minutes to every hour from about 5:00 AM to about 10:00 PM. I use Nutri-Start baby bird cereal mixed 50 /50 with a jarred baby food like Gerber's strained beef or strained turkey.

Cut the riboflavin tablet into 1/4s then 1/2 those pieces again. Place the 1/8 piece in a piece of folded wax paper and crush it by rolling a can of dog food or other canned product over it. Mix this powder in with your baby cereal mixture.

It will become a bright yellow. Please be warned that the baby's poop will become bright yellow too and it DOES STAIN anything it comes in contact with. Have you ever fed a baby bird? That is to say place food in the crop? If not it may be best to contact an avian veterinarian to get some advice on how to do this or get in touch with a rehabber to take over.

Crows are a native species and for the long term one should not keep them without a federal permit. They may become imprinted on you and never be able to be released. Having said that ... How very kind of you to care enough to try to save the little crow! :-)

If you are unable to contact an outside source of help ... I can talk you through how to tube feed a baby bird if you do not know how to do this.

I'll check in at about 7:00PM EST. OK?

Thanks for taking the time to care!

C3D

Hmmmmmm. You are in Serbia? Do you know how to feed a baby bird?