Feathered Family Inc.
Parrot Rescue and Adoption, Erie CO
Ruby is a beautiful, loving, sweet and smart Eclectus hen. She is approximately five years old. Ruby was rescued by a very loving woman who runs a dog rescue, because she was facing euthanasia. Ruby was to be put down simply because she is handicapped.
Ruby does not know she is handicapped, she has lived with her difficulties all of her life, and they are normal for her. Unfortunately they do severely limit her, and we at Feathered Family are looking into every possible avenue to help her live a more normal life.
You see, Ruby has severe Splay Leg ( Spraddle-leg). This limits her ability to move around, and she cannot perch properly. Even things such as eating and elimination are more complicated for Ruby.
Ruby's disability does not limit her love though. Her love for life, and her love for companionship remain healthy and intact. She's a very special bird who deserves to live as happy a life as she can.
Ruby Update:
Ruby remains with Feathered Family in foster care, as she will for life. Her legs came together a small amount through medical binding, which allowed her to raise her tail to defecate, and lowered her risk for infection. The risk is still there, but she has less of a chance of having a problem than she used to. We purchased Ruby a new cage which is longer and allows her more area to play, while maintaining a high restriction so she doesn't climb so high as to fall and harm herself. She's quite the climber now and enjoys getting up on things so its important that we limit her so she cannot fall and get injured.
She is a happy little girl who enjoys the love of a family, and is demanding of her attention. No one is allowed to "forget" to greet Ruby, she will scream loudly to remind you that she is there.
Every day Ruby lives is a day that she would not have had if humans had not interceded on her behalf. It breaks our heart to think that her life could have ended so easily, all because of a handicap that she does not even realize she has. Ruby may not be a perfect bird, but she is perfect in many ways and that alone makes her life worth fighting for.
Ruby Update:
September 2005
Ruby has gotten that infection that has worried us all this time. Despite our every effort to keep her clean, and to keep her belongings clean she got a GI infection. She is currently being treated for it, and it was caught very early so her prognosis is very good. She will have a full week of antibiotic injections followed by 10 days on oral antibiotics. She's doing very well with this and is feeling much better at this point. She even felt up to doing some beak painting with her food, which is a favorite activity of hers.
This just reaffirms to us that she needs help. It is because she cannot lift her self out of her own droppings that she is in constant danger for this type of infection. Ruby needs to have her legs moved under her body so she can lift her body. Until this is done she remains prone to infection.
Ruby's spirits are wonderful, her appetite is fantastic (as usual) and she takes her injections like a pro. Although she doesn't care for being on her back she does seem to understand that we are helping her. Below is a photo of Ruby right after getting home from the vet.
July 2005
Ruby continues to build strength daily, through exorcize and encouragement to play and explore. Her slow crawling movement has become a much faster crawl, she can really move now! She is also learning to perch, which was interesting to teach her. She now climbs up on a single perch and balances herself carefully and with a great deal of pride.
Ruby is becoming a toy addict, which we are thrilled about. Playing encourages movement, which helps to build more strength.
She is also starting to talk quite a bit, saying sweet things like "Hi Ruby!", "Out out out!" and "MMmmmmm Good!".
We are continuing to work with our vet on alternate treatments for her legs, helping her to move them into a more normal position naturally. The surgery is not only extremely expensive, but it also has a chance of not working properly, so the best option at this point is to find out how far we can move her legs without surgery. If we can get them close enough that she can lift her tail off the ground to eliminate and walk, she will be in a much better position.
January 2006
Ruby has grown very strong, and we are currently looking for a new cage for her. She needs a cage without much height, but with plenty of floor space. This is hard to find. We continue to look and hope!
She has begun flexion therapy on her legs. Twice a day we help her to stretch her legs as far as possible in order to increase her flexibility. This will make the therapy to correct the splay much easier on her and far less painful. She does not enjoy her flex therapy and has learned when it is due. One time she even ran back to her cage ( a very long walk for her ), climbed into it (it was on the floor, having just been cleaned) and pulled the door shut! She held the door against us, not wanting to let us in, or let us take her out.
As hard as it is for us to go against her will this way, the daily improvement we see in her makes it worth while. She is a beautiful strong bird and she is on her way to living a life free of life threatening infections.
April 2006
Ruby is doing very well, and has grown her wings in fully at this point. She uses them to assist in her movement, so we have not clipped them. This means that her time outside must be inside her cage, but she still enjoys it greatly.
She will be moving to a foster home for her leg treatment. This is so she can have intensive one on one care, so that no possible sign of problem is missed. She will remain a Feathered Family bird, and we will be supervising (and paying for) her treatment. This is just to make sure that she has every possible need met while she is going through this trying time.