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July 14, 2006
A hard lesson learned..weaning babies and chilly night air, do not mix!!
As I was making my coffee this morning, kids still all asleep, I did not hear my good morning chirps from Skye. I went to her cage, and said where are you miss Skye?
Nothing... I found her on the bottom of the cage, perched on her bunny lovie. Not a peep. I went to get her, and she was SO COLD... not moving.. eyes slits..OMG.
I am not good in bad situations, I get thru them and do as I should, but I of course broke down in tears. I held her and cupped her in my hands and blew hot breath on her.. nothing.. I made some warm formula, I could not pry her beak open..but she was still with us.
So limp, feet all curled up and pulled into her body. I called Hubby who was half way into work and told him he had to come home. I couldn't handle this alone..
Scott did get home, I was frantically searching all my email for Suz our breeders phone number. Scott said, we should wake Meaghan so she can be with Skye, while she is still with us.
Oh God.. Left messages for Suz at her home and on her cell.. Meaghan and I are both in tears.. we are trying desperately to warm her up. I cranked up the brooder. Suz called.
I weighed Skye, she was down a couple of grams.. she's weaning... that's OK says Suz..
It's been so damn hot here, never thought about temp for her overnight. The heat broke yesterday, but still very warm.. Meaghan has been shutting the slider door at night, I let the dog out late, left the slider open..Suz told me that at this age, they still have trouble regulating their body temps.. she said if I could get her warm, and get some pedialyte into her, we had a chance. She said sometimes they come back, but sometimes.. they don't. Oh God...
Scott left and got that..Meaghan was doing a wonderful job of holding Skye in her hands inside her sweatshirt..tears streaming down her face.. "please don't leave me Skye" over and over.. I got the pedialyte warmed and gave her some, Suz said try to get in a couple of drops, every ten minutes. I went to give it to Skye, and she started bobbing and wanting to feed. Back on the phone to Suz, she said that was a good sign, and to give her a small formula feeding with the pedialyte. She ate like a champ. I took a bowl and a baby blanket, and warmed them in the microwave.. they were so chilly compared to the feel of the brooder, and I wanted the heat to warm Skye, not the other stuff!
I mixed some formula and pedialyte.. Skye took it all in very well. Gave her just a small feeding. She was hungry a good sign. and the warm food inside could only help now..
It's been 3 hours now.. and Skye is still with us. She is making noise, and has tried to get out from under the blanket pouch and up to perch on the side of the bowl. When we check on her, she tilts her head to let us scritch her neck..
I just pulled her out of the brooder to give her another feeding. She flapped her wings and ate like a champ. It's like it never happened.
From so very cold, and so close to death, to acting like nothing ever happened.. never give up!
We will be keeping her in the brooder for a couple of days. It's warmer out of the brooder than in right now.. but it's all about a constant and consistant tempurature.
Posted by sue at July 14, 2006 12:05 PM
Comments
You should rename Skye to Miss Rocky! What a wonderful story. I know you are still on pins and needles with this, but she has passed through the worst part.
Wishing you and Skye GREY'T warmth and Light,
Maggie-
Posted by: Maggie at July 27, 2006 03:38 PM