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Post by nettles on Oct 1, 2013 0:21:55 GMT
Awww birdguhl he is just the sweetest wee thing! I just googled the virus and it sounds really nasty It's great that he's still such a happy bud though! Huge hugs for the very gorgeous Berry xo
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Post by Hezz on Oct 1, 2013 0:56:48 GMT
nettles, as I imagine you very well know, a panic is a panic, and Marge is probably not capable of putting the thought together of climbing back up as normal. From what I have seen of minor panics, the birds need to settle down before attempting anything with any success. Even the quietest of bird will ignore its owner at times like this, before reason returns and they can see clearly again ..... the term "blind panic" comes to me in this type of situation. Does Marge have a favourite perch/swing for sleeping? If so you could move this lower so she doesn't have as far to fall. But you may have to move all the perches lower as well, as they do prefer to be high - higher up is safer, lower down is where most of the danger comes from. The only other way I can think of to lessen the fright, is to lessen the noise of her falling, which as you mentioned the mat would do, but if the cage has a base and a grill, removing the grill or padding it in place could help to keep it firm rather than bouncing and shifting when she hits the bottom. I am not sure I have explained that last bit very well, but can't think of a better way to explain myself. Let me know if it doesn't make any sense.
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Post by nettles on Oct 2, 2013 0:07:50 GMT
Sorry Hezz, not quite sure what you mean.. The cage doesn't have a metal grill. It's just a plastic base which is quite deep (maybe 15cm deep) and its on wheels so it sits up off the ground a little bit. As you can imagine, when she fell onto it, it made a very loud echoey THUD. The plastic is quite bendy and there's a bit of bounce in it, so it would have sounded a bit worse than it actually was. The term blind panic is spot on! Her entire thought process went right out the window She usually sleeps on quite a thick natural perch designed for larger birds which probably doesn't help as she can't even grip it with her toes. I've put other thinner natural perches higher up the cage to try and encourage her to use those but she isn't for budging. Besides, as far as Marge is concerned, they aren't for perching on.. they're for chewing and destroying!! I could always lower the one she sleeps on, but during the day, they both use it as a "safety perch" when they get spooked. I'd kinda feel bad moving it on them
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Post by Hezz on Oct 2, 2013 0:27:45 GMT
Okay, I get the sort of bottom you mean, so no need to worry about trying to quieten the grill, but maybe try to quieten the plastic bottom instead, which the mat would do - help her landing a little softer and lessen the noise that is made as well. Baby things can be quite expensive, but I can't think of anything else where you might have cushioning foam covered in plastic, without the border like birdguhl's has ..... I had a change mat for my two years ago that I left in the car for those caught-out times. It would have been perfect as it was soft and easily rolled up, but no nooks and crannies for poop to get caught. You could easily get one made up from one of those rubber & foam suppliers or upholsterers, but I don't know how much you would be willing to spend ..... custom made budgie crash mats! Something else that may work ..... still thinking ..... if you had an old sleeping bag that was past its use-by date ..... they often have a tightly woven nylon side that would be relatively easy to wipe over. A piece of this would work. The nylon may catch her claws though .... might not be a problem for Marge. I'll try to think of some other second-hand things that may work.
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Post by nettles on Oct 2, 2013 23:37:09 GMT
I used to have one of those travel changing mats for my nieces and nephews when they were all babies and came to stay but I'm sure it's been dumped by now! Unfortunately we don't have the money at the minute to go to any great expense but I have a craft stall later this month at a mums and babies event and there's usually quite a few stalls selling second hand baby stuff. Hopefully I'll find something similar there! In fact, if I sell enough craft stuff I'll even treat them to a brand new changing mat I'm laughing at the idea that I might have a sleeping bag Those things are for camping.. outdoors.. WITH CREEPY CRAWLIES!!! Eek no way lol. Oh also just thought.. I think I used to have plastic covered mattress type things in my dolls prams.. My mum might still have them in her loft! I'll get her to have a look coz they'd be perfect!
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Post by Hezz on Oct 3, 2013 4:26:39 GMT
Ooopppppsssss. No we wouldn't want to come in contact with any creepy crawly-type things .......... The craft stall sounds ideal ..... do people go in for garage sales on the weekends, the way they do here?? Baby stuff is always being recycled.
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Post by nettles on Oct 3, 2013 6:19:38 GMT
Your'e a star Hezz! Not many garage sales but car boot sales are really popular! Can't believe I didn't think of that. There's a few nearby at the weekend and someone is bound to have an old changing mat for sale!
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Post by samwiseg on Oct 3, 2013 7:33:38 GMT
Just also to try and re-assure you nettles I googled and found someone who experienced this and their budgies nail did grow back after an accident of being ripped off. It may take a few months but it should grow back. But for all members any type of injury where there is a bleed use cornflour or a styptic pencil to stop the bleed as loss of a lot of blood in a little bird can prove fatal.
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Post by nettles on Oct 3, 2013 12:48:12 GMT
Thanks samwiseg It's been almost a year now though and still no sign of any claws I have some cornflour in my budgie box now for such emergencies, but at the time, I wouldn't have had a clue how to stop it! Luckily by the time we got home and I noticed her claws were missing, she already had little spots of dried blood on her toes. I dread to think how I'd have ever coped with them if it wasn't for all the help I get from this forum!
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Post by Hezz on Oct 4, 2013 0:59:21 GMT
Your'e a star Hezz! Not many garage sales but car boot sales are really popular! Can't believe I didn't think of that. There's a few nearby at the weekend and someone is bound to have an old changing mat for sale! Oh I do hope you have some luck! Otherwise, you could try op-shops. Another thing that is good to stop bleeding quickly is a bar of soap, especially if it is a little soft and soggy ... this works really well on feet and claws as the bird's natural reaction is to clench their toes up. I had to do this with Blue once, and I simply put the bar of soap in the way of his foot and he dug his claws and toes into the soap .... bleeding stopped, as simply as that. I tried packing the cornflour on without a whole lot of luck, but the soap worked in no time.
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Post by nettles on Oct 4, 2013 5:09:46 GMT
Oh wow! Haven't heard the soap tip before.. Really hope I never have to use any of these tips but it's always better to be safe than sorry!
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Post by milliej on Oct 5, 2013 21:58:28 GMT
Sorry to hear about the budgies problems tut! Sid occasionally falls off his roosting perch when he's sound asleep and Mischief or some unexpected noise disturbs him. Usually a dive straight to the floor of the cage from where he crawls up the cage bars looking rather embarrassed! bless
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Post by nettles on Oct 7, 2013 1:04:26 GMT
Sorry to hear about the budgies problems tut! Sid occasionally falls off his roosting perch when he's sound asleep and Mischief or some unexpected noise disturbs him. Usually a dive straight to the floor of the cage from where he crawls up the cage bars looking rather embarrassed! bless Thanks Millie From what everyone has said, it seems like quite a common thing so I'm trying not to worry too much When it happens during the day, she climbs back up the cage looking rather sheepish and embarrassed, just like Sid! Sometimes she even pecks Melman when she climbs back up.. maybe just in case he was thinking of laughing at her
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Post by OP on Oct 7, 2013 6:59:58 GMT
Sorry to hear about the budgies problems tut! Sid occasionally falls off his roosting perch when he's sound asleep and Mischief or some unexpected noise disturbs him. Usually a dive straight to the floor of the cage from where he crawls up the cage bars looking rather embarrassed! bless Thanks Millie From what everyone has said, it seems like quite a common thing so I'm trying not to worry too much When it happens during the day, she climbs back up the cage looking rather sheepish and embarrassed, just like Sid! Sometimes she even pecks Melman when she climbs back up.. maybe just in case he was thinking of laughing at her The sense of humour is spreading I see.
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Post by ffiscool on Oct 7, 2013 7:36:20 GMT
Or it was to say, see, I am still here!
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