I really hope he doesn't do this again! Poor Rascal. 
Day 22
Rascal’s right leg became worse. Her leg was deviating out more and more, and finally it was dragging behind her, with the joint going the wrong direction. Also the limp was worse.
The avian specialist did meet me at the hospital on Sunday afternoon. We discussed the options. Her experience with this sort of leg deformity was with parrots, and there isn’t any experience available on trying this procedure on an ostrich. This is new territory. She felt one option was euthanasia. I considered that, since more extensive splinting would be very difficult to tolerate for this ostrich. But I had to think about her sister Popcorn, who is so attached to her. We went ahead and did the more extensive splinting that would immobilize the bird.
Rascal cannot walk or move about. She is in a box, with her legs splinted/ casted. With parrots, they usually stay at the veterinarian’s office so that they can monitor them and tube feed them if necessary. But there’s no one at the veterinarian’s office at night.
I brought Rascal home and will keep an eye on her. She will need to be in the splint for maybe one or two weeks. Since this has not been done before we don’t know.
So far it’s not going very well. She’s very uncomfortable and struggles. After she’s exhausted from struggling she just rests. She is not taking food or water. Her sister Popcorn is upset, although they are in clear view of each other, they can’t really contact each other by touch.
I am keeping them indoors. I am not putting the cam on them right now, they are convalescing. Hopefully they will be better in the morning.







