We prepare our Bluebird houses for winter visitors with grasses and plug the side vent holes with corks (per winter instructions for BB houses) and we've had birds roost in them the past 2 winters.

At 9:30 this morning, Lun Lun found out for the first time that she has 2 cubs! Let the fun begin! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paNs-kYtXfA#

Cute and quite a handful! 

Update on cubs!

http://us7.campaign-archive2.com/?u=d9031a7794b0f73577cc878c5&id=d0a4976d70&e=c26951a69b

Also, there has been news that arrangements are being made to move Po and Xi Lan to China.  When we were at Zoo Atlanta in April, we were told that they would go this year.

I have finally found a few minutes in my very busy schedule and have re-registered Rfalconcam and GVAS for Roc the Day.  Sorry for the delay.

Lisa McK.

           

Whole family

Mom got poohed on bad!

Wow!  Mom really got plastered!    Beautiful birds!

 

                   Good job!

I don't see Rfalconcam registered yet with 9 days to go until the registration period ends.  Has it been decided that we aren't entering this year or is Lisa still working on it?

No surgery possible, plan is self-rehab and physical therapy.
A number of specialists have gone over Rascal’s case. The local veterinary surgeon specialist examined Rascal today and said that they cannot do anything.
The Avian expert from Oakley has raised ostriches himself. He reviewed the e-mailed x-rays and discussed the case with my avian veterinarian by phone. He has performed dozens of orthopedic procedures on angular limb deformities in birds. However for a number of reasons there is almost no success rate. This would involve osteotomy, external fixation, and these frequently break down especially with such thin small bones that are still growing, with disastrous results. It is not a simple matter of moving a tendon over and tightening it to rotate the leg in the correct orientation. He does not give a very good prognosis for Rascal.
The GOOD news is that Rascal is eating very well and appears healthy otherwise. My veterinarian, who has not given up, has tried a number of substrates and found that if she had footing that had bumps in it, she was able to get her foot against it and could stand up. Rascal was found standing this morning. This is with a memory foam type mattress that sort of looks like an egg crate. My plan is to obtain this type of mattress, and put it in the box that is her house where she would sleep and allow her some help to get up. Otherwise she can walk in the dirt, as she needs to learn how to walk on that surface. She needs a LOT more exercise and walking.
On Tuesday I will discuss with the Oakley avian specialist what a rehab program would entail to help Rascal learn to walk in the most optimal position.
In summary, the plan is:
I will bring the ostriches home tonight,
I will do some final raccoon proofing measures, including a trap.
I will wait for her to gain some strength and weight with free feeding
Physical therapy and gait training next week (when I learn how to do it.)
The kind and knowledgeable Rancher did give me some very good advice for Popcorn, which I do not need at this time since Rascal is coming home.
It was a little strange last night without the ostriches. My kids asked over and over again when they were coming back, I think they were suspicious.

Beauty

DC

Awww...both bowing.

Beauty has that "don't come near my house" look!  

Oh dear! Gremlins seem to be at work on facebook. Over a week ago, I posted an entry explaining that the eggs didn't hatch and PPO took it upon herself to abandon them. We took the eggs away and they were infertile. Since then, both owls have been back every evening to the nest and visiting. Pappa seems very keen on trying ago; PPO less certain.
Fingers crossed for a second try!   

        That's too bad about the eggs.   

   

             

[Wendy!]

                                  Wendy!

I was just watching the cam and it looks like Rascal is in a sling in a balcony above the box where Popcorn is.  She was eating pretty good from her food dish and Rascal was standing close to her, often eating some of Rascal's food.  When Popcorn walks to the other end of the box though, Rascal will get quite restless. Will have to wait for an update to see if she got too upset with the casts and they've been removed or she's still casted and in the sling to help her stay upright. Poor thing...

  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.

I just read this on FB and it's heartbreaking.  Dash had splinted the leg for a few days and Rascal was doing pretty well with it but Dash had to go away for 3 days, leaving the splint off during that time.  I watched her leg get worse over the weekend and yesterday it looked like it was twisting towards the back, she was limping really bad and stumbling.  I know how attached these 2 babies are but I think it might be time to let Rascal go.  Time will tell...