Re: loss of an egg-bound 5yr old red side

Subject:

Comments:
: Hi Jeannette! : It is with a heavy heart that I read about Athena. Such a sweet little girl! I remember your question about her feathers in December last year. She had a difficult life before she came to live with you. I hope it is of some consolation to know that her life was so much better since she came to live with you – someone who cared for and about her and who gave her the love she needed and deserved! : Jeannette, please know that most female birds do not have the difficulties with eggs that sweet Athena had. These problems could have stemmed from many things – especially since her previous home was not one in which she was well cared for, and she had been poisoned with antifreeze. The problems could also have not had anything to do with her previous treatment, or with anything you might have “done or not done” – so don’t blame yourself! Sometimes these things happen and are difficult to understand. Your avian vet might have a better idea of why the problems happened. S/he may also be able to explain why Athena had fluid in her lungs and problems breathing. : It is not normal for a bird to lay eggs too large for her body to pass if her body is of normal size. I am not a vet, but I would think that a bird small for her subspecies could lay eggs of normal size that would be too large for her particular body. This might be much the same as a very petite human woman that gives birth to a healthy 9 pound infant – but might need a c-section to do it as her body might be too small to deliver the child on her own. : I do not know what is the normal size for a red-side egg. My birds are SIs, and Cabby’s eggs were 16 grams in weight and measured about 4 cm long by 3 cm wide at the widest end. Cabby weighs about 400 grams when producing eggs (416 when the egg is about to be laid), and about 375 when not producing eggs. Hopefully that will give you an idea – it sounds like Cabby’s eggs are similar in size to Athena’s. I am amazed at how large the eggs are in proportion to the female’s body. The egg is quite an investment for the female just in terms of the resources she must use to create it! : Your other birds probably didn’t have anything to do with stimulating Athena to produce eggs – although our SIs are very interested in my parents’ Blue Front Amazon (close to the right green color – but larger than a male SI). Athena probably just became mature enough to begin producing eggs. Female parrots in single parrot homes produce eggs. Egg production seems to be a consequence of maturity as well as of stimulation by another bird, temperature, daylength, and probably other factors too. : From the information that has been provided about Athena, I would not say she sounds like she was a chronic egg layer. It is not unusual for a female to keep producing eggs in an attempt to “complete a clutch”. A usual clutch of eclectus eggs is 2. Before we got a nest box for Cabby, she produced an egg every week or so for about 6 weeks. When the nest box was finally completed and she was situated in it, she laid 2 more eggs and incubated them full term. They were not fertile eggs, but our avian vet advised us to let Cabby incubate them for 28 days to stop her laying cycle naturally. Cabby’s cycle stopped, and she has not laid any eggs since early February. : It is not true that if you have a female eclectus that you have to have a male. That is a myth. : I most sincerely hope that this very sad and heartbreaking loss will not keep you from again finding happiness with another eclectus parrot at some time in the future when you feel ready. I am glad you rescued Athena, and that she had a chance to find and experience love and affection as part of your family. : All the best to you – and please do not hesitate to ask us any questions. We will do our best to help in any way we can. : Al and Mary : Cabby and Chardy (SIE) : : : I WROT YOU A WHILE BACK RE;THE RESCUE OF A PET STORE ECLECTUS NAMED ATHENA WITH VERY POOR FEATHER CONDITION,AND WANTED TO SAY THAT WE LOST HER DUE TO A HEMMORAGE OF THE UTERUS,ATHENA WAS DOING GREAT SHE HAD A GREAT DIET ,SHE ATE EVERYTHING IN SIGHT.HER FEATHERS HAD THAT BEAUTIFUL SHEEN AND SHE WAS REALLY COMING AROUND.ON MARCH 20,2000 SHE WAS EGG BOUND WITH AN EGG 32mmWIDE X 42mm LONG WE SAVED HER FROM THAT ONE AND AFTER SHE RECOOPED FROM THAT SHE WENT ON TO TRY FOR ANOTHER,BUT THIS ONE WAS ATTACHED TO HER UTERUS AND THE UTERUS WAS BREAKING DOWN,THE VET TRIED TO BREAK THE EGG AWAY FROM THE UTERUS BUT SHE STARTED TO BLEED SO I INSISTED THAT HE GO IN FOR AN EMERENCY HYSTERECTOMY AND ATHENA CAME THROUGH THE SURGERY BUT THE VET SAID THAT BECAUSE HER UTERUS WAS BLOCKED BY THE EGG A SECOND YOLK WAS DEVELOPING AND GOT PUSHED BACK UP INTO HER INTESTINE. WAS ATHEA A CHRONIC EGG LAYER? THE ASSISTANT PUT SOME WARM FLUID UNDER HER SKIN TO HELP HER WITH DEHYDRATION BUT WHEN SHE DID THAT ATHENA REACTED AS IF SHE WAS DROWNING SO I HELD HER UPSIDE DOWN TO DRAIN THE FLUID THAT SEEMED TO BE COMING FROM HER LUNG.I THINK THE ASS. PUNCTURED HER RIGHT LUNG BUT SHE SEEMED TO BE DOING OK AND THE SHE STARTED TO GASP FOR AIR AND SHE WAS GONE.THE VET HAD ALSO SAID THAT ATHENA HAD EXTENSIVE SCAR TISSUE INSIDE BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND I KNOW THAT ATHENA HAD BEEN POISONED IN THE PET STORE WITH ANTI-FREEZE AND SHIPPED TO VANCOUVER FOR TREATMENT BUT I DON'T KNOW IF SHE WAS EVER EGG-BOUND BEFORE AND I'VE ASKED.COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THE NORMAL SIZE AND WEIGHT IS FOR ARE SIDE ATHENA WEIGHED 456gr TO ME THAT SEEMS AWEFULLY SMALL FOR THE SIZE OF EGGS THAT SHE WAS TRYING TO LAY. AT WHAT AGE ARE THEY MATURE ENOUGH TO START REPRODUCTION? ATHENA WOULD HAVE TURNED 5 IN JUNE. DO ALL ECLECTUS FEMALES GET EGG-BOUND? IF I WERE TO GET ANOTHER I WOULD BE SO SCARED OF LOOSING HER TOO. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN TELL ME? I KEEP SECOND GUESSING MYSELF THINKING THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOMETHING ELSE THAT I COULD HAVE DONE, AT THAT AGE AND AFTER FINDING A GOOD HOME SHE DESERVED SO MUCH MORE TIME,I MISS MY LITTLE PRINCESS SO MUCH. : : THANKYOU, : : BROKEN HEARTED ECLECTUS : : OWNER, : : JEANNETTE

Optional Link URL:
Link Title:
Optional Image URL: