Luvparrots Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 You have all had a chance to meet my Red Factor Male Canary, Captain Caruso. Well yesterday he was exposed to Dust-Off, the original Compressed Gas duster. But I should start from the beginning..... Every other weekend I watch my 3-year-old grandson. JJ is a very active and inquisitive young man who frankly is into everything. Anyhow, I was typing away on the computer in my office where Cappy, the canary, lives. JJ was watching Cappy fly around the room and into my plant jungle or so I thought. Sudden I hear frantic chirping and smell a strong gaseous odor. JJ is saying quietly "birdie down", I say "what" and JJ repeats louder "birdie down". I ask where and JJ points to the foot of my office chair. Cappy is lying with his eyes closed at the foot of my chair. I scoop up my poor limp canary turn on the room fan, get JJ and leave the room and close the door. In the hall, I turn on the large ceiling exhaust fan, turn on the fan in the Grey Room and close the door. On the way to the living room I turn on the bathroom fans and kitchen stove fan and grab a kitchen towel and quickly sit down in front of the small fan I keep by my TV chair and hold my sweet canary in the cool air praying he will open his eyes and not be the limp thing I now hold in my shaking hands. I know I have lost my little friend and my mind is filled with fear for my three parrots now closed in the room across from my deadly office. What do I do, I cannot abandon my friend who is dying in my arms so I hold him and pray. Cappy opens his eyes and I pray harder and place him on the footstool in front of my fan so that he can take full advantage of the fresh cool air and quickly go to make sure my parrots are all safe. Gratefully there is no odor in the hall or in my greys' room, I was able to keep it all in my office. Thank the Lord. I let the parrots out and they fly to the living room. I watch them closely because Ana Grey hates small birds and will stalk them (hence, Cappy lives in the office not the bird room) but Ana Grey stays away from my TV chair where she usually sits with me. I guess she knows that Cappy is ill and not to be bothered. I watch my parrots closely and they are all fine in fact they fly back to their bird room so I know it is free of odor. Cappy is up from his reclining position with his back to the fan so he can still receive cool air but he is now standing with his eyes open and watching me. JJ has been watching Cappy very quietly and petting his back. I have not said anything yet to my grandson but he knows spraying Cappy has made him very sick. After cleaning Cappy's cage and airing out my office and getting rid of the dreadful compressed gas, I go into the living room and can't find Cappy. After a frantic look-around I find him sitting in the window enjoying the view. It's been over 24 hours since this mishap and Cappy is fine and flying in my office was I type. I am just grateful that I had the presence of mind to keep Cappy in front of a fan instead of just assuming he was lost forever. Thank you God. I am writing this so you will all know that accidents can happen anytime and that in case your grey/parrot is exposed to deadly odors or smells do not assume all is lost. Turn on that fan or somehow get your parrot to flowing fresh air so that he/she has a chance to breathe clean fresh air and hopefully live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Glad Cappy's ok, hope your okay to..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywings Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Wow close call but you kept your wits about you and made a saving move, good work and so sorry it even happened. Deep breath and a bubble bath for you with maybe a glass of wine or hot chamomile tea with honey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 Great job! Keeping your wits in a tough situation! Yeah to you both! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carolina Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 Your quick thinking saved your baby's life! So glad Cappy is ok...This is what I tell the hubby constantly and he thinks I'm overprotective of Dali ever since Beezer (15 yo CAG) passed. I have told him absolutely no teflon and he still bothers about making a fondue and just putting Dali in a different room. Jeez, will this man ever learn?!? LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paleale Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 Thank you very much for posting this. I have a (now 6-year-old) little boy who sounds to be much like your little J.J. when he was that age. Although a person can be protective and safeguard against risky situations, accidents do happen. I hope I never have to experience what you have gone through, but your honest and purposeful post will be in the back of my mind if I ever have a similar experience. Thank you again and cheers to you and Cappy! (And I hope little J.J. is okay too... I know my little guy would've been very upset.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 That would be a heart-stopper! So glad Cappy is OK... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Oh my! What a horrific story. Thank god you kept a cool smart head and knew what to do. Many others wouldn't have. I can only I imagine the terror you felt inside. I am so happy for a happy ending, I was afraid to finish reading what I thought would bring me to tears of sadness. I actually never realized that that was a dangerous product for our fids. I havent given the "air" a second thought, although I dont use it. I do have a can in my bedroom....thank you for the warning. And go have a bubble bath, light some candles, and have a much needed glass of wine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted January 30, 2013 Author Share Posted January 30, 2013 (edited) You will all be happy to know that, Cappy has been singing up a storm today and is right as rain. As for the can of air, I purchased it because my older grandson was going to use it to clean the dust out my computer but just redid the whole thing instead and the can of air just sat on my file cabinet unused..... until JJ used it that is. JJ was very afraid for Cappy and sit quietly petting Cappy the whole time Cappy was recuperating. We did talk and without scaring him and I believe he understands what could have happened and will be much more careful about touching things without asking. I am just grateful that I remembered reading that birds exhale about all the air in their lungs at each breath and then inhale new fresh oxygen. If I had not read this fact, I would never have thought to place my sweet canary right in front of my portable fan and just letting him breathe. It took a bit but he is now active and singing again and I am just thankful. Edited February 15, 2013 by luvparrots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Thanks Janet...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 I am so glad to hear that Cappy is fine after that scary ordeal, another lump in my throat reading the first post but you read that fact about birds for a reason, mysterious ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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