Acappella Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 Well, Mr. Dorian and I have had quite the couple of days. Started with a startled flight down the hallway which resulted in him losing 5 flight feathers from his right wing. Two had a little bit of blood at the tip,but no bleeding. The rest fell out clean. He has been going through a molt, but this was extreme, and I was worried about what would happen if he took out flying when his wings were so uneven. Also, his beak had a piece on his lower mandible that stuck up and interfered with how his beak closed. (Wouldn't be a problem if he wore his beak down chewing wood, but he doesn't seem to know that is in his job description. Lol). His talons were also wicked sharp. So... I'd been given the contact info for a groomer who lives only 35 minutes away from me. I called her today in the hopes that she would come to me, but she works as a team with another groomer and only sees birds in her home when she can schedule her helper. It just so happened that they were doing grooming this afternoon, so she asked if I could bring Dorian to her. I hesitated because I hated to put Dorian through the extra stress of a car ride but I popped him in his travel cage and off we went. She was doing the talons on her partners Umbrella Too when I got there (gorgeous, his name is Fred) so Dorian saw what was going on and would not come out of his cage. Carol had to towel him out of the cage, which I hate, so I went out of the room around the corner where I could see them in a mirror but he couldn't see me. He was doing the grey growl and scream that just broke my heart but she was so gentle with him and talked to him all the way through, let him chew on a towel, which is a self soother for him. She did his talons first, hit the quick just barely on one talon that was really long, then cleaned up his beak and evened up his wings. Then I rushed in and "rescued him" from the big bad towel, and he cuddled right in to me. By bedtime it seems he's forgiven me. Even let me give him night night scritches along with his almond. He's slipped off a perch a couple of times because he's not used to his talons being blunted, but the way he was chewing on them I'm sure he'll have them back to needle points in no time. Sorry for the long post. I had to share my anxiety and relief with people whom I know would understand how it all made me feel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittykittykitty Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 Thank you for sharing. I am very glad you found a good groomer. Dorian must be very pleased with his handsome self. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 I love their little growl they do. I can just imaging the expletives they are issuing forth. Nothing worse then a groomer I say - right Dorian? Well except maybe a vet. Nothing worse than a vet and a groomer - right Dorian? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywings Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 Poor baby so mistreated, (loved) no pouting is always a win. Lets see how long it takes him to figure out the mirror works both ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoow Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 I love that you let the groomer be the "bad guy" and you were able to go in and "rescue" him from it all haha. I took Alfie to the vet last month to have his beak and talons sorted. His beak seems to grow wonky somehow and it was getting quite bad. He didn't seem bothered by it (could still eat drink and play just fine) but I wanted to get it sorted before it got out of hand and caused any problems. I worried the whole way to the vets (I take him to a vet who is in a different town- about 30 mins drive away because the "avian specialist" in my town is hopeless) about how he would react and whether he would be frightened etc. Turns out, he was a little superstar. The vet was really pleased with him and said he was as good as gold. Just sat there and put up with it all, no screams or anything! The only thing he did do was fly away from the vet at the first opportunity and landed on two different nurses- the vet assumed he just wanted to get away from him as soon as he could so he couldn't do anything else! Hehe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acappella Posted August 28, 2014 Author Share Posted August 28, 2014 I love that you let the groomer be the "bad guy" and you were able to go in and "rescue" him from it all haha. That's actually a tip I picked up somewhere here on the forum years ago. It seems to work for shortening the post trauma sulk. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 Good for you that Dorian came right to you for cuddles as you rescued him. Miss Gilbert is due for her annual checkup and I have dreaded it since she and Java both got wicked bites in on the vet last year. You are so right that its harder on us to have these visits and they seem to take it in stride. It does seem to get easier each time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffNOK Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 I share your pain. A few weeks ago Gracie had a feather picking episode (which she has stopped thank God), and I took her to the vet for a health check and blood work. Gracie does not like to be handled even by me, and they had to towel her to examine her and take her blood. It was excruciating to watch her struggle. At one point she was so distressed that the vet stopped to let her cool off and calm down. She was scared and panting--out of breath. Thankfully, after a break the vet was able to get her blood sample quickly and everything was ok. It was so hard to watch. I stayed in the examination room with her, and Gracie didn't seem to blame me for the ordeal, but these experiences can be trying for our greys. I wish I could communicate that it was all done out of love and concern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoow Posted August 30, 2014 Share Posted August 30, 2014 I'm quite fortunate in that the vet I use takes Alfie in his carrier to another room. He doesn't even get him out of the cage until I'm well out of sight. Therefore I get no post-vet-trip sulking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2birds Posted August 30, 2014 Share Posted August 30, 2014 I stay with my guys in the examination room. I haven't really experienced any sulking afterwards. As a matter of fact my two other birds really like the vet and forgave her immediately for her being so invasive. My baby grey Poet is going next Wed. so I will see how that goes. Personally, I like to see what is going on. I've seen people do some stupid stuff and I don't want anything bad to happen to them. Birds have died from heart attacks just for getting their nails and beaks trimmed. If I see them getting too stressed out I will stop it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 It is important, that birds learn to meet the vet and team, as well as bird trimmer. You can have a full flighted bird, but they need to have their beaks, nails and feathers trimmed. Eventually they will do so, on their own Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2birds Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 Yes Nancy, this is true. This is the reason that I try to cart Poet around with me whenever and where ever I can so she learns to take everything in stride and she won't die from it. My goffins cockatoo cried like a baby when she was getting her beak trimmed as it was a little long. Interestingly, she told me that was a goffins trait to cry like that. Everything else she took pretty well. The vet I go to is great with the birds and engages with them and they seem to love her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acappella Posted September 1, 2014 Author Share Posted September 1, 2014 Unfortunately Dorian doesn't get much exposure to other people. I live alone, but I make sure that anyone who is here is introduced to Dorian, and he meets lots of people when I take him outside in his small cage. This was the first time he was in a car since I moved here a little over two years ago, and it was definitely a stress for him. He didn't perch, but spent the whole ride climbing frantically all over the cage. I've never been so aware of every bump in the road! I was surprised that, after the trim, he stepped up for one of the groomers and sat with her for a couple of minutes before raising his foot towards me. He's still getting used to his blunted talons, but my hand and forearm are really enjoying the change. Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 2birds.. You are doing a GREAT job with Poet! I didn't know that about a goffin cockatoo! I would HATE hearing my bird cry during a simple trim, but can completely understand when educated! I don't go crazy when my birds protest. I have complete faith in my trimmer and vet, and I am there for support only Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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