Broken leg :(

[KarenB]

Hoot and Annie update:

Last night they slept in the nest, and they were still in there when I checked this morning on my way out the door for a long bicycle ride. Then when I got home a quarter after noon they were both "still" in there, and it somewhat concerned me. I thought, oh no, something happened and she's too ill to come out. I peered in, and they blinked at me. Still alive. Then I went to prepare their lunch, came back, and they both came out. Whew.

Then as I was watching the society clan, Hoot picked up come cocoa fiber and started dancing with it. Annie was busy preening at that point and didn't get the benefit of watching him dance. But all this activity makes me feel that all is semi back to normal......Hoot and Annie's new normal

[KarenB]

I'm very happy to report that Annie has made a complete recovery and is now sitting on eggs again. She had laid some and was sitting on them when I moved her and Hoot over into the new flight with the Societies, but I took them away due to the excitement of the move and the fact that they were clear. This is actually her second clutch since the accident. I have not checked to see if the eggs are viable or not, but it does not matter. Either they are, or they aren't, and time will tell. I am just happy that all is relatively back to normal with this pair.

[finchmix22]

KarenB
So glad she has recovered and seems to be back to normal.

[MiaCarter]

KarenB -- Such wonderful news!

So happy for little Annie and Hoot. They are such a lovely little pair. So adorable!

How is her locomotion? Is she hopping around okay? Has she adjusted in terms of her balance?

[KarenB]

Oh, this girl even swings on the homemade swing I made. I made it using a slightly longer piece of twig so it won't "swing" so much, using some plastic toy-making twine for the sides by which to hang it, and I quick-linked those to the top of the flight.

She still sits IN the food dish to eat, but she bathes normally. She tends to use her wings more for balancing and turning than the other finches, which is understandable. She hardly notices the platform I made for her. In fact, the societies use it more than she does....actually, I've never actually seen her on it.

Other than her squatting more when she is perched, you really wouldn't know she is "handicapped."

[MiaCarter]

KarenB - That's wonderful!
Do you have a photo of your swing?
I'd love to see how you made it!

I'd love to make one for my guys. I've tried swings in the past, but they got ignored. I probably tossed them out.
But I have some new guys that I've never given a swing, so it's worth a shot!
I bet I could even rig something from clothes hanger wire, with some electrical tape or similar wrapped around it to make a perch. (I thought of a tube or hollow dowel of some sort, but I think it would rotate and that wouldn't work!)

[KarenB]

I drilled small holes for the twine perpendicular to the length of the stick, centered on the stick, about an inch from the end on each side, making sure I had them even on both sides. Then I strung the twine through and knotted it. Then I made a loop on the other end of the twine to attach my quick link for hanging, making sure each side was the same length.

[MiaCarter]

KarenB --- Ooh, it's pretty!

It's more like a hanging perch. So I bet even if they don't like the swinging, they'll like it as a normal perch!

Where did you get that great stick?

[KarenB]

Here, I caught her hanging out on it, finally!



I found these very long branches at Michael's craft store. They came three to a bundle. I'm not really sure what type of wood they are, but they are pretty light weight. A parrot would make toothpicks of them in moments. I want to say they were a good 4.5 to 5 feet long apiece. They are what I used for my African flight cage, since it is so big. I cut the pieces to fit in the spaces I wanted them (hand saw worked just fine) and then drilled holes on the ends like for the swing, and then I zip-tied them here and there. On the thicker ones I actually used a screw-in eye hook and used a couple of washers to hold it in place, just like they do for parrot perches but with wing nuts.

[finchmix22]

KarenB
Wow, you are creative and did a great job! She looks great and very comfortable.

[Sam007]

Very nice idea. I will make similar hanging perches for my finches too.

[KarenB]

KarenB
Wow, you are creative and did a great job! She looks great and very comfortable.

Thanks! I actually think she likes it better than any other piece of furniture in there.

[KarenB]

Very nice idea. I will make similar hanging perches for my finches too.

I think I've started something