Conference 7.286::pet_birds

Hi all,
    
    I sent this message to Jim this morning but I was getting nervous
    (thought he might not be in today) so I posted it here.  In case
    someone needs some advise on this, here is Jim's reply.  I'll let
    you know how it went for us.
    
From:	SVCRUS::BUCCIERI     "Jim Buccieri PKO1 223-5089" 23-APR-1990 10:11:58.96
To:	HKFINN::GIANCOLA
CC:	BUCCIERI
Subj:	RE: Vet visit today ...

Hi Donna,

Well, I can certainly understand your concern.  I would probably have nitemares
too.  The best way I can think of is to just use a towel.  Because of your
fear, you may want to use a nice thick bath towel.  If Rocky will come out of
his cage let him come out and then throw the towel over him.  Birds will not
bite what they can't see.  After the towel lands on him, wrap the towel around
his body and pick him up at the same time.  Do this gently but be deliberate
about it.  Put the towel and bird as you have it into the "crate".  I don't know 
how big this crate is but Rocky should come out of the towel on his own.  That 
should get him where you want him.  This is the best way for him and you.  Good
Luck and let me know how they do.  Give my regards to Doctor Kilgore.

Jim Buccieri

    Donna,
    
    I like the towel suggestion, HOWEVER !!!!, put on a pair of leather
    gloves as well!  Birds will most definately bite what they can't see!
    As a matter of fact, they will usually grap the first thing they can
    and hold on for dear life!  With a Mollucan, that can mean a broken
    finger if he gets you right.  We use a large square of suede leather
    and gloves to handle our wild pair of napes.   I don't mean to scape
    you, but don't get the idea that if thier head is covered they don't
    bite.
    
    Pete

    I concur with the thick towel AND the gloves, because the bird will 
    bite what it can feel (another way of 'seeing' - at some level)...
    in this case, your hands.  I learned the hard way, but with a smaller
    bird than yours, fortunately for me.  If you are going to use a towel
    with loose nap (terry), be especially careful that the bird's toes
    don't get caught...nails and bones can get broken this way, because
    the wild bird is thrashing around, trying to get a hold on something,
    in this case loose fabric.  A couple of ways to avoid this: use a
    towel with a smooth (velour) surface or a sheet that has been wrapped
    up to about the size of a beach towel - or, if you can manage it with
    just yourself doing all this, have a perch ready to have the bird grab
    with its feet so it doesnt' tangle up in the cloth.  My regards also
    to Dr. Kilgore.
    
    When you get the bird home, put the box up to the cage door and open
    the carrier so the bird can exit right into the cage, but avoid 
    'dumping' him in.  Be patient.  He will jump out onto the familiar
    cage perch and toward the light eventually.  (It can take a few
    minutes.)
    
    Linda

    Use your welders gloves and a towel.  Also, initially grab the 
    Molluccan by the leg.  Hold him firmly there, and for several
    seconds he will not bite.  This may even be long enough to 
    get him into the crate.
    
    I know how scary this can be with a bird so strong.  Good
    luck!

    Everyone, thanks for the suggestions.  I have to admit that I'm a nervous
    wreck.  Talk about stressing the birds...  BTW: I don't have any
    welders gloves or any thick leather gloves so I'm on a "wing and
    a prayer" with this one.  I'm going to try to get him onto the floor
    because I can manage him better that way (he's 6' high when he's
    on top of his cage and I'm only 5'2").  I figure, if I can get him
    on the floor, he can't hold onto his cage bars and he will be at
    a level where I can have more control.
    
    Tomorrow, I'll let you know how all of us made out.
    
    Thanks for the support!  I NEED IT!
    
    Donna ;-)

    Hi again everyone!
    
    Cochese, Rocky, and I survived getting to the vets yesterday.  What a
    time I had getting Rocky out of his cage and into the crate. I called
    my brother to see if he had welders gloves (he has 2 birds) and he did
    so I was able to borrow them.  All I can say is that it's a good thing
    I gave myself plenty of time to make the appointment. I could not have
    got Rocky out of his cage without those gloves! Thank GOD my landlord
    was home.  She helped me get Rockys cage off the pedestal and onto the
    floor because I could not reach him the other way.  Of course on the
    day that you want the bird to come out of his cage, he didn't want to.
    I'm sure they sensed my anxiety! Once I got the cage on the floor, I
    still had a hard time because he kept going to the back of his cage
    (which is out of my reach). He almost got me a couple of times.  Once
    he saw the gloves on me, LOOK OUT!  He immediately started going after
    those gloves and I kept pulling my fingers out of them.  I ended up
    having to put my head inside the cage to reach him with the towel. I
    FINALLY managed to get the towel over his head (Jim, they still want to
    bite you when their head is covered) and around his body.  I can't
    believe how strong that little bugger is.  He got his head out of the
    towel a couple of times and latched onto the side of the cage and he
    didn't want to let go of his perch either.  Once I got him out of the
    cage, putting him in the crate was easy.  What a job that was.  It took
    me about 30 minutes.  No way did I want to get bit by him.
    
    Cochese was more cooperative but she didn't want to go in the crate.
    She was screaming to get out while I was driving so I tried to comfort
    her by scratching her head through the bars while driving.
    
    Once I got to the vets, I took the blanket off Rockys cage.  That was a
    mistake because he had already chewed the side plastic bars and had his
    head sticking through the side.  On went the blanket again.
    
    What an experience.
    
    Jim and Linda, I gave Dr. Kilgore your regards.  I have to admit
    that she was an excellent doctor and was gentle with the birds.
    She didn't trust Rocky either.  As soon as she saw him, she crabbed
    her gloves because she said that her worse bites were from Mollucans.
    Once she got him out of the crate, she took the gloves off and handled
    him like a champ!
    
    Everyone, thanks again for the support yesterday. I really needed
    it!
    
    Donna :-)  ;-)