Sarah's gone. The balding man with missing front teeth came to get her today. I knew she had to leave. I've no room for her and she couldn't stay where she was, all alone. She only lived with us for two weeks but in that time I saw she was a sensitive and intelligent soul. I think she'll be all right. The bald man wasn't pretty but he assured me that the other bird living with him is well looked after.
Sarah is a galah. She came into the surgery with a fractured wing, broken beyond repair. It had to be amputated. She is an adult wild caught female. Well, caught because with a useless wing it was either be captured or die. She also had a bad case of coccidiosis. I've had her on coccivet since she came home with me. The first two nights she spent in the spare room with the terracotta heat lamp. When she coped well and seemed stronger I moved her onto the verandah with Tach and Cornelius. She improved steadily until it was obvious she needed more room to exercise than is provided by a cocky cage. We moved her out into the spare aviary then. By herself still as I didn't want her to bond with any of the other rescued galahs. A foot separated her aviary from theirs so she did have some companionship. She could watch the wild galahs at the feeder as well.
Still, it was hard to let her go. I put together a care package; Coccivet and a 1 ml syringe for her coccidiosis, a single typed sheet of basic granivore care, two vegetable skewers (one for her mate as she's going to live with another bird, a male) and a corn cob. I also provided a cover sheet as they were going to transport her in an uncovered cocky cage. That is such a common mistake. Don't people see how stressed birds are when they are subjected to every visual stimulus?
Some adult wild galahs come into the surgery and you just know they will never adjust to being in captivity. We humanely euthanise them. Sarah, happily, was hissing and frightened but also showed a steadiness of character that indicated she would be a good candidate for rehoming.
While she was inside or on the verandah I had to change her food, water and papers daily. She naturally didn't like it and hissed and moved away from my hand but she didn't panic either. Outside she was quite brilliant. She soon ceased moving to the other side of the aviary when we walked past. She stayed calm while we put food and water in or took them out. She was even good to catch this afternoon. I had to towel her of course and she didn't like it but again, she handled it well.
Despite his missing teeth and kind of male attitude I think he'll be kind to her. It says something that he wants a companion for his resident male galah. He also has a ringneck which goes for car rides with him. He understands it will take many months before she trusts enough to accept overtures. I know she'll be okay and it's arrogant to think I'm the only person who can look after birds properly. Still, I miss her.
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