June 2011 - Spirit update.

UPDATE JUNE 28:

We are saddened to tell you that Spirit passed away on June 18th in the wee hours of the morning. When Stephanie woke at 6am, he was lying in front of the fireplace - his sleeping spot. We believe it is likely because of a blood clot due to his condition. He has been buried in the resting place at the Refuge. Sam is making a plaque for him.

Spirit has touched and inspired many of us with his determination and will to live a full life, despite everything he had undergone prior to arriving at the refuge.

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Spirit wants everyone to know how well he is progressing from such a dreadful start. He was captured from the wild, used as breeding stock and then seriously injured by someone in charge of his life: his back had been broken in 2 places and he was very thin when he arrived here.

Rescued by 2 WPR volunteers and given the name Spirit because of the courage he showed and his determination to live, he does his best to let everyone know that his life is full even though his legs do not work. As you can see in this video, with perseverance, Spirit is even starting to move his toes!

He motors around Stephanie's house because she has carpeting and he can get a grip with his beak and his wings don't slip. Although his legs do not work - he still uses them. He lifts himself up with his beak - and now very powerful neck - and flips his legs so that they are straight down under him. He then slowly lowers himself onto his feet. He will even let go with his beak for a few seconds just to stand on his own two feet.

Steph is also helping Niki to be brave again. Niki is a lesser sulfur crested cockatoo who was always a real tough guy. He managed to make another bird pretty mad at him and got a really nasty chomp on his foot. It was pretty badly broken. Pins were not an option for these injuries so Wendy fixed him herself. She pushed all the little bones in place and taped it up - lots of good tape. With pain killers and antibiotics he got through it very well. However, he was too scared to put his weight on his foot and was feeling pretty miserable. Steph took him home at night to be with Spirit.

It worked.

He would steal toys from Spirit and then hobbled off when Spirit gave chase. Now he can run again. The only bad bit for him is he lost the very tip of his toe. They don't bend well yet - and may never do so - but he can stand on the foot and he can run on the foot.

Spirit and Niki play really well and they even chase the doberman away. We figure that when Niki saw how badly injured Spirit is-- but just overcomes his disability -- he would do the same. And he has done this, thanks to Spirit.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• parrots
• World Parrot Refuge
• Spirit update bird

[myriam1000]

RIP Spirit!!! You are free now!

[proreview3153]

R.I.P Spirit!

[SeraphimJenith]

I used to do that with my dual splay-legged, cherry-head conure. Making him "fly" around the house for exercise, encouraging him. They're in heaven together now...