Just In Case
by Real Macaw Member
Lynn Haapa
I recently had to quickly "get my affairs in order," due to impending major surgery. I didn't feel real comfortable going into this thing without a will and without knowing where my birds would go in a worst case scenario.
In a sense, this little crisis was a blessing, because it forced me to do all the things I had said I would get around to eventually, but never did. On the other hand, it just added to the anxiety and nightmarish-quality of my life before the surgery. It definitely would have been better to have had all that taken care of before a crisis came up.
My first thought upon learning that I needed surgery was "Who will take care of my birds while I'm in the hospital?" And that was the very first thing I arranged. A friend came to my house every day and fed, watered and changed cage papers while I was in the hospital. My husband, Ted, covered the birds, turned off the TV, closed the blinds and put on the night-light at night, and did the reverse in the mornings. Ted took over feeding and changing the cage papers when I came home. I'm still not allowed to change the paper in the cages or wash the cages or clean the bird room. It sure doesn't look the way I usually keep it, but I've tried to grit my teeth and ignore it.
My second thought was to spend the weekend before the surgery scrubbing and disinfecting all the cages, since I knew I wouldn't be able to do it again for quite some time. I was running low on the brown Kraft paper I use for the cage bottoms that don't have grates, so I called my supplier and ordered 2 rolls. Fortunately, I had an abundance of their staple diet - pellets. I also called
California and ordered a case of "Shredders" - a woven palm leaf product that several of my birds have taken to with gusto. I thought that with that to keep them busy, maybe they wouldn't have time to miss me or notice the change in their routine so much. Also, I cooked and froze a large batch of the tofu, yam and Kashi (cooked grain product) concoction that all my birds love, so I would have plenty of it on hand the first few weeks after the surgery.
Anyway, my next step was to find someone or several someones, who would give my babies a good home(s) in the event of my death. I was fortunate to find that in my friend Rita, who cared for my birds while I was in the hospital. It really put my mind at ease knowing that she would take them. Rita's two birds - a Moluccan and a Hawkhead -- are treated like little princes and she and her husband are having a house built with a large custom-designed bird room. (Yes, she's been bitten by the bird-bug too, and is in the process of researching Lories to find Bird #3.) So I had it put in my will that she was to get all of my birds and their equipment. My husband would keep the dog and the cats, but he just is not a "bird person."
While I am home recuperating, I am trying to not get the birds too used to my being here during the day. After feeding and baths in the morning, I generally don't go in the bird room (except to retrieve dirty dishes or to stick my head in to say hi) until mid-to late-afternoon. I don't want them to expect me to be here constantly when I go back to work.
So my birds and the rest of my family (husband, mother, dog, 2 cats) and I have survived this little detour on my life's path. The caring for little lives who are totally dependent upon you for everything, whether animal or child, is an awesome responsibility. Unfortunately, health
problems are a fact of life in many people's lives and death comes a' knockin' for all of us, eventually. It's a real good idea to have some kind of plan for what would happen to your little feathered children. Being a good bird parent not only involves educating yourself to learn
how to give your pet(s) the best care you can; it also means providing for their care in the event you are not able to take care of them yourself.
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