So late on an evening last week my time was taken up with this little dude. Found on the road covered (and I mean covered) in maggot eggs, in his eyes, nose, ears, all between his spikes.
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But he had a bit of life left in him. So I spent two hours picking off every single egg I could find, bathed him, got some fluids into him and gave him some food. The maggot eggs were even under his eye lids, luckily none had started to hatch. Reminded me very much of flystrike with sheep.
Good job my hands are tough as he was understandably spiky.
He went from near dead and lifeless when we found him, to snuffling around the box we'd put him in (on top of another box with a hot water bottle in for a bit of extra heat) once I'd done my bit. I was surprised how lively he was this morning.
Once he survived the night I managed to get him off to some specialist care. News is he's doing fine and eating lots now.
Cute little guy to be fair.
*no doubt I'm going to get criticism for not taking him somewhere the first night, but tried numerous numbers and couldn't get through to anyone, nearest place was an hour away, so just did the best I could.
You did a wonderful job of saving that little one's life, and should feel good about it,Mary
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ReplyDeleteOh he is so cute. How wonderful that you managed to save him. Many years ago my partner bought home a seagull with an injured wing. We rang the RSPB the following day but they said they could do nothing. Eventually, we found a local woman who rescued birds. We took him to her, she lived in a semi in suburbia. She had several birds including a swan with a very damaged wing in her downstairs kitchenette. I was disappointed in the response from the RSPB I must say.
ReplyDeleteI’ve never seen one before.
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