Bo the Moluccan Cockatoo 12/9/05

12/9/05 - Bo had his sutures removed today. The vet decided to keep him wrapped because of where he opened himself up previously and we are using the bandages also as a way of trying to break Bo of his chest fixation. In theory, if we can get him to leave the bandages alone he may leave his chest alone. The ball collar, while keeping him from his chest but not the joint area. I think his little neck stretched because it was working for a while. To keep him from being able to reach his wound and to make sure he does not get himself through the night again (it was only that 1 episode) Bo had a custom made/fit breast plate made today. It is made from a product either called thermoplast or thermoplastic; a type of plastic that you can boil to make it malleable and then you have so long to work w/ it before it sets hard again. My vet has used this product to repair duck bills in the past; I felt it before they went to work on him and it appears very strong.

Bo is up to 805 grams but that is w/ the breast plate on. We became so absorbed in the process of fitting him right that we completely forgot to weigh him before it was on. His next appointment is in 2 weeks and I will have them weigh him before and after so I know the true weight of him and the weight of the breast plate and bandages. Being he had to be rewrapped and I can not bathe him w/ the bandages they gave him a shower for me. I wish he could take a real shower at home and more often ... in time I suppose. He also received his antibiotics for his e-coli infection. That's about it for today.