SPLAY, MY AMAZING "SPECIAL" BIRD

SPLAY

The story of Little Johnny inspired me to tell you about my favorite bird, Splay, from the first clutch of my normal green pair of parrotlets, Popeye and Olive.

The first three babies from this clutch of five had splayed legs so I was sure that Splay had this problem, although he held his legs straight to the back.  My husband made tiny braces for all the babies from makeup sponges and we pulled their tiny legs through.  It was amazing, but they all could stand... all except Splay.  His legs went straight back even with the tiny brace on.

SPLAY & CLUTCH MATES

We had high hopes for all the babies as they all continued to grow and walk normally, except for Splay, and that is when we began to notice he had other problems as well.  He seemed to have a crippled foot.

Splay loved his siblings and they all took turns sleeping with him even though they could climb the branches in the tree limbs.  One by one they went to their new homes.  Splay got extremely depressed and it appeared he was about to die.

I telephoned the vet and she suggested I just let him sit on the bottom of the cage for a day or so to see what happened.  Her next suggestion was to euthanize him.  I worried about it all night and the next day.  As I left the house the next morning I had a feeling that he would be dead when I got home.  He was in a corner, all fluffed up, shivering and shaking.

Well, imagine my surprise when I returned and he was on a perch!  Splay has a special way of perching.  He has only three claws that can grasp so he grasps onto the side of the cage and flings himself up onto the perch.  He was so proud, as were we!

SPLAY AT PLAY

Splay continues to amaze us daily with his feats of bravery.  He will hang by those three claws from the top of his cage and just swing.  Sometimes we will hear a crash but he just wobbles back to the side and starts the climb again.  He has found a way to hoist himself into the swing and hangs onto the side of the cage with two claws and swings.  Unfortunately he is no longer tame enough to let me hold him and scratch his head.  He will come to see me if I call him, but he prefers not to be held and I respect that.

SPLAY & SWING

One day I began to notice that he and a female budgie, in the cage next to him had taken a great interest in each other.  They always ate together and sang together and as I moved the cages closer and closer, they began to sleep huddled against the bars together.  So one day I decided to try and put the two together in a bigger cage that belonged to neither of them and they fell in love.  They preen each other and play and eat together.  I was so happy that Splay could have a friend to keep him company.

SPLAY & SUNSHINE

Splay will be one year old soon.  It is so hard to believe that he has made it this far and has adapted to his life with limitations so beautifully.  Don't we all have this ability?  So many times I complain because I try to do something and cannot and then I think about little Splay and his amazing determination to just be a regular bird.  I think everyone could learn a lesson from Splay.

Story and photographs contributed by Splay's Mom, Margie Denner.
Copyright © 2007, Margie Denner