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Be Prepared

© Mary Wilson

It was a usual evening. I came home, fed my rabbits, birds, and other pets, and then I curled up to watch the news. A shrill bunny shriek split the air. I ignored it, for my bunnies are apt to take out their frustrations occasionally. Mind you, I always break it up if it gets to much, but occasionally someone dislikes a romantic advance and gets vocal. But then, I heard it again.

No, it didn't sound quite right. I have five bunnies. Two, Peanut and Hoppy share the same cage, and I thought something must be going on. I'd removed Little Bug from the cage earlier, for I had thought Hoppy had been beating up on him. Well, I flip on the light. Something moved in the cage and it wasn't Hoppy or Peanut. It was a baby bunny. Four to be exact, and I'd missexed Peanut. Turns out the she was really a he.

After a few moments of panic, I moved the gerbils into an empty 10 gallon aquarium, and put Peanut in the 20 gallon aquarium (he's a dwarf bunny so it was okay for the night) until I could get a new cage. Although this was a bunny story, the moral is as pet owners we have to be prepared.

I have an assortment of cages, food and water dishes, toys, and other bird paraphernalia on hand. My collection gets jokes, but if I need something, it's usually there. Plastic critter carriers make great hospital cages or brooders. Empty cages serve for isolating birds or transport for new ones.

What should a bird owner have on hand to be prepared? For a pet owner, the list is thankfully small. A transport cage or carrier is a must. Keep it by your bird's cage. In the event of an emergency, you want to be able to put your bird inside and go. A shoebox with a plastic bag or two of your bird's favorite food (replenish often), a few toys, favorite treats (again change often) and care instructions along with a vet's number should be inside. You may also wish to have a container of "quick stop" which helps to stop bleeding, or a plastic bag of flour (I've used it to effectively stop bleeding).

You may also wish to have a plastic pet carrier or empty 10 gallon aquarium and heating pad, along with a couple of old towels to make a hospital cage. Some pedialite (I think it finally comes in single serving bottles) would also be helpful in case your bird becomes ill, along with a syringe or two.

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