Pierre & Piper UPDATE 8/3/10

Mouse over the pictures for captions.



Pierre the formerly-splay-legged dove is doing great! He's still wearing his hobble and is standing and walking and feisty and full of life. When I take his hobble off, while his leg is better than before surgery, it is not good enough and he loses some effectiveness. I believe he will need the second surgery to correct his tibia taursus (rather than wear the hobble forever). We'll be going back to see Dr. Speer in mid-August.

In the meantime, he's a happy dove man. He and Piper have been building and building and building their nest and then, finally in July, Piper laid eggs. Both are very devoted to the nest and very proud and pleased. Their eggs were incredibly beautiful. It broke my heart to have to replace them with fake. They've continued to sit on the fake eggs with just as much committment though, as egg-aware as they are, I know they've noticed a difference.



Even though Pierre and Piper live in a flight cage that is 32" wide, 34" high and 22" deep, they get out-of-cage time every day. I just open the door and who ever wants to go exploring, does. Usually they go back of their own accord but, sometimes I call time and put them back.



I also roll their cage outside everyday so that they get sun and clouds and wind and birds and the excitement of being outdoors.




They keep the romance alive in their relationship and spend a lot of time together.



Here's how Pierre arrived. Note his right leg splayed completely horizontal- and useless.



And here's Pierre today- standing tall.



Y'all did that. It wouldn't have happened without you. And, while in the big scheme of the world, it may not mean much, I can tell you, to Pierre, it IS the world.

Thank you. YOUR donations are what allows MickaCoo to help birds like Pierre (and Missy and Duke and Tina and Tony and and and). Click here and follow the steps if you'd like to make a donation today.