We received lots of questions over the past few weeks about what a flight suit is and why people would use it and we would like to take a moment to educate.

Simply put, flight suits are essentially diapers for pet birds.  They are generally generically sized based on the type of bird and are a way to “contain waste” while being worn.  Typically people use these for pets when they are out so they don’t get their clothing ruined, or at very least pooped on.

Pigeon flight suits are being more popular as pigeons are fairly adaptable and don’t have a sharp beak for biting.  They are friendly and do make a lovely little cooing sound.

You can also get diapers for ducks and geese, if you chose to have them as a pet.

Flight suits and diapers are fine if they are cleaned regularly and the bird’s botton is also properly cleaned after wearing a diaper.  Diapers and Flight suits do not take the responsibility of keeping your bird clean and healthy away – they are actually just as demanding (or should be) as cleaning up after your pet each time they make waste.  After all, you wouldn’t let your young infant human baby sit in their own waste for hours on end – it’s not healthy, it’s uncomfortable for the wearer and it’s just plain gross.  The same logic applies for your pet.

Buttercup showing off her Teal Roses diaper custom made by Sew Sammi

There are also advantages to having a flight suit or diaper.  Most allow you to clip on a leash so it’s also safer for your pet if you like to take them out of the house.  You could also attach an identification tag, if you so choose (as I do with my duck and geese, but may not be safe for fully flighted birds).  And lastly, there is of course the fashion and costuming.

Best practice if you plan to diaper up your bird is to have them custom made.  It costs a little more, sometimes, but then you know they are going to fit the best and not get caught on anything (again, a big concern if your bird is flighted).

We would like to thank all of you who visited our page(s) in efforts to find Olive/Liberace’s home and I hope this answers most of your questions.  Feel free to ask anything I didn’t answer or provide feedback on a topic you would like to know about.

Landys,
bird enthusiast, Fallen Feathers volunteer, and owner of Ducky and Buttercup

This message was received via text from the owners of Olive.  We thought that since Olive has received such overwhelming support this past week, that it was worth sharing:

While our family loves all of our pets,
Olive our Pidgeon is the most independent & easiest pet to care for and we care for and love four rescue dogs, one rescue cat and more…

OLIVE NOT ONLY RUNS THE HOUSE SHE FLYS IT
— she goes back and forth room to room –
to hang out with…mom and dad or their son and his dad or the son with friends or even our black cat Pearl

She loves car rides attentively looking out the front windshield from mom’s shoulder or arm or perched on the front passenger seat (and yes we are working on a seat belt for her)

OLIVE LOVES BLING just like her mother does
— Olive took off the bow tie and handkerchief on her flight suit diaper the first day she wore it… so mama replaced them with Swarovski crystals.
— Olive has been gently repeatly reprimanded for knocking off every displayed silver-blinged shoes which we previously thought she did to wear them… well we now know better…
— We have yet to find where she is making a nest or a nest egg or both… given all the items that have gone missing…
— Most recently mom bought a pair of silver and gold earrings and Olive took and hid one earring from each pair.

Olive plays with family members individually as they can recognize different human faces
— finger boxes with mom
— bows for dad to pet her
— turns her cheek for our 10 year old son to kiss her

Olive flies on to shoulders of known family / friends / and visitors

Olive sleeps on one leg on your leg / cooing when you disturb her then goes to pillow or door ledge

She jumps in sink when doing dishes thinks it’s bath or play time

She playfully flies around & around four small dogs as they bark and jump…
then lands on a safe ledge above the dogs…
and looks down upon them

We were all deeply saddened with the thought of never seeing Olive again… and my husband the poet was devastated. His healing started with a poem he wrote after she did not return in two days.

Olive left at 7:17am on 11/7 and she was found 11/11… which in itself is poetic… for OLIVE had this planned all along … and we now know why she repeatedly knocked over the silver blinged shoes…

We now believe she was trying on her “ruby red slippers” (Dorothy’s slippers were originally silver not ruby red) so she could put them on after she had temporarily and innocently ‘flown the coop’ with her God given wings, to then, when the time was right, click her heels three times while repeating “Their is no place like home… Their is no place like home… Their is no place like home.”

P.S. Marlette is bringing the “Ruby Red Slippers” so that Olive may make her trip back home… back to ‘Kansas’…

God gave my child the wings to fly
By Norman

Up and up and around so high
Into the clouds, the deep blue sky
I was told you left our nest, yes
My child left without a goodbye

My throat closed, heart dropped, I confess
Dark the sense of loss I possess
I taught you love, not of danger
Life’s on hold, a long blue recess

You know not the evil stranger
Whose heart heinous thoughts do harbor
Prayers for your safety as I cry
Dreams of your return I conjure

Dare I move on, how do I try
Still I see you, my soul will sigh
Seek your heart’s song, do not deny
God gave my child the wings to fly

During a wildfire, adult birds can easily fly from danger, however if springtime, they must leave their young, who may not yet be able to fly, in harms way.   Migratory birds can fly the additional distance to find new territory, however local birds may have difficulty finding landscape that is suited to their needs.

Airsacs in a birds body force the direction of oxygen one way thru the body (unlike mammals) and oxygen concentrations are higher in their blood; making toxins more dangerous to them.  When exposed to smoky conditions, it’s important to get the bird on the most nutritious diet available.

For Wildbirds, provide healthy, nutritious foods such as suet, black-oil sunflower seeds, fruit, nuts and nectar.  Also provide fresh, clean water for both drinking and bathing daily.  Plant native trees and shrubs to help provide protection.  Wild birds should be taken to a bird rehabilitation center/sanctuary if injured or if they appear lethargic.

For Pets, this excludes seeds, which are notoriously unhealthy for birds.  Feed your bird pellets.  You can also supplement with antioxidants Omega 3 fatty acids, grape seed extract, vitamins C and E.  Make sure to research how these may affect your bird as each bird species is affected differently.

Symptoms could take minimum of 3 weeks to start to resolve, including: breathing hard, bobbing their tails, sitting on the bottom of the cage fluffed up or just acting lethargic and not wanting to eat much.   Additional steps to take include running your air conditioner, using a Heppa filter, use fans to keep air flowing, keep doors and windows closed.  If there is ash still in the air outside, you can place a very damp sheet over the top of the cage.  Do not use any fabric that is too heavy or too wet as this can cause additional breathing complications.

Once a fire is over, birds will have to adapt to different predators, different landscapes, and finding new food sources.  In the case of naturally occurring fires, the land often experiences more diversity of species, including birds, during regrowth.

Current status of Arizona Wildfires:  http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-wildfires/2017/07/04/what-you-need-know-21-wildland-fires-burning-arizona/448012001/

Sources:

https://www.backyardchirper.com/blog/how-wildfires-affect-birds/

https://whisperingpinespc.com/bird-safety-toxic-effects-smoke

https://www.petcha.com/protect-your-bird-from-smoke/

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/07/140721-animals-wildlife-wildfires-nation-forests-science/

Additional resources:

http://www.petsmart.com/learning-center/dog-care/when-a-wildfire-threatens-be-ready/A0270.html

#wildfire #birdrescue #birdrehab #arizona #danger #pets #airsac #airquality #health #care #