I have always been a hyper aware person especially when it comes to my animals, husband and home.
I try to always be cognizant of possible threats that could harm my animals and am proactive about ways to circumvent any dangers to them.
This is inclusive of all the ‘what if’ situations that run through my overactive brain on a daily basis.
The other evening I was laying in bed reading with both dogs and both cats in bed with me.
Hubs was watching TV.
All of a sudden we both heard one of the birds let out a muted squawk and we almost collided with each other running onto the porch. It was just one squawk, then silence. Hubs grabbed the flashlight while I ripped the cage covers off.
OMG… there was a 6’ plus boa wrapped around the African Grey parrot and had wrapped on the perch in the process.
Hubs opened the cage and held the flashlight for me to reach into the cage and grab the head of the snake. I did a very quick grab and flipped it counter clockwise and was able to get it to fully release the bird.
Hubs started yelling omg the bird is dead while I am saying Noooo it is not dead. The bird fell to the bottom of the cage and staggered, then climbed up the side. The snake was in my hands but his tail was wrapped tightly around the perch.
I told hubs to grab the tail while keeping the cage door closed enough to keep Kikuyu from flying out.
Once we rescued the bird I told hubs to get my knife because I wanted to kill that snake.
After a few seconds I told him to just get a pillowcase and I would put the snake in it.
Once the snake was secured, I checked the bird over for wounds from a bite or a possible broken wing.
The bird was fine and it’s the first time I have ever handled that bird that I didn’t need a blood transfusion from his bites.
He has bitten me so deeply several times that it required sutures.
I wound up putting the snake in a dry box with holes in the lid so he could overnight until morning when I could drive far away to release him.
We had snake proofed the porch, or so we thought.
We finally figured out he had gained access from a tree limb that hung over the edge of our porch.
The birds are no longer allowed to be on the porch without the dogs out there with them.
After all was said and done, I looked at hubs and said; “We make a great team.”
I then promptly fell apart shaking and crying thinking what could have happened if we didn’t recognize that squawk as a danger squawk.
What made me feel extremely guilty is that bird is not mine. It belongs to my best friend that lives in the cottage. I opted to wait till morning to tell her what happened.
This is Kikuyu and I thank God we were able to save him.
I try to always be cognizant of possible threats that could harm my animals and am proactive about ways to circumvent any dangers to them.
This is inclusive of all the ‘what if’ situations that run through my overactive brain on a daily basis.
The other evening I was laying in bed reading with both dogs and both cats in bed with me.
Hubs was watching TV.
All of a sudden we both heard one of the birds let out a muted squawk and we almost collided with each other running onto the porch. It was just one squawk, then silence. Hubs grabbed the flashlight while I ripped the cage covers off.
OMG… there was a 6’ plus boa wrapped around the African Grey parrot and had wrapped on the perch in the process.
Hubs opened the cage and held the flashlight for me to reach into the cage and grab the head of the snake. I did a very quick grab and flipped it counter clockwise and was able to get it to fully release the bird.
Hubs started yelling omg the bird is dead while I am saying Noooo it is not dead. The bird fell to the bottom of the cage and staggered, then climbed up the side. The snake was in my hands but his tail was wrapped tightly around the perch.
I told hubs to grab the tail while keeping the cage door closed enough to keep Kikuyu from flying out.
Once we rescued the bird I told hubs to get my knife because I wanted to kill that snake.
After a few seconds I told him to just get a pillowcase and I would put the snake in it.
Once the snake was secured, I checked the bird over for wounds from a bite or a possible broken wing.
The bird was fine and it’s the first time I have ever handled that bird that I didn’t need a blood transfusion from his bites.
He has bitten me so deeply several times that it required sutures.
I wound up putting the snake in a dry box with holes in the lid so he could overnight until morning when I could drive far away to release him.
We had snake proofed the porch, or so we thought.
We finally figured out he had gained access from a tree limb that hung over the edge of our porch.
The birds are no longer allowed to be on the porch without the dogs out there with them.
After all was said and done, I looked at hubs and said; “We make a great team.”
I then promptly fell apart shaking and crying thinking what could have happened if we didn’t recognize that squawk as a danger squawk.
What made me feel extremely guilty is that bird is not mine. It belongs to my best friend that lives in the cottage. I opted to wait till morning to tell her what happened.
This is Kikuyu and I thank God we were able to save him.
I'm just with the animals so much more than he is. Just like we can tell by our dogs bark that something is dangerous or not. All of that is what saved your beautiful bird! Thank God it happened when you were home! I don't know until I would be in that situation if I would have killed that snake or not. I hate to kill anything but 'in the moment' I think I would think like your first moment. Kill him! I realize they're only doing what snakes do. So take him far away! Secure the porch once again and enjoy your animals! You did good!
Glad things turned out ok.
