Rehabilitation Process By Abi Strachan
In rescue it is rare to receive a bird in prime condition. Most of the birds we encounter, and are tasked with rehoming, require at least a diet change and training, at most they come in with major psychological issues caused by some sort of trauma, which then requires extensive rehabilitation by someone with experience, patience, and who’s not afraid of being bitten. You need to accept that you’re working with a bird that may never like you, most of them eventually learn that you are there to help, and accept you to an extent, but it’s entirely possible that you will never share a bond.
We receive birds who have experienced physical and emotional trauma, and they require someone with endless patience to get through to them, and help them see that there is a light at then end of the tunnel, and their pain will pass. Most rehab cases have very low self esteem, and are lacking confidence, it is your duty as a rehabbers to rebuild these.
Some birds are in dire physical condition and require regular vet checks, constant monitoring and possibly special feeding. This can sometimes mean that your entire day is spent catering to a bird’s needs. Often we receive birds with undiagnosed physical conditions that limit their abilities, and add to their frustrations and behavioral issues, other times the birds have an untreated illness that requires extensive nursing in order to get them back to the best health possible. Sometimes this means accepting that the bird will never be “normal”
Some of the most common issues faced are: – incorrect diet which can lead to plucking, behavioral issues and long term organ damage – screaming, caused by boredom, lack of emotional fulfillment and psychological trauma – aggression, caused by an incident, or hormones – physical disabilities, which are often left untreated and unnoticed leaving the bird permanently disabled
Rehabilitation work is not for everyone. Ideally suited candidates will have a lot of free time to dedicate to implementing routines, training, and often, just offering comfort to birds in need. This work is emotionally, physically and psychologically draining, but the rewards are endless. The feeling of knowing you’ve helped a bird through whatever it has been suffering from is like no other. Once you see a bird realises it can live normally and fulfilled, nothing can compare.
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