My dove needs a wheelchair!

[doveluv]

Hi everyone! My disabled dove, Orion, has both splay legs. He is now 3 years old. Up until the past couple of months, he has been able to get around his carpeted cage fairly well, moving his crippled legs as needed to get to his food and water. Slowly he has been losing his coordination in his legs, and now has great difficulty holding himself up and balancing himself at his food and water bowls. Consequently I have been holding him steady while he eats and drinks several times daily. He has been well in all other ways, and the vet really thinks its a progression of the neurological damage caused by the splay legs. It isn't treatable unfortunately. I have another ringneck dove, Jill, who also has splay leg and is completely unable to use her legs or feet. I developed a device I call the "birdstand" which she rests in during the day and is able to feed herself. I don't really want to train Orion to use a birdstand as yet, as I would like to help him maintain whatever use he has of his legs. So now I'm trying to think of a way to make a wheelchair or some type of device that would support Orion's body, and still allow him to move his legs as he can to get around. Orion's body is about 3.0 inches wide and 5 inches long (8 inches with tail), so we're talking about a very small wheelchair! The whole thing would need to be only l/2 to 1 inch off the ground. I'm wondering if I could use parts from a model car for the wheels? Any advice is very greatly appreciated.

[Christine]

Here are some posts about birds with your dove's condition. I will look for some more information for you, but this might help. Bless you for loving this little soul and wanting to make its life the best.

http://www.handicappedpet.net/helppets/ ... ird#p30886

http://www.handicappedpet.net/helppets/ ... air#p47636

[doveluv]

Thanks so much for your replies. Orion's legs have continued to slowly decline, and I don't think he could move around very well even if I could design a bird "wheelchair." However, I am fitting him in a device I invented years ago for birds with severely splayed legs that I call the "Birdstand." In the meantime I'm hand feeding him and we are developing a wonderful relationship of trust, which is a very rewarding experience for me! I truly love my little Orion!

[Christine]

Oh....could you post a picture? What a neat thing to have done and, as you say, you are forming an even closer bond. That is just wonderful.