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Writer's pictureSandra Witt

Meet Ace ...


Ace is our newest addition. She was not part of the hoard rescue, she was surrendered

due to a life change in her family. She is going blind and is in her 30s. The first picture is the before, when she first came to us. They said she hadn't had a shower in the 5 yrs they had her, only a light mist outside last summer, and only one time.

She is not ready to adoption right now and is a special needs bird due to her deteriorating sight. She can't be handled yet, but we are working with her.

She is scared at being in a new place with new routines and she is not quite sure about this shower thing but ... there is no option. She must get her feathered butt in the shower to make sure she stays healthy.

Isn't she lovely all cleaned up?

Correction: (thank you Sue Cameron for pointing this out)

Ace is a Red-lored Amazon (Amazona autumnalis) is a species of amazon parrot, native to tropical regions of the Americas, from eastern Mexico south to Ecuador where it occurs in humid evergreen to semi-deciduous forests up to 1,100 m altitude.

The red-lored amazon is 32–35 cm (13 in) in length, with a weight of 310–480 g. The plumage is primarily green, with a red forehead and, in some subspecies, yellow cheeks (sometimes with red spots).

The crown is blue. Adult males and females do not differ in plumage. Juveniles have less yellow on the cheeks, less red on the forehead, and dark irises.

Red-lored amazons are fairly common pet parrots in the Americas. They can be devoted pets and some make fairly good talkers. Like most amazon parrots they often have a tendency to vocalize loudly, and sometimes to bite.

Their behavior ranges from being quiet and curious to being aggressive, this can all be changed by basic training when the bird is of a young age. Red-lored amazons can grow up to 13 inches in length. Their average life span is up to 80 years.

Cataract and lens luxation can occur in birds. Both conditions can be treated surgically in suitable cases. Cataracts are seen relatively frequently and have a wide variety of causes, although in the majority of cases the etiology is unknown. (1)

Because of the small size of the avian eye, conventional extracapsular cataract extraction techniques are generally difficult. Care should be taken in assessing the bird for cataract surgery. Assessment should include full evaluation of the bird physically, neurologically and, of course, ophthalmoscopically. Ideally, ultrasonic evaluation of the posterior segment should be made to avoid operating on an eye with a concurrent retinal detachment. An electroretinogram gives useful data on retinal function and is suggested prior to surgery in some cases.(2)

(1) Keymer IF: Cataracts in birds. Avian Pathol 6:335-341, 1977.

(2) Hacker DV, Shifrin M: Cataract ex- traction in a Mandarin duck. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 24:679-682, 1988.

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