Basnaz Pet Services

07/11/2023

Got to spend 10 days house sitting my old friend Mr Riley, along with his kitty sister and their two horses. Riley is a bit of a special boy but he did so well considering I haven’t seen him in a while. We bonded just like old times. Plus the neighbours fowl made daily visits over to deliver us tasty butt nuggets 🥚 🥰

05/04/2023

One year ago Mushu learned to have a big bird bath 🥰😍😘 get to see him soon too!

04/20/2023

WHEN THE NATURAL APPROACH WORKS WONDERS

I am passionate about helping angels with disabilities, diet related diseases & emotional trauma thrive. In order to do this, I believe that keeping an open mind is essential, as what helps one angel will harm another. Using natural (non- drug) methods to help Birds is often viewed as harmful, but when done with the input of an avian vet & with an in depth approach, it can work wonders. Birds have spent far less time in a domestic setting than other animals & as a result can respond badly to drugs, but absorb natural compounds from safe flowers, plants, herbs & spices better. This approach may not work for every Bird, but for those who need it, we should be open. In this article I will tell the story of 2 of my most elderly Budgie residents who lived with severe fatty liver disease. This article is to raise awareness & should not be used in place of avian vet advice. Lets get started!

CHARLIE- Charlie boy was a delightful character who came to us from an environment full of environmental toxins. He had lived on a seed only diet for his entire life & had chronic respiratory problems, early stage bumblefoot & advanced fatty liver disease. Once he had finished his nebulization sessions & the toxins had left his system, Charlie was put on my liver recovery protocol (an approach using natural Organic foods & nutrition that is adapted for each Bird). It started with Organic celery juice in his water & other things were added over time. 1 year later, Charlie had no signs of fatty liver disease at all & remained healthy for many years. One day in 2022, Charlie passed away suddenly. He was the perfect body condition, had soft & shiny feathers & looked so young. I thought he WAS young as I had never looked at his hatching band date. I was shocked when I saw what it said- Charlie was 19 years old! Birds with his stage of liver disease are not expected to live a year past diagnosis as it is so advanced, but natural treatments allowed him to get past the expected lifespan of a healthy Budgie.

CRIKS- Criks had far more advanced liver disease than Charlie. She could hardly stand any more. Her beak grew at a fast rate & needed to be trimmed every other day, she had large bruises on her beak, legs & feet due to internal bleeds caused by her liver disease, had severe muscle atrophy, green watery droppings that stuck to her vent & had regular seizures. We were told that she would probably be dead by the time we got her home & that all we could do was love her for her final days. That was 4 years ago. Criks passed away a few days ago with no signs of avian fatty liver disease at all. She had been seizure free for 3 years, hadn't needed a beak trim for 4 years & had normal droppings. She passed away under her heat lamp in peace & cuddled up to her best friend Ernie. She was (at least) 20 years old.

In both of these cases, there was nothing to lose when trying natural treatments as it was too late for medication. It is so easy to hear that there is no medication that will help & just give up on them, but if we gain knowledge about other methods, there is no end to what we can do. It may not work for every Bird, but for those who need natural medicine, we should never be scared. Research in depth from trusted sources, scientific studies & vet papers, chat with open minded avian vets & rescues & never be afraid to listed to what your angel needs. Follow your instincts for every Bird & never be afraid of being judged by others. With love & determination, incredible things can happen.

03/30/2023

Quickly learning just how much these lovebirds love to chew and get into every little thing! Thankfully my bird room is pretty safe but apparently I need to go over things with a fine toothed comb to lovebirds proof it! Little rascals!! 🥰

03/20/2023

HOW YOU SEE THEM CAN CHANGE THEIR WORLD

Birds with any form of disability, deformity or emotional trauma may always have extra needs. They may always be different, but different doesn't have to be a bad thing. We often understand that adapting environments can help with deformity or blindness, that gentleness & respecting autonomy can help emotional trauma, but what about the way we think of them? When we first meet one of these little blessings, what do we see? What do we think? Our view of their condition, their responses & their potential can be the biggest steps in providing the environment they need to thrive, in this article we look at how important our view of them can be.

POOR THING?- The more I spend time with angels who have disability or trauma, the more I leave any pity behind. Their wonderful sense of humour, resilience, deep yearning to connect & the potential & wisdom that flows so sweetly through their veins reminds me that they are no victim. I understand what it means to be different, to go through trauma & try to rise again. I understand how their challenges impact who they are to become, but I will never see them as anything other than the strong, funny, capable & beautiful beings they are. Their disability is part of who they are & what makes them beautiful & their trauma can never diminish the precious qualities that shine from within. I want to meet them where they are & walk by their side as they rise & astound us all, the story isn't over. Their past is not the end.

TOO FAR GONE?- If we meet these angels at their most sick, at a time when their last hope has gone, we must never think of them as undeserving. Every Bird deserves a chance to shine again. Some angels may not make it, but they will die with you fighting on ther side & make the best of memories along the way. They will know that somebody loved them & their life mattered. Most of the time they DO shine again & their very life proves everybody wrong. We need to see the twinkle that will sparkle a cheeky glint in the eyes that are currently too depressed to open. We need to see the excited jumping of legs to twisted & weak to yet stand. We need to get down to their face level, connect deeply to them & tell them that WE believe in them & that everything will be ok. They are not stupid & understand fully when everybody around them says they are too far gone or are a burden. Reach the little darling hiding within & tell them that you are on their side. Tell them there is an adventure to go on & people to prove wrong. Times of joy & excitement & precious connection.

TRAGEDY?- If we view these angels as a tragedy, that is what they shall believe they are. It is my passion to see the natural gifts, talents & beauty each Bird holds inside that is intrinsic to their wonderful character. Disability isn't a tragedy. Surviving trauma & feeling the freedom of release from being unsafe isn't a tragedy. Missing such great potential because we can't see the value of diversity & the potential of the little miracle in front of us IS a tragedy... perhaps the biggest tragedy of all. The way we see a Bird will shape the kind of future they will have & maybe even decide wheather they have a future at all. We have the ability to unleash their true power & watch as they shine. So, that just leaves a question...

How will you look at the Bird in your care today?

03/20/2023

Cool!

Glossy Black Cockatoos have evolved to feed on one thing only - Allocasuarina seeds (and some Casuarina). Their amazing beak has evolved for this specific purpose. The lower mandible is shaped perfectly to accommodate rounded allocasuarina cones (Allocasuarina littoralis in this photo), from which they methodically extract the seeds in a specific pattern. It's quite mesmerising to watch these birds eating.

03/20/2023

Accurate

🤣👍💯💯💯

03/20/2023

Neat!

03/19/2023

I forgot to post about this little rascal (Yebo) who escaped on me not once but twice the other day when for some reason I didn’t double lock the cage door lol it was supposed to be a peaceful 15 minute morning yoga session with them beside me and it turned into quite an event. Luckily he comes to a hand full of yummy seedies.

03/13/2023

Sunset ride or die 🥰

03/12/2023

How hard can it be for us humans to understand this simple equation?? 🙄🙄

01/18/2023

*Now Accepting Mobile Clients* :D

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-pet-services/guelph/mobile-pet-sitting-services/1647564313?siteLocale=en_CA&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialbuttons&utm_content=vip&fbclid=IwAR2sPw8xnOtT1XTu_n7OAKdaFHumpWlLQ9XZLvxH8XmWFdR6OXVhwJoU9Ss

01/07/2023

It's now been more than 10 months since Russia invaded Ukraine. Amid almost incomprehensible hardship and destruction, the Ukrainians who remain in the country (14 million are estimated to have fled) continue trying to survive and maintain some sembl...

01/07/2023

I’m a day late!

01/07/2023

Tucker hopes everyone enjoys their Saturday! He is headed out for a morning hike today.

01/02/2023

"Let your curiosity be greater than your fear."~Pema Chödrön

"Whassup" is the February image in the 2023 Tim Cox Calendar, get yours today at https://www.timcox.com/collections/calendars

#

01/02/2023

A selection of information on diet and other helpful tips

01/02/2023

the same principles can be used with other animals as well! Horse with a tight hunt end? Try some hamstring stretches, bearded dragon with reduced hind limb mobility, why not try some daily leg stretches? Important note is to never force a stretch / position / motion.

TIPS FOR AVIAN PHYSIO

Physio is seldom used in Birds, but can have incredible results if you hit on the right thing for an angel. If exercises are carried out with no plan or understanding of safety, it can have negative impacts on a Bird's rehabilitation, strength & pain levels, it could even cause lifelong damage. In this article we will look at a few tips to consider that may help choose the right programme for your angel that is both safe & healthy. Lets get started!

TRY TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING VET'S INPUT- Finding an avian vet who has both the knowledge & passion to give disabled Birds a chance can be tricky, but the good ones are worth more than gold! If you can, seek an understanding vet's input on the Bird's condition & if physio would be a good option for the angel's individual case. They can check areas of weakness in the Bird & suggest where exercises may be needed, check on strength & progress after physio has been used for a while & may even be able to help you develop exercises to try at home.

CHAT TO OTHERS ONLINE- Various rescues, vets & wildlife rehabilitation centers around the world have developed & used their own physio programmes with great success over the years. Try to track down & chat to people who have done it before as we are often more than happy to share our experiences to help others.

CREATE A PHYSIO PLAN WITH GOALS- Either in your head or on paper, creating a plan is very helpful. Look at your angel & have a think about why you are doing physio, what areas could be improved in their life & create some goals for progress. Physio can take time, so don't feel like you have let them down if you don't reach the goals as quickly as you imagined. Their body knows best, enjoy the process & never feel like it's a race.

NEVER DO TOO MUCH TOO SOON- We just want to get in there & help our angel stop hurting or being restricted, so we can be forgiven for wanting to rush in & get to work. This isn't the best approach though & can end up doing more harm than good. Start very slowly &, even if you plan to do several sessions of multiple exercises a day, start with only 1 exercise once a day. Each day add another exercise until you have a full session. Then add a session at a time (1 session a day becomes 2 a day & so on) until you are doing the needed amount of physio a day. Angels with fully fused or severely stiff joints may benefit from massage sessions before physio is attempted to increase sensory awareness & stimulate blood flow to the area. Those with arthritis may benefit from a diet programme alongside physio & massage to get the best out of session work.

CHECK PROGRESS REGULARLY- Take regular pictures, video or draw regular diagrams to help you remember what they were like & how they look now. Progress can be slow, but once they start to improve they usually follow a rate of improvement that is more steady & predictable. You can then work out how much they should improve by, say, a week from now & if their rate of progress slows we can then catch it early & work out why their progress has slowed. We can then change the exercises to help them get back on track again.

NEVER EXTEND LIMBS OR DIGITS BEYOND COMFORT- Flexibility takes time. Even if the digits or limbs are fused, work VERY gently on them & never pull them around. Work on stiff or fused body parts should take months of very gradual progress, it can't be rushed or forced. Only stretch in line with natural joint movement (don't pull body parts the way the joint isn't designed to bend) & if the join is stiff & resists or the angel shows discomfort- stop. Let the Bird be your guide & follow their natural lead. They will recover better & trust you more if you show gentleness & a respect for what they can cope with.

12/25/2022

Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday season 🎄

12/23/2022

“There is no other feeling in the world to compare with it if one loves a great horse. It gives a thrill that nothing else ever can. It cannot be put into words, because words cannot express it.”— Samuel Riddle.

In honor of all the great horses!!!

"More Than Just A Horse" available at www.timcox.com

🐴❤️

12/14/2022

Coming soon: pet sitting and crisis fostering for small birds specializing in parrots (in home) and reasonably local (Guelph Ontario) in house sitting for a variety of animals from cats and dogs to horse farms to exotics like large snakes and lizards. I am an Ecologist who worked mainly with birds, reptiles and amphibians for most of my career but have worked with horses and in horse facilities all my life including busy race barns. I have worked in zoos and exotic animal facilities including working with large anacondas and crocodilians. I have two certificates in venomous snake handling (though I am not qualified to pet sit venomous animals at this time). I also have two certificates in wildlife rehabilitation and spent over three years as a regular volunteer and board member for a songbird specific wild bird rehabilitation center. I have also worked with captive birds of prey. I have been trained in wild bird restraint and processing methods for scientific research (bird banding). I have experience pet sitting dogs, cats, horses, and parrots, reptiles and amphibians. I have experience owning these animals as well. Species specific needs are always researched and discusses thoroughly with the owner before entering into an agreement. Unfortunately my cage set up does not allow in house sitting for larger birds at my residence however in house sitting at yours can be arranged upon request for most birds. Please stay tuned for more information and intake dates! 🦜🐢🐍🐴🦜🐈🥰

12/14/2022

FOOD AS MEDICINE

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”- This belief has been held for generations, but how do we enable food to be medicine for our precious flock? In this article we will look at some potential benefits of foods that can help with particular conditions. This should not replace avian vet advice & all foods should be given in safe moderation. These foods can be used alongside drug based treatments (with avian vet input) or, in some cases where angels respond badly to medication or are too sick to process drug treatments, may sometimes be used in place of medication with close vet support.

FOODS & THEIR POTENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS (EVERY ANGEL IS DIFFERENT)- Birds respond differently to different things. Some angels may respond better to drug treatments, some may get very sick from medications & do better with natural treatments instead & others may only begin to recover when they have a treatment plan that combines natural & drug treatments for a full range of treatment. Every angel deserves what is best for them & it's essential that we always follow their lead & remain open minded. Food as medicine does work when done correctly for the right angels.

FOODS FOR LIVER:
Organic celery juice- Celery juice added to drinking water can help angels with fatty liver disease, congested liver & severe environmental toxin burden. Celery juice boosts the liver's production of enzymes, helping to flush toxins & fat from the liver. The nutrients in celery protect liver health & studies have found that celery juice helps reduce fat build up in human livers.

Organic bee pollen- Bee pollen helps to protect the liver & is ideal for maintaining liver health or for getting liver health back after toxin exposure. Studies of bee pollen have found that its rich antioxidant content protects the liver by removing more waste products & increasing the antioxidant defence of the liver. Another study also found that bee pollen protects the liver from toxin damage. Bee pollen can be a good choice in conjunction with medications that could damage the liver such as epilepsy medication (check with your vet first).

Milk thistle- Organic milk thistle powder can help with liver disease, but I have found that celery juice works way better. Milk thistle contains silymarin, a compound found in milk thistle seeds that is thought to protect the liver by reducing inflammation & further damage. Some data shows that silymarin can protect liver cells that have not yet been damaged.

FOODS FOR PAIN & INFLAMMATION:
Turmeric- Turmeric contains a compound called curcumin which has been found to reduce pain & inflammation. When feeding turmeric, always add a pinch of ground black pepper. The piperine content of black pepper increases the body's ability to absorb & make use of the compounds in turmeric. I have used turmeric in the diet & as a topical treatment to severe wounds (with vet input) & the results can be remarkable. Before our avian vets give anti- inflammatory drugs, they say "First, try turmeric"... we have never had to go back & pick up the drugs.

Chamomile- This flower has a reputation of being calming, but it also contains flavonoids that have pain relief & anti- inflammatory properties. These compounds also reduce free radical damage. Chamomile can be brewed into a Bird safe tea that is completely Bird safe & can be added to drinking water at room temperature. The flowers can also be fed fresh or dry to less fussy angels. I have also powdered dried Organic chamomile & added it to fresh food mixes without it being detected.

FOOD FOR EYE HEALTH:
Marigold flowers- Marigold, not just carrot, is the ideal food for eye health. Organic edible marigold flowers are safe to feed Birds. They are packed with 2 powerful carotenoids, lutein & zeaxanthin, that are essential for good eye health. These nutrients support good vision & reduce the risk of cateracts & age related vision loss.

CONCLUSION- As you can see, there are so many foods that can be used to re-build health. If we listed them all, this article would be too long! This is just an introduction to the role good nutrition can play in rehabilitating angels with disabilities, illnesses or age related issues. Work closely with your vet & find the things that work best for your angel, a well fed Bird can achieve incredible things!

12/14/2022

12/14/2022

This is a great training tip for both birds and horses. Using a yummy reward in the syringe and slowly adding in more bitter tastes in an variable frequency can help reduce stress on you and the animal when administering needed medication.