Things That Go Wheek In the Night: C M'S Picture Chronicle
Snowy sounds adorable; I also love it when they have an eye patch or two. Magellan our former (he's crossed the bridge) special needs elderly boy also had a patch over one eye, but it was solid unlike Phantom's agouti eye shadowing.
The long haired boy is Alistair, also known as "The Beard" or sometimes just "Beard" (an affectionate nickname, we love "beards" and "mops"). Sometimes I think we call him "Beard" more than Alistair, but he really responds well to it for some reason.
The long haired boy is Alistair, also known as "The Beard" or sometimes just "Beard" (an affectionate nickname, we love "beards" and "mops"). Sometimes I think we call him "Beard" more than Alistair, but he really responds well to it for some reason.
I wish I could be posting an update to this chronicle under happier circumstances. Phantom took a fall as I was spot cleaning his cage (I tried to catch him and was literally right there when it happened); he's always so good about staying at the back of the cage and just chilling, I have no idea what possessed him to go near the edge. So now I'll be removing them just for basic spot cleanings, since they obviously can't be trusted.
Thank fully the fall wasn't very high (I won't keep cages higher than the third one, I'm too paranoid), and he didn't break anything, but he did manage to pull a ligament. Now he's in a special bandage to keep his leg straight for a good 4 - 6 weeks. He has a recheck in a week to see how things are going. Poor little man hates the bandage, but he loves metacam and is getting a little spoiled with pellet mash (gave him mash to make him feel a bit better and less exerting energy). I am to remove the bandage/wrap twice a day to check and make sure there is no swelling, loss of circulation, etcetera.
No pictures right now of his manly bandage (it's blue camo print, how cute is that), sorry. He's been so stressed out today I don't want to harass him anymore than I have to. I'm starting to wish I wouldn't have even opened his cage at all when I did, or at least that I would have pulled him out (would have had to put him in the tub though since there was no one free to hold him, so I figured it would be less stressful to spot clean with them in the cage, like I've always done without issue). I'm so stressed right now. Hopefully it heals fine, the veterinarian said with injuries like that on any animal there's always a small chance the bone ligament will grow back in a fuse and make it really stiff for walking on. Sigh, I feel like such a bad pet parent sometimes, it seems I can't do anything right sometimes.
Thank fully the fall wasn't very high (I won't keep cages higher than the third one, I'm too paranoid), and he didn't break anything, but he did manage to pull a ligament. Now he's in a special bandage to keep his leg straight for a good 4 - 6 weeks. He has a recheck in a week to see how things are going. Poor little man hates the bandage, but he loves metacam and is getting a little spoiled with pellet mash (gave him mash to make him feel a bit better and less exerting energy). I am to remove the bandage/wrap twice a day to check and make sure there is no swelling, loss of circulation, etcetera.
No pictures right now of his manly bandage (it's blue camo print, how cute is that), sorry. He's been so stressed out today I don't want to harass him anymore than I have to. I'm starting to wish I wouldn't have even opened his cage at all when I did, or at least that I would have pulled him out (would have had to put him in the tub though since there was no one free to hold him, so I figured it would be less stressful to spot clean with them in the cage, like I've always done without issue). I'm so stressed right now. Hopefully it heals fine, the veterinarian said with injuries like that on any animal there's always a small chance the bone ligament will grow back in a fuse and make it really stiff for walking on. Sigh, I feel like such a bad pet parent sometimes, it seems I can't do anything right sometimes.
I see about getting a picture of his bandage (geeze, almost typed "bondage", whoops; although that mental image is hilarious) when I take him out to check the foot. I've always spot cleaned with them in the cage without issue (I don't do full cage changes with them in there though since I have to take the entire front off of the cage). Phantom has also always been very good about just chilling at the back when I spot clean.
He hasn't moved from his spot and isn't very enthusiastic about getting up to eat/drink unless I have veggies (then he's standing up for them). I REALLY hope I don't have to hand feed him, especially the whole time or longer than a few days, because I know he's going to hate it, and frankly I hate doing it because they are so miserable when it's being done and a little while after.
I need all your meditations/prayers/etc that Phantom's leg doesn't heal stiff but heals correctly. I don't know if any of that works or not, but I figure it can't hurt to try and request it.
He hasn't moved from his spot and isn't very enthusiastic about getting up to eat/drink unless I have veggies (then he's standing up for them). I REALLY hope I don't have to hand feed him, especially the whole time or longer than a few days, because I know he's going to hate it, and frankly I hate doing it because they are so miserable when it's being done and a little while after.
I need all your meditations/prayers/etc that Phantom's leg doesn't heal stiff but heals correctly. I don't know if any of that works or not, but I figure it can't hurt to try and request it.
Like Clarirey said, don't beat yourself up. Accidents happen to all of us - and I'm sure a lot of people here can tell you about something similar happening. When I had my girls I would let them out on my bed and even with me sitting on the same bed Dipti got so excited one day that she popcorned off the edge of my bed. I was terrified, but everything turned out okay.
My thoughts go out to you and Phantom and I hope he has a speedy recovery. His bandage however, sounds very manly (and cute) and I'm sure that in no time he will be telling Alistair about his 'war' wound.
My thoughts go out to you and Phantom and I hope he has a speedy recovery. His bandage however, sounds very manly (and cute) and I'm sure that in no time he will be telling Alistair about his 'war' wound.
Keeping him in my thoughts and prayer...hope the little guy get well soon!
You take care too :)
You take care too :)
Thank you all, sorry for taking so long to update this thread and post the pictures; we had to reformat the computer and I lost the program used to resize pictures (I'm using something different now as it is). Pictures of his "manly bandage" below.
Phantom is doing alright all things considered, usually he is good about eating (but then, he is getting vegetable baby food mixed in, otherwise he's a pain to hand feed even pellet mash to). He isn't standing too well on his own enough to eat on his own yet though, but he's been trying. So I'm taking him out every 4 - 6 hours for syringe feeding. He has a veterinary appointment tomorrow early afternoon just to check on how things are doing. He's been good about keeping the bandage on and not moving his hurt leg around too much in it.
Phantom in his blue cammo "manly bandage" on my mother's lap. The older folk have been a lot of help with these guys, especially my FFIL who is better at catching Phantom (I have small hands).
Alistair has been VERY good about Phantom being bandaged; he's only really bugged him twice (once to eat some mash off his face, and once when Phantom rumbled at him, he rumbled back and then calmed down and tried to get into one of the "tents" to sit next to him).
Luxi and Luna - THE CARNAGE.
Cutest little "zombie" ever, look at all the remains of that poor watermelon rind on her face. Ruthless.
Phantom is doing alright all things considered, usually he is good about eating (but then, he is getting vegetable baby food mixed in, otherwise he's a pain to hand feed even pellet mash to). He isn't standing too well on his own enough to eat on his own yet though, but he's been trying. So I'm taking him out every 4 - 6 hours for syringe feeding. He has a veterinary appointment tomorrow early afternoon just to check on how things are doing. He's been good about keeping the bandage on and not moving his hurt leg around too much in it.
Phantom in his blue cammo "manly bandage" on my mother's lap. The older folk have been a lot of help with these guys, especially my FFIL who is better at catching Phantom (I have small hands).
Alistair has been VERY good about Phantom being bandaged; he's only really bugged him twice (once to eat some mash off his face, and once when Phantom rumbled at him, he rumbled back and then calmed down and tried to get into one of the "tents" to sit next to him).
Luxi and Luna - THE CARNAGE.
Cutest little "zombie" ever, look at all the remains of that poor watermelon rind on her face. Ruthless.
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