Last night, just before I sat at my computer, I removed the partition between Sammy and Pippin's cages so they could spend some time together. A couple of minutes after that, I was startled by the sound of a hefty wingslap coming from there. As I looked around, I saw Pippin pecking Sammy real hard and wingslapping. I jumped up to separate them, and what I saw made my heart skip a beat.
Sammy was upside-down at the corner of Pippin's cage, seizing, with her feet clamped round the side bars, and her head in Pippin's water bowl! :eek: :eek: :eek: It felt like I spent ages fumbling with her toes to free her, but in a fraction of a second she was in my arms, getting dried, while Pippin craned her neck forward, visibly concerned. Half an hour later I was still shaking.
This goes to show how the smallest distraction may end in tragedy. Sammy has always had a safe, narrow water container, but I'd forgotten to change Pippin's to a similar one when I removed the partition! Now that I've had ample opportunity to kick myself for that stupidity, I've made sure that can never happen again.
And as for Pippin, what a clever, brave little pidge, trying to bully Sammy out of her seizure -- unlike reports to the contrary, Sammy often snaps out of a seizure when she gets a fright, like seeing Hercules approach. So Pippin knew what she was doing. She also seemed to know that the consequences of what Sammy was doing could be fatal. One way or the other, she at least managed to alert me. Clever baby!

How frightening indeed.

I am sooo glad Sammy is OK and that Pippin and you were right there at the time.

You are exactly right, the slightest disruption that I hear I go running to see what's going on. It's generally a little tiff between a couple of them, but there is always the chance it is something more severe.

Pippin,
Bless you for alerting your Mom about Sammy's situation. You sweet little you.

LOTS!!

omg pippin!! that would scare the crap outa me if that was happening to my pigeons :eek:

Teresa, that does not amaze me a tiny bit! I have watched that often happen and I misinterpreted it at the beginning: when Winnie had one of her bad seizures Willy always jumped on her box cover and started to peck heavily at the plastic so that Winnie got irritated and stopped circling. As soon as she stopped circling Willy stopped pecking at the plastic.
These birds are so intelligent - they know exactly what to do nd even care for their loved ones.

And I thought at the beginning that Willy was mad at her and aggressive because she behaved so strangely.

Same happened with Pina: when Pina and Willy were walking around and Pina started to have a seizure or stargazing Willy started to peck at her as if he wanted to tell her that she should hold her head upright. And she often did! I also misinterpreted this at the beginning! Now I know better. Simply unbelievable.

Teresa - I am so glad that Sammy was saved on time. What a tragedy this would have been if...after all that time spent with caring for the poor little bird. Oh my - I really can feel your heartbeat :eek:

Petra, I remember you mentioning that a fright or an irritation could pull a PMV bird out of a seizure, and I'd noticed that with Sammy, but this seems to be the exception rather than the rule, as most people who have looked after PMV patients report that they start seizing when they get nervous and only stop when they calm down.

Sammy is doing fine today! But it was one heck of a fright!

OMG Teresa... what an account...I'm glad she is ok and you were in time to keep her from drowning.

Sammy and Pippin today:




And there's another couple of pictures of them and their new living quarters here:

http://www.pigeonangels.com/pigeon-and-dove-chit-chat-f12/helpful-hints-and-tips-t869-30.htm#23275