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Microchipping concerns
I'm such a bleeding heart...
Today I made an appointment for Thursday to microchip Kappa, and now I'm second guessing myself - y'all aren't necessarily bird experts reading this journal, but most of you are rational enough to do a good cost-benefit analysis, and that's what I'm looking for here. When I look at something that's possibly risky, I look at the chance of something bad happening, the potential consequences if that bad thing does happen, and the (usually guaranteed) ongoing benefits of taking the action. Sometimes there's additional ongoing costs other than just one big bad thing happening. In this specific case, it's not quite so simple - it's more a matter of there being a chance of bad things happening w/o the chip, and with the chip there's a chance of additional bad things happening, but a chance of ameliorating the bad things that'd happen w/o the chip, and a bit of one-time guaranteed cost.
Kappa is a dusky conure (in case you forgot), weighed in at 97g at today's vet checkup, she's a year and two months old, doesn't have a closed band, I don't want to use an open band. Her wings are currently clipped pretty severely but she can still do a nice 45ยบ glide, probably b/c she was fledged before clipping. I'd like to let her be flighted in the future, but that depends muchly upon whether we continue to be good about closing doors when popping out of the apartment for brief periods of time.
At 97g she's at (or below) the lower limit for microchipping (usually 100g, but some vets give it wiggle room). The vet says she'll have to be put lightly under with isoflurane (gas) for the procedure, which would insert the chip between the breastbone and the breast muscle. The vet's never had a problem with a bird with anesthesia; he did have one bird where there was slight scarring at the insertion site leading to repeated feather plucking at the site - one in many individuals. The vet implied that he puts birds under b/c they're so small compared to the microchip size (like a grain of rice) and needle size. He says the procedure is quick, just a few minutes, and she'll come back around soon after the gas is removed, but they'd observe her for at least 30 minutes. They use some sort of glue (I forget what type) on the insertion site afterwards to prevent bleeding.
I'm second guessing myself b/c of the anesthesia, the pain, and the low chance of recovery - i.e., it seems like a high cost to her for little potential benefit. She won't understand what's going on, she'll be in a strange place with people doing strange things to her, it may hurt or at least be uncomfortable after the fact, there's some risk of plucking the site after (though mild), there's always risk involved in general anesthesia. She's so small for such a big thing, it's kinda like if someone were to put me under to shove a baseball into my chest.
And the possible benefit? Well the benefit (recovery of Kappa) is great, but the chance of that benefit happening seems low. Firstly, the chance of my losing her outside is small (I feel). And then if I did lose her, the chance of her ending up at a shelter, not to mention whether they think to scan for the chip, that's low. So I'm putting her through this for what, an outside chance? The level of risk worries me, as compared to the level of potential gain. And as my boyfriend said I've been photographing her a bunch lately, couldn't that prove her ID if there's a dispute?
So, what's your analysis? If you do happen to have experience with microchips and small pets, I'd be interested to hear that too.
And just so this post isn't all my freaking out, a few photos, a couple of which I've posted elsewhere as well.
Is this my good side?
Or is this?
Sideways bird is sideways.
I call this one, "Self Portrait with Bird." Her favorite spot.
X-posted a couple places
Today I made an appointment for Thursday to microchip Kappa, and now I'm second guessing myself - y'all aren't necessarily bird experts reading this journal, but most of you are rational enough to do a good cost-benefit analysis, and that's what I'm looking for here. When I look at something that's possibly risky, I look at the chance of something bad happening, the potential consequences if that bad thing does happen, and the (usually guaranteed) ongoing benefits of taking the action. Sometimes there's additional ongoing costs other than just one big bad thing happening. In this specific case, it's not quite so simple - it's more a matter of there being a chance of bad things happening w/o the chip, and with the chip there's a chance of additional bad things happening, but a chance of ameliorating the bad things that'd happen w/o the chip, and a bit of one-time guaranteed cost.
Kappa is a dusky conure (in case you forgot), weighed in at 97g at today's vet checkup, she's a year and two months old, doesn't have a closed band, I don't want to use an open band. Her wings are currently clipped pretty severely but she can still do a nice 45ยบ glide, probably b/c she was fledged before clipping. I'd like to let her be flighted in the future, but that depends muchly upon whether we continue to be good about closing doors when popping out of the apartment for brief periods of time.
At 97g she's at (or below) the lower limit for microchipping (usually 100g, but some vets give it wiggle room). The vet says she'll have to be put lightly under with isoflurane (gas) for the procedure, which would insert the chip between the breastbone and the breast muscle. The vet's never had a problem with a bird with anesthesia; he did have one bird where there was slight scarring at the insertion site leading to repeated feather plucking at the site - one in many individuals. The vet implied that he puts birds under b/c they're so small compared to the microchip size (like a grain of rice) and needle size. He says the procedure is quick, just a few minutes, and she'll come back around soon after the gas is removed, but they'd observe her for at least 30 minutes. They use some sort of glue (I forget what type) on the insertion site afterwards to prevent bleeding.
I'm second guessing myself b/c of the anesthesia, the pain, and the low chance of recovery - i.e., it seems like a high cost to her for little potential benefit. She won't understand what's going on, she'll be in a strange place with people doing strange things to her, it may hurt or at least be uncomfortable after the fact, there's some risk of plucking the site after (though mild), there's always risk involved in general anesthesia. She's so small for such a big thing, it's kinda like if someone were to put me under to shove a baseball into my chest.
And the possible benefit? Well the benefit (recovery of Kappa) is great, but the chance of that benefit happening seems low. Firstly, the chance of my losing her outside is small (I feel). And then if I did lose her, the chance of her ending up at a shelter, not to mention whether they think to scan for the chip, that's low. So I'm putting her through this for what, an outside chance? The level of risk worries me, as compared to the level of potential gain. And as my boyfriend said I've been photographing her a bunch lately, couldn't that prove her ID if there's a dispute?
So, what's your analysis? If you do happen to have experience with microchips and small pets, I'd be interested to hear that too.
And just so this post isn't all my freaking out, a few photos, a couple of which I've posted elsewhere as well.
Is this my good side?
Or is this?
Sideways bird is sideways.
I call this one, "Self Portrait with Bird." Her favorite spot.
X-posted a couple places
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Honestly the only reason I have my birds chipped is theft. Yes I have a ton of photographs of them, but what happens if they show up plucked, dyed, debanded, etc. Where I was at outside of Chicago people had African Greys stolen from their cages in their houses. Of course I'm paranoid and that was a few towns over, but still the owner of 30 something years was devasted to lose her bird due to it possibly being "valuable".
Where I live now I worry incesently about the neighbors in the townhouse community noticing them and finding out how "expensive" they are. Granted most of them have designer mutts (Golden Doodles, etc) but there is one guy that hates me (and the birds and I hate him for being an ass with his loud camaros) and I'm almost positive that he wouldn't hesitate to go after the birds.
In my 20 years of owning a bird, most of them at home with my parents, we have NEVER lost a bird outside. So I agree the risk is small. I've caught about 8-10 that were outside though, and never once did I find an owner, even with posted ads.
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I've had three birds now, for a total of 18 years. My first one, Peeper, I brought outside not on a leash and clipped all the time, and she actually did fly off my shoulder twice, but immediately looked for me and walked back, she was never "lost". I'm not say that I'd do that now, I know better how easily I could have lost her, but I am saying that if Kappa ever did get out, then if I ran outside there's a good chance she'd run right to me.
*shrug* I'm more and more inclined to not do the chipping.
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I honestly don't know what to say. One one hand, it's like insurance or a spare tire: you don't need it until you NEED it. And if a bird were to escape the home, what are the chances, indeed? I would be pessimistic, but not about the actual procedure - just find an avian specialist, which you seem to have already found.
For me, the deciding factor would be the risk of the surgery and recovery itself, for peace of mind would be worth it. For instance, I'll be putting Armandkitty through three days of stress in a hospital getting irradiated rather than subject him to daily medication for years.
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But I haven't purely for the cost of having it done versus the potential reward.
Tiels are not worth that much. If I had a macaw it may be a different story. And no one knows wtf a Meyer's Parrot is. So my feeling is that it unlikely they would be stolen. I think often times parrots know their people and the reaction can say a shit ton to any finder of a parrot.
Edited for spelling/grammar
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I think I'm leaning towards not doing the chip.
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It seems like a disproportionate risk to me, as well.
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Interesting read if nothing else. Out of the millions, 4 reported cases of cancer presumably caused by microchips. Something to be aware of I suppose.
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The only bird I have had microchipped was a foster Galah 'too, Strawberry. Obvious size difference and she went through the surgery without a hitch but it was obvious the incision site bothered her for about four months, she was always overpreening it and would sometimes remove the feathers around it but nothing past that. The vet I worked with had one 'too who went through the surgery fine but then became a feather mutilator, starting at the incision site. Still, I think only one out of many is pretty good. Conures not being as delicate and insane as 'toos I think that it not likely to happen with Kappa.
WussyBoy (my hyper escape artist kitty) was microchipped during a dental and all she ever seemed to notice was the shaved spot, but she is 11lbs so not really a good comparison. She wasn't given any pain killers either since her teeth were still in good enough condition that a dental was barely even necessary and the incision site was very neat.
The main problem I have with chipping is that even if it does get scanned not every chip has the same frequency and there are no scanners currently that find all of the frequencies in use. So the chip might not even be found.
In a dispute about her ownership if she were to be stolen or lost and then found by someone unwilling to get her back the best thing to do would be to keep a tail or flight feather, preferably getting a fresh one every time she molts. That way you can prove she is your bird through a DNA test. Flight feathers get a better blood supply when growing so they are more likely to keep a usable DNA sample.
On a side note, it amuses me that Firefox is trying to tell me that Isoflurane should be "Extraneously". Also, she looks like she is really becoming comfortable with you and is a very happy, healthy, spoiled birdy.
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She doesn't step up consistently, but I know how to bribe her into it, and when she does step onto me I know that she's willing to go to other parts of the house. She loves snuggling into my neck and my hair. Still working on T$ - there's only so much you can ask another human to do.
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but again, as you mentioned, if someone steals her, it would be very very difficult to find her anyway.
i also assume that should she fly away, you'd alert every single pet store, veterinary clinic, etc within 3829754 miles, so the odds of the chip being the determining factor as to whether you get her back or not are pretty slim.
i have my amazon chipped, but she is a chunky 360g. i know i wouldn't be quite so hasty to do it in a smaller bird.
s'up to you. if you decide not to do it now, you can always change your mind at a later date. you don't have to decide right *now*.
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