Mystic Aquarium

The first thing I have to say is I NAILED THE ROUTINE AND SCHEDULE IN ICU today!!!! As you can guess I worked in ICU again with the little chicks.

Yesterday I had a very weak chick that wouldn't stand up and other chicks kept trying to stand on top of him. So we put him in a crate by himself over night with very guarded hopes. When I came in this morning he was the first thing I checked on and he was standing up in his crate! He did very well all day and I considered putting him alone again tonight but he was still standing and preening. I hope he continues to do well. I had another chick today that vomited up his first fish feed and seemed lethargic all day. He had a hard time keeping anything down today so I put him in a crate by himself overnight so the other stronger chicks don't bother him. Fingers crossed!

Well, my little friend 614 was a bit out of control today. He was under foot, tried climbing up my leg, jumped into my stomach tube container, knocked over my clip board, bit my ankles and stuck his head up by oilskins. Marguerite taught me a new word in Afrikaans today for this little one, "stout," meaning naughty. Well if he continues to show strength and stamina I'll take it! The only problem is that all the chicks are starting to get stronger and they are all following 614's suit. As soon as I get into their pens they swarm me and start peeping—this is a great sign. By the end of the day they start to get full and don't eat quite as readily. When I left tonight at least 75% of both pens of chicks were flat out sleeping.  Satisfied and tired from the day.

Today I saw a cormorant chick that came into the center as well as a terrapin turtle. Matt, a volunteer from Great Britain, had the other section of ICU birds today. He has been a great help lending a hand whenever I needed it. Thank goodness he had the petrels again today!

All in all I felt that I finally fell into a groove with the schedule. I'm a bit tired and my fingers are a bit sore. The chicks are really too small to use gloves when tubing but now they are getting much stronger and giving more voracious bites. I think I will put plasters on my left middle and for finger (they are the ones I use to open their mouths when passing a stomach tube).  And a little ibuprofen for the sore muscles. ;-). Fingers crossed for the little weak chick tonight.