Dante Thauma

Dante, the Irrepressible Grey
*A tribute to the resilience and courage of this little Grey, and the wonderful human hearts that unselfishly helped her…*
It was in December of 1996 that all four of us sat there looking in disbelief and not knowing what to do. I and my husband, Eric, John the bird breeder, and Lillian the hand-feeder, were all shaking our heads in amazement. From a frontal perspective, we were observing a four week old African Congo Grey who had one of its legs growing straight up in the air. In fact, the leg seemed to be bending back over the top of its body. Also, one of its wings was pushed up and over its body at about a 90-degree angle and was facing towards the other side of the body.
The baby was born this way and we had decided that something must have gone very wrong during its development in the egg. Yet, at this point, the baby was very much alive and seemed bright and aware. With the support of our intertwined fingers around its twisted little body, it did its best to stand on the one good leg. To make matters worse, it had a hunchback and a large pressure sore on its "bad side" that had most likely developed from the little one lying on that side for extended periods of time. Eric and I decided we would take it on! Dr. Anne McDonald, a most excellent veterinarian here in Vancouver, observed the little bird for an hour or so. Arrangements were made for Dr. Alan Kuzma, an animal surgical specialist, and Dr. Nancy Brock, an anesthesiologist, to perform the initial operation on January 22,1997.
For several weeks before the operation, we held the little girl up for hours each day to strengthen the good leg. The sore soon healed with the proper medication. We placed the bird in a small plastic container about 6" x 12" x 8"h. Towels and diapers were rolled to form supports for the little body and head. Feeding was no problem as our new friend excitedly anticipated meal times. Soon our little Grey began to grow and get stronger. The wing was bandaged in such a way as to gradually push it down into the proper position. This was done in stages so as to cause as little discomfort as possible.
After the first operation we were all amazed. Not only had the entire leg, including the joints, muscles and nerves, been manipulated completely around, but this little bird actually wanted to stand up right away! Several more months of support constraints were designed, as she became more mobile. For a few weeks she was placed in a larger plastic box with elastic bandages forming a sort of jolly jumper. Keeping the legs together in a normal position was a constant challenge to our ingenuity. After a few weeks, this bird was so full of beans we had to place her in a larger basket. By now all she wanted to do was to play, eat, and sleep, with the emphasis on play! It was at about this point that we named her Dante Thauma (Dante from the 13^th century poet who wrote of an epic journey to hell and back, and Thauma from the Latin word for miracle worker). Complications arose, as she became such a little monkey that she broke one of the support pins and had to have extra bandage on the leg. Finally the day came when the leg cast was removed. Everything worked out better than we could ever have imagined and Dante could stand and walk on her own! That was two operations down and one more to go. Number three came with corrective surgery on the wing. This was a very difficult procedure and only attained a partial correction. However, she can flap both wings and does not appear to be in pain from it, so we decided that enough is enough. Unfortunately, Dante in a fit of unrestrained fun, forgot that she was still a patient, and jumped off a table one day. She broke the joining pin in her hip and once again was required to undergo corrective surgery to remove the broken pin. She must have known something because the joint, which was supposed to be rigid, now works perfectly.
Three weeks later the wing cast was removed with a 75% improvement. Today, I am happy to say that Dante is the darling of my life. She is not nervous and plays with any new toy with gusto. She sings Mozart’s Serenade in G Minor with all her heart, and can add words to any new melody she hears. She’s very affectionate, and is the very best eater of all my birds. She calls herself by her complete name- Dante Thauma! Eventually, Dante moved to a larger cage with platforms and lots of climbing ropes and ladders. She has mastered many skills, and does not know that she is handy-capped. "Nothing wrong with me! " is Dante’s attitude. Dante’s talking skill is always expanding. The most recent announcement she said was "Dante is a baby Grey bird bird."

Most people who see her for the first time only notice the wing being out of place a little. They never guess the incredible obstacles this bird has had to overcome and the wonderful human skills and love that it took! Not only can Dante stand or hold things in both feet, but also her feathers grew in so beautifully that it is difficult to notice her hunchback. Despite bandages, steel pins, tubes, sores and stressful treatment, this little African Grey never picked a single feather. My life’s work has become birds, and I appreciate the special qualities of each one. However, it is no wonder that Dante and I have a most special relationship. I think we can all learn by her irrepressible view on life! Many thanks to the excellent specialists who gave their knowledge and skill to help one very courageous little bird!
Vicki Ballard Director - West Coast Tropical Bird Studio Inc.