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 45º 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 45º 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