Abstract
0 n 4 August 1998 a set of twin Sun Conures was born to Elizabeth Clark - not really. The parents were Sunny and Sara Sun ConureThis pair of conures lives in a cage three feet square by four feet high. their nest box is a small metal bootbox filled part way with a mix of pine and cedar shavings. They eat a seed diet with added vegetables including cabbage, carrots, celery, and broccoli. They also receive hardboiled eggs, Honey Nut Cheerios, apples, and oranges. Com and assorted melons are added in season. All is sprinkled with spirulina and wheat grass.
Neighboring birds include Amazon parrots, Alexandrine Parakeets, Half Moon conures and an occasional walk-by, look-in by an emu.
Because this pair disfigured their first baby while feeding it, I decided to be more careful with the following clutches and do all I could to safeguard their next offspring.
On July 1, 1998 their first egg was laid, followed two days later by a second egg. By july 15 both eggs were determined to be fertile and no additional eggs had been laid.
The first egg hatched on August second and the parents slightly disfigure the chick as they had done to the previous one. It now seemed more important than ever to safeguard the remaining egg.
When I checked the last egg on August fourth, I was blown away by what I saw when I opened the inspection door - twins. Two babies. The egg was broken directly in half, not pipped at the top as normal. One baby was up and full of seed. The other lay lifeless in the shavings. At least I had one baby alive of the two. When I removed the body of the dead one it twitched. I called Kathy, my handfeeder, and she was over in a flash with syringe, saline solution, and formula.
We removed both babies and warmed them in a brooder until we could weigh them and start their growth charts.
The larger one weighed in at 10 grams while the little one was only six grams. The first three days were touch and go all the way. The smaller one had a slow feeding response and seemed to lack energy. The larger one ate like a horse. By the end of four days, both babies seemed more normal. We thought we were out of the woods. Not so.
While I was on vacation the little one developed a problem. Kathy rose to the occasion and took it to the vet who lanced an abscess over its right eye. After 10 days of medication the baby was fine again.
DNA testing determined the larger baby was a female and the smaller a male. At the time of this writing, both are weaned, happy, and healthy. Both babies from the same egg. ~