den: (Default)
den ([personal profile] den) wrote2002-05-03 12:26 pm

The slash on my wrist has stopped bleeding

Which is nice.

The doctors take ages looking for veins in my arm, and the falcon in the freezer manages to open them accidentally. Those birds have really sharp talons.

reads what he wrote Yeah alright, that probably sounds pretty weird to most of you, me having a raptor in the freezer, waiting Kato-like to leap out and attack unexpectedly. I don't think the others would be surprised.

I have several falcons, actually, and some goss-hawks, a hobie, a pied stilt, 2 tawny frogmouths, 3 wedge-tailed eagles, a kestrel, 6 flying foxes and a large number of insectivorous bats. It's a part of being in WIRES THe Australian Museum requires them for study.

The freezer also stores raptor and snake food, such as rabbits, rats, mice and guinea pigs. (sorry [livejournal.com profile] femakita)

It was the GPs wot brought me undone. HT has a little eagle who is thoughoughly sick of kangaroo tail so he threw a hissy fit. Acutally it was more a screechy, flappy fit. He refused to eat. HT asked for some GPs from the freezer. As I reached in I caught my wrist on a talon.

When I wipe the blood away I can see the cut running along my wrist between two veins. I'm probably very lucky.

It bloody hurts, too.

[identity profile] dewhitton.livejournal.com 2002-05-02 08:33 pm (UTC)(link)
The birds go to the museum, and a local taxonomist teaches his students on the commom birds.

My arm is covered in antiseptic cream. I'm allergic to liquid disinfectents so I can't really bathe it in anything other than salty water. Ouch.

[identity profile] dewhitton.livejournal.com 2002-05-02 08:50 pm (UTC)(link)
I'll get it from the pharmacy I buy my chloroform from. He won't give me a strange look.

So...

[identity profile] hedgegoth.livejournal.com 2002-05-02 08:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Let me get this straight.
You got wounded by a dead frozen falcon?

[snrk]
i mean, oh man, i feel for ya.
Do not handle the live ones :)

Re: So...

[identity profile] dewhitton.livejournal.com 2002-05-02 08:42 pm (UTC)(link)
I don't handle them. EVER! Raptors are INSANE! They're total loonies. No way would I ever be involved in their handling.

[identity profile] psaakyrn.livejournal.com 2002-05-02 08:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Just curious: shouldn't talons and/or sharp edges be bound up, so that accidents like this don't happen as often?

[identity profile] dewhitton.livejournal.com 2002-05-02 08:42 pm (UTC)(link)
The body was in a plastic bag, but the talon had poked though.

[identity profile] tatterdemalion.livejournal.com 2002-05-03 04:47 am (UTC)(link)
This could only happen to you batty dear 8-)