I’ve since learned from even creating this video that diabetes is most common in the toco species but has been seen in some of the other species as well. It’s just less common in the other species of toucans. No one is quite sure why that is. But wanted to make sure I put that out there in case other owners are watching this thinking their keel billed or swainson isn’t as risk because that’s not the case so please be testing your toucan’s glucose at your annual vet exams. ❤️
You are such a caring, knowledgeable owner. We know you do your absolute best for all your birds! I know people will shoot me down for saying this but you are so right that sometimes we have to make THE toughest call for the sake of the animal and we shouldn't project our emotions on to them, they're very intelligent but they're not humans. Much love X
There's hope for neuropathy with PBMT, photobiomodulation, (LEDs or laser). I will figure out a way to get you my contact info. Here's a couple studies. Ness, R.D. (2015] Laser Therapy in avian patients. Proceedings of 5he Association of Avian Veterinarian's Conference. Aug29-Sep 2 San Antonio, TX. Ritzman, T.K. et al. (2015) Therapeutic Laser treatment for exotic animal patients. Journal of Avian Med Surg. 29(1):69-73.
As a former docent at an AZA zoo, I can't tell you how normal this is. Animal husbandry of wildlife is NOTORIOUSLY difficult. It's a constant learning process with these wild species. Even in the top AZA zoos in the country with the best vet staff on the planet, they still necropsy animals and can't find what went wrong. Take heart, JL. You're doing everything right. You didn't miss anything on purpose. You've done everything you knew and know how to do to give Rocko his best life.
I cant like this enough. I work at an AZA aquarium and it's so hard when you've done everything you know to do and you still can't seem to fix things, even with the best resources just like you said. It's hard, for sure.
@@theprogrammerrolandmc3039Have you followed this channel for long?; Many people who have know that Rocko was a gift the Jamie from her fans after she lost he last toucan. I remeber her saying she never even planned to own another one. Check yourself. Maybe look inward and see what it is that causes you to react with a complete lack of empathy.
Jamie don't beat yourself up about it we as humans don't know a lot about them. You've helped all of us now it's time we help and support you through it we are with you no mater what and will always love you guys.
Obviously I’m not a toucan. Probably. Most likely. I am however, a type 1 diabetic. And diabetes can be really scary, especially at first. It doesn’t ever get any less frustrating, but I can tell you that it does get easier to understand. He’ll have good days and bad days and really confusing days, but I’m sure you guys will do an amazing job with him
Oh man. I am so sorry poor Rocko and all of you had to go through this. I was absolutely heartbroken when my 15 year old cat was diagnosed diabetic. We had to do the multi-day testing for him as well, and he was actually the first cat to ever wear and use a modern semi-permanent blood sugar monitoring device. In the journals and such, just like Rocko will be now. Insulin injections twice a day. He escaped one day when I was out of town and he was being cat sat….apparently she didn’t notice he was gone for the first 12 hours and didn’t contact me until it had been almost 24! I immediately rushed back, ended up finding him alive, and sped to an emergency vet. He was super dehydrated and his sugars were so high the meter couldn’t read them. He fought and was able to survive the incident, thank god. He peacefully passed with vet help in my arms shortly after his 20th birthday, sadly due to the diabetes affecting his organs too much, to the point where he lost his appetite completely. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do; he was my best friend and I still miss him dearly. Diabetes is such a difficult disease. It’s notoriously hard to control in cats, and I can imagine that it’s ten time harder in birds…triple that for wild birds where care information is so scarce. You have done such a good job with him and it’s so easy to see how much he loves you. You’re so lucky to have all the wonderful videos of him being his spunky Rocko self to watch. He will never ever be forgotten. It does help some with the pain knowing that what they went through will help so many other animals, and that their bravery in testing and trying new devices and medical advancements will live on forever and touch so many.
Miss Jamieleigh, I have had my Senegal Parrot since I was 12 years old. I have made many, many mistakes with his care over the years. I'm almost 30 years old and for the last few years, with your help, I have drastically educated and changed how I go about caring for my boy armed and confident with what I have learned from you and your family. He has the best quality of life, better than he has ever had now, a huge part of that is thanks to you. I'm incredibly sorry about Rocco and I know how easy it is to blame yourself for everything, as I do the same and still do to this day struggle with guilt. But you have given your birds an amazing life and love and THAT is what needs to be focused on. You are a beautiful person and a wonderful caretaker to these complex and intelligent creatures. I know that the road ahead is hard but Rocco is with the best people he could possibly wish to be with. Take comfort in the fact that you are doing all you can to help him. That's all we can do, love, learn and grow. Sending endless love.
When I had my African grey pass away a few weeks ago she was at 1 year old. She had been hand fed formula for the last 8 months due to her weak liver. She would constantly get lethargic and finally she had enough. I blamed myself for everything, I was depressed for weeks and even now typing this and seeing your video I’m in tears. Just understand one thing that my friends and family told me …. You gave this bird an amazing life no matter what. You did everything you could with good intentions from the start and I can say that if he could talk he would love you for everything you did. Please don’t blame yourself and please enjoy whatever time you have left with him
I'm so so sorry everything you are going through. Avian medicine seems to have so little known about it. I keep chickens and even then as something that has been domesticated forever there arent many vets that know enough to even offer any help, not including how people see chickens..."chickens are cheap, their health isnt worth paying for, therefore they are disposable" Many vets won't even see chickens and you can't legally treat them yourself, so what are you left with when one gets sick. I got emotional watching this as I've felt every single feeling you are describing and I understand. You feel so helpless and you just want them to be better and then there comes a point that you exhaust all resources and it hurts so much to have to make that awful decision. I hope your next vet trip you find answers, for the better to make him comfortable. Thinking of you ❤️
My heart breaks for you🥺. You are a wonderful mom & doing everything possible. It is so hard when your babies are sick, human or fur/feathered. I have adopted many elderly dogs & gave them the best care & love until their end. It is heartbreaking but please know that you've provided a wonderful life for him. You might be doubting it & feel guilty but you can't look back & judge yourself on what you didn't know. You did seek help & that's what matters. Hopefully the new meds will help. You have helped others just by sharing this.
I hate you're having to deal with this but I promise we know that you're taking the best care of him and are doing everything as right as you know how. Praying for little Rocco and for your peace of mind dealing with this difficult situation.
Dear Birdtricks To identify and name an illness like this is already a huge step into the right direction. Now that you know what you are dealing with you can take the next steps into a better direction for him. I wish you all the best of luck and knowledge to treat him, so he can be himself again! Lots of love from Germany Anna xxx
It's so difficult. I cried with you. I have had to do the last act of kindness for my beloved dogs. It is the worst. We all have. You aren't alone. You have done the best you could with the information you had. Be strong. You will get through this. You are an inspiration and a wonderful teacher. We all love you Jamie
It’s so inspiring watching you talk about this, being open about your birds and learning along the way makes you a better bird owner and inspires all of us to be better bird owners as well ❤️
Jamie, I’m so sorry that poor little Rocco and your family are suffering. Hindsight is always 20/20. Thank you for taking the time to educate us about the signs of diabetes. He couldn’t have a more dedicated bird mom. ❤️
Type 1 diabetic for 30+ years here. I'm so sorry you are going through this with Rocko. I'm so glad that he is improving with insulin. Insulin dosages are often very conservative upon diagnosis because the danger of hypoglycemia. I would encourage you to work with Rocko's vet to partner on refining his dosage. I don't know how realistic it is to check a toucan's blood glucose, but if he's already getting insulin shots, it might not be as big of a leap as it sounds. Because he is unique in his diet, which is mostly carbohydrates, his insulin dosage is probably not sufficient using the default veterinary calculations. I've seen you voraciously take on self-education projects, I have no doubt that you could learn enough about diabetes and insulin treatment that could help Rocko and potentially other Toucans in the future. I'm so sorry you're going through this. I cannot imagine having a diabetic pet without my own intimate knowledge of this condition, so I know it's probably very scary, and you feel helpless. You are doing your best, and know that it IS enough. 🧡
Type 1 diabetic of 10+ years and I absolutely agree. Of course it could be different in toucans since their bodies are extremely different than ours, but still.
Don’t upset yourself over this Jamie. You’re a wonderful parrot parrot owner and your birds couldn’t ask for a better bird mama. We all believe in you Rocko, Jamie, Dave and Capri. You’re doing your best to help him feeling better and I’m sure he couldn’t ask for anyone better!!! He’s a gorgeous boy and I really wish their was more information on them, just like there is on parrots! Come on Rocko, we are all rooting for you! I cried with you Jamie after knowing how this feels, we had to have my rabbit put to sleep a week ago! I get how you’re feeling, you’ve got this!! ❤️❤️
So sorry about Rocko. I am crying with you. It's true that bird care is ongoing and a guessing game. Please don't blame yourself and thank you for sharing awareness on Toucans.
Oh my Lord, sweetie you are breaking my heart. You are so compassionate and a WONDERFUL feather mommy. I know it really stinks, and we do the best we can for our flocks. We love you, and Rocco is such a super cutie 💛💛💛 we will be praying for him and your family 🙏🏼
Don't think you have to remain strong for anyone. Girl...we love you and are here for you however we can be. Don't beat yourself up for this. Hang in there. I can't even imagine. Tears in Indiana...
I can relate to your sadness and frustration because I have a cat that is dying and it is a slow process that I have to watch every day. So don't be afraid to have the feelings that you are having and let them out. We pray daily for our cat but it is still hard. My comfort is that I know that she will be with God and we will see her again. 😥
Oh No, poor Rocco! Jaime you cannot beat yourself up on this, and you certainly can't compare a human (your uncle) to a bird. These moments are so hard, and playing the 'What If' will take you down a painful road you Do Not deserve. I'm hoping the vet can help make Rocco more comfortable and maybe some sign of hope. Rocco is such a lucky guy having you, Dave, Capri and your Mom and Dad who love him to the Moon and Back, you are doing everything you can and what a gift you are. Please know prayers are coming your way. Take care!
*Big hugs* When we love someone, be it a person or a pet, it is so easy to blame ourselves when they get sick. If only I had done x better, if only I had seen the signs. As if doing everything perfectly is some talisman against bad things happening. Hindsight is 20/20, please don't let the what ifs and maybes I should haves tear you apart. My dog is currently dealing with a liver tumor and I lay awake at night going doing the same thing, if only I had noticed x, if only I had read this information and known all about this before it happened. But in the end this is the hard part about having pets. This is the price we pay for loving the and for all the joy and love they bring us, for the most part we will outlive them and knowing what the best thing is, when to decide that the bad days out weigh the good is so very hard. You have all my love and sympathy. Thank you for sharing this with us all, even in your sadness you are thinking of ways to help other people and the lives of other birds.
The fact that you are putting this information out there while your heart breaks is amazing. Please try not to be so hard on yourself. You always put the best interest of the birds first. I’ve been watching your channel for about a year and the work you do is amazing. If the knowledge had been available then you would have been doing everything in your power to keep diabetes from happening. I love you guys and will be sending healing vibes to Rocco.
I know how easy it can be to beat yourself up, but realize too that Rocko lives an absolutely amazing life considering what an incredibly delicate and fragile bird he is and how insanely difficult toucans are to care for. And as sucky as it is, to a certain extent we have to go through these experiences in the hobby in order to know more and do better by the birds. It’s easy to get caught up in blaming and shaming yourself because I know you take caring for these animals incredibly seriously, as you should, but you also deserve to give yourself a little break and realize that, from what I can tell, there’s no way Rocko would blame you or hold it against you, and he’s helping you to save the lives of so many other birds.
Now you know, you're doing all you can do for him, and sharing what you've learned with others. What more can you do? Sending love and healing vibes to you and Roco.
I'm so sorry that you are going through this. We went through it with my daughters Maine Coon cat and it sounds so similar as to what we were seeing in him... he was different than other cats and learned tricks and was very close to my daughter so it was very hard to watch this play out in him. I was also taking care of my mother who had diabetes and within a few years she was completely diabetic free from the change in diet that I had her on. I pray Rocko can be free of this with the changes I know you're making. You guys are amazing and I pray the best for you.
Your birds could not be in better hands! Your absolute love for them is clear. You are doing everything possible! My heart aches for you. You and your family (birds too) will be in my prayers. Wish I could do more! 🥰
He was an amazing bird and you were even more of an amazing mom. So sorry for your loss, but you gave him a wonderful life as well, even in his last moments ❤
I honestly cried this entire video!!!! 😭 I'm so so sorry this has happened to you...and you shouldn't blame yourself because you are one of the best bird parents I have ever "known"!!! He loves you so much and it shows!!! Sending you all my prayers and love and hugs!!!
You , JL, are one of the best exotic bird keepers in the US. Even with video editing there are just some things that can't be hidden and the level of care you provide to your birds far exceeds most AZA zoos I've visited and AZA is supposedly the standard in this country. Beyond that what you have offered in terms of education, for free, on RU-vid is unparalleled. Period! Your videos have improved the lives of birds across the globe. My birds live better lives because of YOU. You are an irreplaceable asset to the exotic community. As much as we like to believe to the contrary, we are not in control of everything. For what its worth my advise for toucan owners to look into protein and especially fiber content. Absolutely true that our fruit is high in sugar but also low in fiber. Additionally toucans are omnivorous. They eat tons of insects and toco toucans are actually the hyacinth macaws #1 predator raiding nests for hyacinth eggs and chicks. I hope you find a medication for Roco! My diabetic friend had to try 3 before finding the one that was right for her.
Oh Darlin' my heart is breaking for you & I cried. I sincerely hope that the Vet can offer a new treatment, but can feel that you will do what is best for your baby. Please don't beat yourself up on missing signs that you weren't aware to watch for, you may be in the same situation now anyway Hon. For all we know, this may very well occur in the wild also. Rocko is getting the best care possible with the knowledge known. I am keeping you all in my thoughts & sending big hugs from Oz. ❤
It's so hard when our beloved animals are ill. Thank you for sharing all this incredibly important information, even though it obviously brought up a lot of pain in you to talk about it. That's true courage. Wishing healing and comfort for Rocko, and for your whole family.
Jamie! PLEASE don't feel guilty about this! We ALL know how much love, devotion, and care you give to your flock. If I can make a suggestion? Instead of taking him to your usual vet, take him to your local zoo. I'm sure they will have more experience with this and will know the absolute best treatment for him. They also network with other zoos around the country, and have more access to information than your local vet?! Meanwhile, chin up and don't give up. I once had a doctor tell me that where there is life there is always hope.❤️🕊
Oh Jamie 🥺 I can see how hard this is for you. It sucks knowing your animal is not feeling well and even worse being the one who has to make all the decisions about their care. That's a big burden. Praying that the vet is able to provide some more answers and that you have peace about your decisions for Rocco. We all know you are doing the absolute BEST thing you can for your babies ❤️
Pausing the video to write this. You only know when you know. You do the best with the information you have. Had you known you would have done something. Had you had the information you might have put the pieces together sooner but you are not omniscient. If a client told you this story would you judge/blame them? I would guess not so you have to give yourself the same grace. You have to be nice to yourself too. :P You are now helping make sure others do not have the same problem as you did. On a side note you might contact zoo keepers or even try to make a network with keepers of all kinds to help with toucan info. Zoo keepers might have information that is useful or might need the information too. (the St. louis zoo has toucans last time I was there.)
I'm so sorry for you. I know what it's like, my cat is diabetic. I didn't know for the longest time either. When I heard you describe things, I couldn't help but think about what I was going through with Cosmo. He's been getting insulin for a couple years now and comes to me when his sugars get high or let's me know. He's 14 now. Big hugs to you and your family.
Oh no, I'm so sorry to hear about Rocco having diabetes. I know you guys are doing your best to care for your birds, and they couldn't be in better hands. There is so much to learn and figure out about bird care and nutrition, and the experts are still trying to figure it out. Thanks for informing us. Hope he gets better!
Jamie you've helped my family and I so much with our bird. You're a great bird mom don't beat yourself up over this you couldn't have known and you've done everything in your availability to give Roco a great life you're amazing. I hope he gets better 🙏
jamie you are such an amazing person and you do everything you can for your birds! nobody/nobirdy deserves to go through something like this! sending so so so much love ❤❤
we do the best with the information that we have so dont beat urself up. ure doing great and everything that one good owner should. also ure allowed to feel the feelings and cry, dont apologize. we love u and stay strong. we r here for u. sending positive energy and lots of love 💜
I'm sorry you guys are going through this. I know birds and humans aren't the same but when a human gets sick like something life changing it takes a while for us to adjust I know its hard but try and hold on for a bit he may respond well to treatment! I know it stinks but don't give up he clearly hasn't given up yet!
I am so sorry to hear Rocko is ill. I am sending prayers your way and to Rocko and your family.🙏🏽😧 You are my teacher in care of parrots, we can’t know everything. Love you all.
I’m so sorry for your pain and that of your precious Toucan. It must be so painful to be going through the symptoms he’s experiencing and then you as a empath having to see him suffer. You and your entire family both birds and humans are in my prayer 🙏🏼
I’m so sorry you guys are going through such a tough time. Don’t beat yourself up, though - you are a wonderful pet mom! I can’t imagine a more invested or involved person to care for your birds. I’ve nursed several dogs and bunnies through various illnesses, injuries , cancer, and old age and it’s just so hard to see them struggle for any reason. I’d trade places with them in a heartbeat! Rocko knows he’s loved. Wishing the best for you guys. Keep us posted on what the vet says!
It's amazing you're so transparent and we know you love him so much. Thank you so much for spreading this information. I know even just that can be a lot in these situations. I'm sure you will take the best care of him you absolutely can with his condition. Good luck
oh rocko poor guy..man Jaime I was sitting here listening and feeling sad and I started to cry I know how much u care and love all ur birds...all my best Jaime and Dave
Jamieleigh, maybe hearing your voice *is* the betterment of his life. He knows he is loved every single time he sees you or hears you. Even if he's an "old" guy now, what a gift he' having living with the three of you. Plus - all the hundreds of admiring FANS!!! All of us are sad to see your/our family member struggling! Sending hugs - Lynn in Atlanta
Dear Jaime, I feel very sad to see you so sad. Birds and other pets provide us with laughter and joy. Seeing them sick and not enjoying life makes us very sad. So I understand. I hope your vet will be able to help Roco heal and make him feel better. All the best, Jaime. Roco will be feeling better. 😘😘
My heart goes to Rocko, you and your family. Know that you have given him the best possible life you knew how to give him. You will continue to make the best decisions for his well being and quality of life. Praying that the vet can give you options so that Rocko can continue to be with you for many more years to come.
My heart goes out to you all as a family, you do such a fantastic job with you’re birds please don’t be too hard on yourself however saying that’s easier said than done 🥺 fingers crossed for Rocco’s next vet visit 🙏🙏🙏
My heart goes out to all of you and Rocko. It is obvious how much you love and care about Rocko and want him to have the best life. Please don’t punish yourself for not knowing what you didn’t know. Go gently with you all.
I am so sorry, Jamie. I know you have always done your best with all your birds. He is in the best hands with you still, and you will continue to give him the best love and care.
Everyone who's had pets jas had this happen, where their pet got sick and they didn't realize until it was too late. Those of us with bird are especially vulnerable to that.
i know that nothing i say will make you feel better with something this hard and heart breaking but i know that you'll make the right choices for him because you truly love him. we all know you'll make choices in his best interest to make him and happy and comfortable as possible no matter what they are.
I just want to give you a hug! Sorry you are going through this the emotional struggle of sick animals has to be the hardest thing to cope with just know you did nothing wrong you take excellent care of your birds it Just unfortunate that the don't live forever and some get sick and leave us early. My heart goes out to you stay strong.
OH ROCCO‼️😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 Edit: Sobbing so hard Jamie 😭 NEVER FORGET you are the BEST PROACTIVE, DETECTIVE MOM IN THE ENTIRE WORLD‼️ MUCH LOVE AND BEAR HUGS FOR YOU AND ROCCO ‼️ ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Jamie, I can hear the pain in your voice and see it on your face. I know you always do the very best you can with the knowledge you have. Please don’t feel guilty. I believe humans just don’t know enough as to how to keep these beautiful wild beings healthy. It’s people like you and Dave that teach as you learn that will help us do better for generations to come. I hope and pray that Rocko will heal and be back to his healthy self. Know that he feels the love from you and Dave, and that itself is a comfort for him.
this one was a hard one to watch, he really was not himself in the video. I can’t imagine what your going though, I think something to always remember is how important this sort of video is and just how much of an ambassador for a species that rocko is. This video today could have saved another birds life in the future by letting the humans really understand what to look out for and you really are saving birds one person at a time! . He’s an amazing bird and You and Dave have given him a life that most birds only dream of.Good luck with the ongoing treatment.
Oh man, Video made me cry because all of us that have pets we love so much and have been in your place! Sometimes its easy to figure out what's going on but most times its tough, they can't tell us what's going on. you can be the best pet owner in the world and things happen,,,,praying for you guys and Roco. Your sharing will help so many that have Toucans, give them things to keep an eye on! hugs your way
I'm so sorry this is happening to you, your family, and Rocko. It's not your fault Jamie. Just like you've said, there isn't enough material out there to help with his species. You've dedicated your entire life to parrot training, education, and care- and you've done AMAZING with him. Just keep loving on him and being with him for as long as you can, and thank you so much for sharing. It was so hard watching you cry. Praying for you ❤️
Jamie, I'm so sorry that it's been so hard. Thank you for being brave and putting this information out there. I really hope that you get answers and that your beautiful boy can start feeling better very soon.
Thanks for being honest and making others feel less alone. I kept telling my parent that their bird felt lighter and we felt so dumb and heartbroken when we took him to the vet and realized it was too late. It’s hard to look back and see it so clearly. 💔
I understand your tears, and pain. Life isn't easy for humans, and It's even harsher for animals. We miss things in our animals because they always put on their best faces for us. Birds are prey animals, and they hide their pain and discomfort even harder from us. I've missed serious issues with my animals before, and it took a huge toll on me, when I lost them because of my lack of intuition and knowledge. One thing I can say is this. The stronger you can be for him, the better he will feel. Trust your gut when it feels like it's time to let him go. It's ok to cry, and be upset. Thank you for the video to alert to this risk.
Jamie, I am so sorry. My heart breaks for you. We can only do our best and you always do more then your best. Its so hard for you and yet here you are putting your pain to the side to teach everyone what you've learned. Thank you for always be so honest, for doing so much for your birds and all birds. Keeping you in my prayers❤️🙏
Jamieleigh this isn’t your fault. We don’t know what we don’t know. You are an exceptional bird mama, world renowned even. Thank you for opening up and being vulnerable- your love for this creature is so obvious. It’s so sad but you’re doing everything you can- and who knows- I’m sure you are saving some future Tucan from The same fate. Everything for a reason, no accidents even if we may not know the reason in our lifetimes. Love to you and your sweet baby.
You are a great bird mommy and you take such care of your birds. Your care is only as good as the information available to you. This is NOT your fault. You learned from it and now you can begin the healing process. For Rocco and yourself. Hugs and love to you!
I’m so so sorry he’s been diagnosed with diabetes, that’s so sad 😞 sending you love and lots of healing and hope. I was crying right along with you 😭 it’s so devastating when our bird babies get sick, I’ve found it’s the hardest thing to stay positive and stay calm with It’s also really interesting that signs of diabetes in toucans are so similar to signs of diabetes in humans
My heart goes out to you and your family and Rocko during this stressful time. I have been following your channel since before you even got Rocko and I have seen how hard you guys try to take good care of your birds and do right by them. But it is super hard to see our beloved pets not acting like "themselves" and not knowing how to make them feel good. 💔
It is one of the toughest experiences as a pet owner. Several years ago on Valentines Day, I brought my 12yr old hand-raised starling in for ataxia not knowing the outcome of treatment or saying goodbye. This wasn’t his time & vet was willing to try options. They will let you know. When his episode happened again at age 14, he told me it was time. You have that special connection & will know ❤️. I’m sending reiki healing energy to all of you 🙌🏼
