This beautiful baby ringneck came in when her owner spotted that a seed had lodged deep in her nostril!

When this ringneck was just a nestling her parents stopped feeding her. This meant her very dedicated owner had to step in and start hand raising. She was a mere one-eighth of the size of her clutch-mates but since intervention she has grown and developed into a sweet little bird.

Birds that are starting the weaning process can be quite clumsy but curious about solid foods. While playing around with seeds this poor baby managed to get some stuck right in her nostril.

Local anaesthetic was placed into the nostril to make this minor procedure a little more comfortable for the baby. A fine instrument called a curette was used to quickly remove the offending seed. However it was soon discovered that another seed was lodged underneath the first and this one was stuck much deeper. Sterile saline was used to flush out and dislodge the second seed. Foreign material that remains in the nares (nostrils) or anywhere else in the upper respiratory tract can be a nidus (nest) for bacteria to set up infection, often leading to changes in breathing, and illness.

This little baby is doing well following her minor procedure and didn’t hold it against us! She still snuggled up for cuddles and head scratches after her ordeal.