What’s a Ruru to Do?
Sometimes one gets caught out in the rain; if you are an owl with an untreated skin condition you can be left with, well, left with an unsightly photograph.
Thankfully, this New Zealand Morepork/Ruru owl (his name is Purple) was rescued and expeditiously diagnosed by veterinarians at Wildbase Hospital.
(The vets surmised that the bacteria cocci had spread over his entire little body causing his skin to flake and peel. This condition damaged his feathers to the extent that they were not ‘waterproofing‘ as they should.)
The solution? He simply received a soothing anti-bacterial shampoo bath and Poof! he is almost new again.
(Purple’s feathers are now waterproof, as should be, criteria for his release back into the wild).
Image by Stuff, full copyright belongs to Stuff : Purple, the NZ Rescued Ruru Owl After His Medicinal Spa Shampoo Bath
And remember, just because Purple the Ruru owl was having a bad feather day doesn’t mean you should poke fun at the little guy.
Purple was treated at Wildbase Recovery
How to Help Wildbase Recovery New Zealand
Source & Images: “Rescued owl takes a warm bath to soothe bacterial infection” by Maxine Jacobs
Morepork/Ruru OWL learn more at: https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/birds/birds-a-z/morepork-ruru/
Purple, the Morepork/Ruru OWL’s story has been reported around the world. Here are the headlines from The Daily Mail, London:
Image by Stuff, full copyright belongs to Stuff : Purple, the NZ Rescued Ruru Owl Having a Bad Feather Day