This morning I caught him, put drops of two different medicines near his beak (you try getting 0.01 ccs into a 12 gram bird, twice), and popped him into the travel cage while I cleaned the hospital cage. He didn't play dead then, and when I caught him to put him back into the hospital cage he ran around, doing a great job of getting away from me. But once back in the hospital cage, there he was, not moving except to roll a little on the floor, DEAD. Hahahahahaha.

Ovaltine is still alive, and possibly doing a little better now that I'm giving him lactulose and milk thistle. Both of these can help reduce the amount of ammonia that accumulates in the blood of patients with liver disease. The problem with these medicines — really it's the problem with the disease itself — is that you have to keep the patient on them forever. In Ovaltine's case, that means playing dead twice a day living in the hospital cage for the rest of his life. Which isn't a great prospect, in terms of quality of life.

Well, not time to make that sort of decision. I sure do miss that early morning crowing, though. Much better than the Playing Dead game!