Joan Collins Surgery

March 2003

Joan Collins began to experience a problem with her reproductive cycle in 2001.  She turned "gravid blue" and went off feed at the onset of cycling and prior to being placed with a male.  Slugs were produced, and were dumped from the perch instead of the nest box, which was unusual for this normally good mother.

I cycled and paired her again in 2002, and again she seemed to be out of sync with normal.  One day I found her draped from the perch, and upon inspection I discovered that she was unable to perch normally.  She seemed to have lost most of the motor function of her rear half.  She was obviously full of developing egg follicles.  When it was determined that she was unable to defecate normally, the decision was made to remove the egg follicles surgically.  It was hoped that this would aid in her recovery.  Three photos are published below of the procedure.

Undergoing anesthesia

Exposing the ovary and first follicle.  The small white matter is fat deposits.

18 follicles were removed.

Sadly, the surgery did not restore the use of her body, and several weeks later it was decided to euthanize the female.  I will miss Joan!