deformed foreleg - otherwise appears healthy

[maryeleek]

I have one little female who eclosed mid day yesterday. She appears healthy but has one misformed foreleg.

Is it possible for her to survive without the use of this leg? She can cling to the netting of the enclosure but when I attempted to release her late yesterday, she doesn't seem to want to fly, although I can see nothing wrong with her wings.

Should I try again to release her? I don't want to cause undue suffering for her but really don't know what would be best.

Mary

[Mona Miller]

Give her a couple more days and try to see if she will nectar. Have you checked for OE?

[maryeleek]

Thank you for your support, Mona.

I'm happy to report she is off on her life journey. I can only hope she is strong enough to survive.

I opened the door on the enclosure to check on her and she just flew right over my shoulder and up into a big Oak tree, settling on a sunny leaf. I guess she had tired of being treated like an invalid!

Mary

[Mona Miller]

Good news. If she can fly that far, she has a pretty good chance of having a normal life.