TikTok's famous emu, Emmanuel, is suffering from stress, not bird flu, caretaker says
It turns out that TikTok's beloved bird, Emmanuel the emu, is going to be OK. His caretaker, Taylor Blake, announced over the weekend that Emmanuel, who was thought to be suffering from a wave of avian flu that killed "99% of the birds" on Blake's farm, was actually suffering from the stress of the situation.
Blake tweeted on Saturday that Emmanuel tested negative for avian influenza at two different labs.
"He does not have the virus and is not actively shedding the virus," Blake said.
Now Blake believes the emu's condition was brought on by stress, which emus are "highly susceptible to," she said. It is believed to have been brought on by the sudden death of most of the birds on Blake's farm.
Wild geese carried the bird flu to Blake's South Florida farm, resulting in the deaths of more than 50 birds in three days. Emmanuel and a swan named Rico are the only bird survivors on the farm.
"He was incredibly overwhelmed by the state coming in and euthanizing our flock. (Although it was necessary, it was still very stressful on him)," Blake said. "He stopped eating the day they depopulated."
Emmanuel was also not drinking and had isolated himself "in the farthest corner of the pasture" – far away from the officials who were present in hazmat suits, Blake said. Even when she tried to bring him food and water every hour, he wouldn't bite. She believes he didn't eat for at least three to four days and is unsure if he drank water at any point during that time.
Blake said they tried multiple times to perform tests and could only provide supportive care. After four days of "round the clock care," she said, his blood pressure started to rise to appropriate levels.
"Something in my gut just told me that this wasn't the end for him. So I kept fighting for him, and I don't regret it. He never once had a single symptom of AI [avian influenza], other than not eating, which is often caused by stress in emus. It was just very coincidental timing," she said.
Now, Emmanuel continues to get better. On Monday, Blake posted he was able to lift himself up and straighten out his neck. He has also been drinking water.
"I've dedicated the past 10 days to saving my best friend's life, and it's working," Blake said. "He's fighting. He's getting stronger."