Advice of expperienced parrot people needed - sudden death of pinapple conure

[LoveMyFids]

I agree about parrot owners. I never realised how special parrots are before I had my little boy. They are much more like humans than dogs and cats. Dogs and cats can be soul mates too and it's devastating to lose them. With parrots it's different again. A parrot is really a small person - with a very strong character, intelligence, complex emotions, very human reactions, moods, affections. But they are so small and fragile. And so many things can go wrong, so quicky and irreversibly. Now I understand that it's so much harder to be a good human to a parrot, than to a dog or a cat. You need to know so much more, you need to be so much more careful, any little mistake can cost their life. And then you are left with this massive hole in your life and in your heart and nothing can fill it

So true. They can be fine one day, & then the next not. I have 3 others birds (a Meyers, Rock Pebbler & a Bourke's) & this has left me feeling totally paranoid about their health & hyper aware of them all day-constantly checking to make sure they are ok. I've lost any sense of security where they are concerned because you never know. It's nuts because I've been super careful for years about their diet & everything else-like to an OCD degree. They don't even get "treats" or people food for years because it's bad & one has high cholesterol as a result of too many nuts & fats. He's on a low fat/low carb/low sugar/just a pinch of millet seed diet for a few yrs. now (the Rock Pebbler) per his avian vet. Birds are not easy to keep honestly-have had them most of my life & they are very high maintenance & take a lot of work! I sure do love them though! Can't imagine my life without them honestly.

 

[Farnoosh]

I agree about parrot owners. I never realised how special parrots are before I had my little boy. They are much more like humans than dogs and cats. Dogs and cats can be soul mates too and it's devastating to lose them. With parrots it's different again. A parrot is really a small person - with a very strong character, intelligence, complex emotions, very human reactions, moods, affections. But they are so small and fragile. And so many things can go wrong, so quicky and irreversibly. Now I understand that it's so much harder to be a good human to a parrot, than to a dog or a cat. You need to know so much more, you need to be so much more careful, any little mistake can cost their life. And then you are left with this massive hole in your life and in your heart and nothing can fill it

I completely agree with everything you say here. I was actually just speaking about this with a friend of mine today. I've had other animals companions, of all kind actually, and I guess a dog can come close to the companionship one can build with a parrot, but bird owners are just different. To me, there is something about people who have an affinity for birds that is quite beautifully unique. It's like a sensitivity of the soul and that's the only way I can put it…

 

[Farnoosh]

So true. They can be fine one day, & then the next not. I have 3 others birds (a Meyers, Rock Pebbler & a Bourke's) & this has left me feeling totally paranoid about their health & hyper aware of them all day-constantly checking to make sure they are ok. I've lost any sense of security where they are concerned because you never know. It's nuts because I've been super careful for years about their diet & everything else-like to an OCD degree. They don't even get "treats" or people food for years because it's bad & one has high cholesterol as a result of too many nuts & fats. He's on a low fat/low carb/low sugar/just a pinch of millet seed diet for a few yrs. now (the Rock Pebbler) per his avian vet. Birds are not easy to keep honestly-have had them most of my life & they are very high maintenance & take a lot of work! I sure do love them though! Can't imagine my life without them honestly.

I had to laugh when you said "to an OCD degree" – I totally know what you mean there! After everything my beautiful Daisy went through with her health issues (which lasted eight months at least) I am so paranoid now about every little thing, it's like I have eyes all over my head at all times – because it's true, you really never know. They are so vulnerable to so many things. Every moment we have with them is precious

 

[Farnoosh]

Oh, I'm so sorry. It truly is heart crushing. She was my little girl too. Such a part of every day of my life for 22 yrs. I feel lost without her honestly & it's just so hard. I still can't believe she's not here. I cry every day. I think only parrot owners can really understand the bond, but we also have those cats & dogs that enter our lives who are just so special & different than others. Sometimes in your life there's that one that's different & a soul mate to you. When you lose them, nothing can fill that spot in your heart. I had a cat that way too who passed 7 yrs. ago, but I think of him & miss him every day still. Thank you for your kind words.

Thank you for your kind words. It's so nice that you got to spend 22 years with her. What kind of parrot was she, if I may ask? I only had my Daisy for a year and four months, but it was such a special bond that we had…
My current bird, paisley, is a sweetheart and I love her so much. I feel like Daisy sent her to me. Their birthdays are so close together and they have a lot of little things in common that they do… But I worry about her a lot – I recently posted something about a surgery that she may have to go through which I am dreadfully anxious about.
Anyway – so nice to meet you and Anna in this thread

 

[LoveMyFids]

I had to laugh when you said "to an OCD degree" – I totally know what you mean there! After everything my beautiful Daisy went through with her health issues (which lasted eight months at least) I am so paranoid now about every little thing, it's like I have eyes all over my head at all times – because it's true, you really never know. They are so vulnerable to so many things. Every moment we have with them is precious

Yes, that's exactly how I am too now! My Rock Pebbler has had chronic health issues since 2020 & it's just an ongoing drama with him. He never really gets better, only improves for a few months & then gets flare ups/high uric acid despite his strict diet. The vet can't really pinpoint the actual reason for it & thinks perhaps it is genetic, as we try everything, but nothing really resolves his issues. Thousands of dollars later, here we are & it is what it is it seems. He's such a cute, sweet bird though, with such a personality. I really hope his issues can improve so he can live some more good years. To lose another bird right now would be beyond terrible. The struggle is real!

 

[LoveMyFids]

Thank you for your kind words. It's so nice that you got to spend 22 years with her. What kind of parrot was she, if I may ask? I only had my Daisy for a year and four months, but it was such a special bond that we had…
My current bird, paisley, is a sweetheart and I love her so much. I feel like Daisy sent her to me. Their birthdays are so close together and they have a lot of little things in common that they do… But I worry about her a lot – I recently posted something about a surgery that she may have to go through which I am dreadfully anxious about.
Anyway – so nice to meet you and Anna in this thread

She was an African Grey, which in some aspects is what makes it even more devasting for me. Super intelligent, totally like a little person/roomate/family member. I had her since she was 4mo. old & she was rarely not by my side. I took her to work with me for the first couple yrs. of her life & (funny story) when I first started dating my now husband, he lived an hours drive from me. As our relationship got more serious, I would spend the weekends at his place & I told him we were a package deal because I refused to leave her at home. I convinced him to buy her a cage for his house & I brought her with me every time I went there. She loved riding in the car with me! He had never been around parrots, but agreed & ended up falling in love with her of course. She was there for our whole relationship from the beginning-the 3rd partner in the relationship! Haha. We moved in together a couple years later. She was such a massive part of our lives. He is totally devasted by the loss. I've actually never seen him cry so much & so upset. He literally screamed & broke down when the vet called us to tell us she had passed overnight there. Honestly, that gutted me even more to see him in such pain-along with my own pain over it. It's been really tough. It's been a month now, but no lie-every day is still very difficult without her here. I have like PTSD & have horrible flashbacks to the events of that day-seeing her suffering like that losing her life. Just a nightmare & I can't get that image out of my mind yet. It's all still so raw. I hope it will get easier in time, but for now it's just super painful. I would literally give anything to have her back. ANYTHING!