Bird killed itself

[LordTriggs]

So after having my Conure Ozzy for a whole 2 weeks he decided to commit suicide.

We had finally started getting a friendship going, slowly. He was stepping up and would sit on my shoulder. Saturday morning he suddenly decided whilst he was playing to take off and fly across the house and slam himself into a wall which broke his neck.

I'm really confused as to why he did this as he seemed really happy and just a bit down as this is the second Conure I've had that has died within 2 months. My first dying from an apparent heart defect.

Has anyone got any advice for me on what I should do? Or anything? This has really hurt me and has made my enthusiasm for bird ownership go, as it feels like I should have done something to stop this happening.

 

[Notdumasilook]

Sorry for your loss. No idea why a bird would fly into a wall unless he was really unskilled as a flyer ...which sounds like the case here. He just did not have the skills yet. I have 2 birds... both free to fly if they want. My amazon choses not to... he would rather walk. My lil conure was a skilled indoor flyer until he was maimed by a vet tech taking X rays... injuring his wing permanently. Again.. so sorry you lost what would have been an awesome lil buddy.

 

[LordTriggs]

thanks for the words. He didn't seem to be unskilled, he was in an aviary before my place which was smaller and even in his cage he would fly to parts of it and would make it through the hallway. When I watched him it looked like he did it on purpose. He looked over at the other side of the room for a couple minutes then took off at full speed and made no attempt to stop.

My mum is out of town for a couple days and said she'll talk to me about what I want to do when she's back but I'm really unsure. I've loved the time I spent with my birds, my first Green Cheek was incredible, being recall trained within a week of owning him but now 2 have 2 birds go within a month of each other it feels like I'm being told I shouldn't own one

 

[Scott]

I am very sorry for your loss of Ozzy. Losing two birds in quick succession is terribly sad.

 

[Notdumasilook]

I dearly love my critters so I can imagine. I had one bird die in my hands of a stroke brought on by a guest feeding my birdie "fritos" but I didn't stop with birds.. I got rid of "guest".

 

[texsize]

I am very sorry for your loss.
I can only say it sounds like something put him into panic mode.
When that happens it GO GO GO to get away from something. It might have been a sound outside, a draft of air, the sound of a crow/raven . Almost anything.
I seriously doubt he did it on purpose.
I heard once of a bird (African Grey) that I think killed himself.
texsize.

 

[LordTriggs]

thanks everyone. I really don't know what happened with him, such a shame after the work I did with him.

I'm not sure if I should get another bird all things considered and I think the breeder I've gone to may think I'm hurting them if I go for another one. I don't like the idea of living alone in my place and can only really have birds or small rodents which I don't like rodent animals all that much. And wanting something cuddly and playful which is what brought me to the green cheeks

could anyone help with me deciding whether I should think of another bird or if I should pack the cage and stuff away?

 

[YUMgrinder]

I also lost two birds in quick succession. I put the cage and toys away and sulked about it for a couple weeks. I both wanted another bird and didn't want as I felt as it was my fault I lost two so quickly. I ended up eventually rehoming a black capped conure and it's been great. Maybe you should consider rehoming an older bird when you are ready.... I am glad I did!

 

[LordTriggs]

I would try something like that but I'm in the UK where parrots are hard to come by. With the 2 I had I had to do a 120 mile round trip to get them, which gives you an idea of the situation with birds here.

It's not so much the birds themselves that I don't want, I just don't want to go through only having one for a couple weeks before they die again

 

[Katu]

I'm so sorry for your loss, you sound very dedicated and good hearted. Maybe take a few months off and then consider giving it another go. You have had some rotten luck. Hope you don't give up completely. Good bird parents aren't easy to come by.

 

[Birdman666]

Something probably spooked him.

He panicked and flew off full speed ahead without looking where he was going.

Indoor birds should be clipped until they are trained.

I once had two amazons that were spooked by something outside (a hawk in close proximity to the window) and cracked a window with their heads. Birdie concussions for both of them.

Fortunately, they both made it.

 

[DerTier]

Im sorry for your loss but it was not suicide but really sounds like the bird misjudged.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I am so sorry for your loss. Skittles flew into the window last summer and his foot went numb and I panicked. I thought I had trained him properly. Now I leave the blinds drawn and open.

The only suggestion I have for the future is to have as many "safe" landing spaces as you can for your bird.

Skittles has several playstands and "perch" areas around the house for that reason, that he always has somewhere to land. Sometimes he gets startled and shoots down the hallway and then comes back and is clearly looking for a place to land. He has three playstands in the living room and 9/10 he lands on one of them now.

It does take a LOT to startle him though- I trained him to not to panic to sudden noises- such as an alarm, a doorslam etc. But if its loud enough (like a pan falling) - he still panics. I also turned the ringers off on all but one of my phones. I have that ringer on low. Its loud enough that I can hear it, but not loud enough to startle him.

 

[plumsmum2005]

Hi so sorry for your loss.

Give yourself a period of time but yes why not go for an older bird? There are plenty of sites advertising birds but you need your wits about you. No rush take your time, if it is meant to be it will happen. Have you joined a parrot club in your area?

 

[Sunnybooboo2008]

I mean you should consider he was just trying to fly, or he got spooked by something. If not give your next bird some confidence, make him/her feel like he/she is in control of something.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

I am truly sorry for you loss Having had two birds for nearly thirty years,I was devastated when Smokey passed away,and so was Amy.
I eneded up adopting a friends Goffin ( Jonesy) which didn't turn out well and I had to rehome him. That brought Amy and I back to our depression,so I waited some time and then BB came home with me.

BB was only 4.5 months old. He has now been with us for a little over a year. But he SUCKS at flying. He gets startled ( like cockatiels do) and off he goes! This morning he ended up in the trash bin in the kitchen. He HAS made some good landings on things ( like the tv,kitchen table,book cases in living room,on my HEAD!) I don't know if his landing pads are on purpose,or he decides " I better land SOMEWHERE" but he has also had his fair share of crashes. I have been thinking of having him clipped!
Now,he is also being seen by his doc for a bacterial infection and the meds he is on don't seem to be working. He goes back to his doc this Friday.
IF there is something SERIOUSLY WRONG with him...I don't know what i'll do!!!!
If it came down again,to having just one bird..that'll be a very difficult thing to address.

Again, I'm so sorry for your loss. But if you love birds as much as it sounds you do,and as much as everyone on this wonderful forum,I'd say go for it..maybe just take some time to think about it.



Jim