Death of another pet affecting bird?

[betty]

We have a muluccan cockatoo, about 23 yrs old. We have had him about 9 months or so. While he has his moments with a nip here and there and some screaming for no apparent reason, for the most part he is well behaved and pleasant bird. Recently he has just been a bear though, lots of screaming and more biting and chasing then normal. We also have two guinea pigs and about a week ago, one fell ill, and was clearly dying, and finally passed two days ago. After talking about it, my wife and i were wondering if there is a possibly the Too picked up on this and maybe it has affected him also. They were all in the same room together, although the bird never really paid any attention to the pigs.Just a thought because we cant seem to think of any other change in his environment.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Welcome to the forum betty. I'm sorry to hear about the loss of one of your guinea pigs.

We have loads of cockatoo owners, and I sincerely hope someone will be able to help you with yours.

I personally have never owned a 'too, but I've lost some dogs while having birds. My Yellow Nape Amazon got awfully quiet after we had to say good-bye to our Golden Retriever many years ago. To this day she still calls his name.

 

[antoinette]

So sorry for your loss
I am sure all animals know exactly what is going on around them.
I know my AG Mishka feels exactly what I am feeling and has even questioned me......
I pray you find answers

 

[Blancaej]

I am not a 'too owner either, but I'm sure yours was aware of something going on. Hopefully someone else can shed more light. Hopefully he starts doing better after some time has passed. Sorry for your loss of your gp by the way. It's always heartbreaking when we lose any of our feathered or furry family members.

 

[SweetPeasFriend]

Not a pet, but my mother has schizophrenia. She responds well to medication, and was dianosed two years before we got our mitred conure.

She was a stay at home mom, so although Pedro's favorite person was my dad, my mother was the one who was around Pedro the most. (Pedro was a she we found out later), She followed my mother around somewhat with routines and would normally perch beside my mother on the couch to remove her hair clips, once a mole haha, or perch on my mothers feet until my dad came home from work.

When I went away to college (I was 14 when we got Pedro), Pedro waited outside of my door for a everyday for a month, but eventually got over it, sort of. She was a biter when she got excited.

The medication my mother takes has taken it's toll on her nerves, she had to stop driving and her legs and feet started to shake. She felt nervous to have Pedro on her anymore. Then my mother had more and more problems for a few years. Pedro still hung out with my dad on the couch, but after these years, she started plucking. She finally plucked so badly that she only had wings and her pretty red and green head until her death at what we think was about 30 years. Interesting to see a bird fly without a tail.

The vet said she had a touch of arthritis, as when she preened, she would call out, then bite whoever she was on a second. When we started offering her medication for it, she would make a bee line for it in the mornings before making a stiff stretch. I think that started the plucking, but honestly, believe it was my mother's illness that affected Pedro the most.

I had a nice time with Pedro a few days before she died. My parents had to go away so I got to bird sit. She seemed very happy to see me and didn't do her normally attacks on me. She ate off of my plate, and played with some paper.

My parents came home, and she died two days later. My dad found her curled up behind a robe in the bathroom in the morning. (She liked to sleep on the shower curtain.)

 

[BillsBirds]

Our birds are very in tuned to us and our feelings. She may be exhibiting what she is picking up from you. Death is an interesting thing to animals. When I was in Animal Rescue, we went to pick up a dead dog. There was another dog that was protecting his friend's body, and would not let us near it. I had the same thing with a bonded pair of budgies, George & Gracie. Gracie died one night, and George would not let me touch her. He kept cooing & fretting over her. He guarded her all day. And he died a few hours later. The vet said they died of old age. But, I knew that George died of a broken heart, losing his love.

 

[melissasparrots]

It could be he was picking up on the death of the other animal. I find it a little more lilkely though that he is experiencing a hormone surge or is becoming more comfortable in your home and showing some new behaviors. Right now is the breeding season for a lot of birds.

 

[94lt1]

Animals are able to pick up on more than we give them credit for.. But I kind of think this is more hormone related...

Our entire flock is acting a bit unusual..