(no subject)
Spoke with mom this morning...one of our feathered friends flew over the rainbow last night and passed away. Freckles was a good little bird, with beautiful plumage and a wonderful disposition. She wore her crest like a crown and we often called her "Queenie". About two weeks ago, I'd noticed her down in the corner of the cage, sort of like she was nesting, and breathing kind of hard. Mom and dad figured maybe she was just cold and put a lamp over by the cage where she immediately took as her new place to sit (instead of at the top corner of the cage). Over the last few days, Mom noticed that Freckles wasn't eating or drinking and just looked like she was wasting away. Last night, when Dad went to cover the birds for the night, he found her in the bottom of the cage. He took her out, put her wings down next to her body (he said it looked as though she might have fallen), held her and petted her for a while and said goodbye. Mom held her, petted her and said goodbye as well, then wrapped her in some soft tissue and put her in a bag and then a box and they both cried. Freckles will be with Max and Bert until the ground softens and then will be buried out back with Suzie and Frosty.
She was such a sweet little bird, and a good partner for Max after Suzie passed away. We don't have any idea how old she might have been, but when we bought her, she'd been a breeder for a while. We're presuming it was just her time to go and leaving it at that (unlike when Bert died, as he was young and it happened very fast and we were concerned that he might have something the other birds might catch). Piper will be reunited with Peeper and Benny will get Freckles' cage. It's times like this when I'm glad my parents took in JDoe and Jenn when the owners couldn't keep them anymore as well as Benny (Benny was found in the neighborhood, being chased by grackels and bluejays and a man thought maybe one of our birds had escaped. Dad said he'd take care of him until someone claimed him and nobody ever did so we named him Benny and he's been a fresh personality for the house).
I'm sad, and taking her death harder than I did when we lost Max. He was VERY old for a cockatiel-24 years old-and we were pretty much just counting the days as we figured Freckles was keeping him young. Once he passed, she dropped a lot of weight (she was always sort of a heavy little thing but slimmed way down after he died) and I suppose it was just her time. It's always hard to lose a pet, whether it's furry, scaly, or feathered. I will miss her and her unique chirp and her sweet face.
She was such a sweet little bird, and a good partner for Max after Suzie passed away. We don't have any idea how old she might have been, but when we bought her, she'd been a breeder for a while. We're presuming it was just her time to go and leaving it at that (unlike when Bert died, as he was young and it happened very fast and we were concerned that he might have something the other birds might catch). Piper will be reunited with Peeper and Benny will get Freckles' cage. It's times like this when I'm glad my parents took in JDoe and Jenn when the owners couldn't keep them anymore as well as Benny (Benny was found in the neighborhood, being chased by grackels and bluejays and a man thought maybe one of our birds had escaped. Dad said he'd take care of him until someone claimed him and nobody ever did so we named him Benny and he's been a fresh personality for the house).
I'm sad, and taking her death harder than I did when we lost Max. He was VERY old for a cockatiel-24 years old-and we were pretty much just counting the days as we figured Freckles was keeping him young. Once he passed, she dropped a lot of weight (she was always sort of a heavy little thing but slimmed way down after he died) and I suppose it was just her time. It's always hard to lose a pet, whether it's furry, scaly, or feathered. I will miss her and her unique chirp and her sweet face.