Can a parrotlet die of loneliness?

[Gribouille]

Little Twitter died suddenly today.
He was just fine yesterday, but this morning I found him cold and sleepy on his perch, I warmed him up, gave him some water and took him to the vet. He died there a short hour later.

I really can't see WHY he would have died. He was eating, sleeping, playing, chirping as usual. The only thing that has changed recently is that I am very busy and I have come home very late the last 2 weeks, so he has only had about one hour with me before he went to bed in the evening, instead of several hours before.

Can he have died of depression and loneliness?? I'm just crushed and can't understand what happened...

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[Hawk12237]

Sorry about little twitter, never easy to go thru. Lost one of my greys recently, he was nearly 50 though.
You know, that's a tough question. I have heard that yea they can die of loneliness, mainly because they are flock animals....they like company.....and many do not fair well on their own.....it's stress actually, they rely on the flock to protect each other....without that security, stress sets in. I personally encourage having two birds, unless you can spend lots of time with just one.

 

[Gribouille]

We have 2 budgies so he was not alone, but he was attacking them so they could not be left together without supervision, and I have been advised to have only one parrotlet since they are so easily aggressive. He was very eager to be with me when I got home and I could notice that he had missed me because I had been away so long, but then he went on to his own business also and did not spend all his time with me when I was home.
Last Summer we were away for 2 weeks, it went very well. Seems like it is worse to be home and be with me a short time every day, than being in his cage for 2 weeks at a stranger's place... :-(

 

[Hawk12237]

We have 2 budgies so he was not alone, but he was attacking them so they could not be left together without supervision, and I have been advised to have only one parrotlet since they are so easily aggressive. He was very eager to be with me when I got home and I could notice that he had missed me because I had been away so long, but then he went on to his own business also and did not spend all his time with me when I was home.
Last Summer we were away for 2 weeks, it went very well. Seems like it is worse to be home and be with me a short time every day, than being in his cage for 2 weeks at a stranger's place... :-(

Oh, ok...so there were other birds....sorry, didn't know. May I ask, what was the parrots age?
Depending on the type of parrotlet, the life span is 8-10 years, to 10-15....again depending on type. Parrotlets are known to develop issues of health suddenly, and at times even hard to detect.

 

[Zara]

I´m sorry for your loss

 

[Gribouille]

I´m sorry for your loss

thank you Zara

 

[Gribouille]

Oh, ok...so there were other birds....sorry, didn't know. May I ask, what was the parrots age?
Depending on the type of parrotlet, the life span is 8-10 years, to 10-15....again depending on type. Parrotlets are known to develop issues of health suddenly, and at times even hard to detect.

he was only 1.5...
The vet said he was thin, but he weighed 32g, as he always did, and ate like an ogre...

 

[Hawk12237]

Awwww...that's young! So sorry for loss. Don't beat yourself up though....I sorta did when my grey sparky passed just recently. It's like you think of all the different scenarios you could have done differently, but in the end, I still carry beautiful memories of him.

 

[Gribouille]

Awwww...that's young! So sorry for loss. Don't beat yourself up though....I sorta did when my grey sparky passed just recently. It's like you think of all the different scenarios you could have done differently, but in the end, I still carry beautiful memories of him.

yeah well, can't imagine what happened to him. I lost a budgie last Summer, but he had been sick for months so it was sad but the best that could happen at that stage. For Twitter though... Anyway yes, we'll cherish the memories of him for many years to come. I'm sorry for your own loss, is 50 a normal lifespan for a grey?

 

[Sylvester]

I am so sorry for your loss. I don't think he died of loneliness; what does your vet think?

 

[sunnysmom]

I'm so sorry for your loss. He was a little cutie. I don't think he died of loneliness either. Unfortunately, without a necropsy being done there's no way to really know what the cause was.

 

[Gribouille]

I am so sorry for your loss. I don't think he died of loneliness; what does your vet think?

thank you. The vet doesn't know. She said he probably stopped drinking and then couldn't get his food in his system. But it's a guess, she didn't really do any analyse because she was very pessimist that he got so bad so quickly.

 

[Gribouille]

I'm so sorry for your loss. He was a little cutie. I don't think he died of loneliness either. Unfortunately, without a necropsy being done there's no way to really know what the cause was.

Thanks for your thoughts. There won't be a necropsy, the rice for just weighing him and keeping him warm for one hour was already shocking, I can't imagine what they would ask for a post mortem... And it would bring Twitter back anyway, so there was no point.
We took him to our new home and buried him there so he will be close to us after we moved.

 

[Sylvester]

thank you. The vet doesn't know. She said he probably stopped drinking and then couldn't get his food in his system. But it's a guess, she didn't really do any analyse because she was very pessimist that he got so bad so quickly.

Quite possibly a defect that he was born with. Animals break our hearts, and birds can especially be maddening because they hide their illnesses so well. But I do know that Twitter was a well loved and well cared for little guy.

 

[Gribouille]

Quite possibly a defect that he was born with. Animals break our hearts, and birds can especially be maddening because they hide their illnesses so well. But I do know that Twitter was a well loved and well cared for little guy.

he certainly didn't show any weakness during the 1.5 year he was with us. We are grateful for the laughter, love and develish sweetness he brought into our lives during that short time.

 

[MauiWendy]

Little Twitter died suddenly today.
He was just fine yesterday, but this morning I found him cold and sleepy on his perch, I warmed him up, gave him some water and took him to the vet. He died there a short hour later.

I really can't see WHY he would have died. He was eating, sleeping, playing, chirping as usual. The only thing that has changed recently is that I am very busy and I have come home very late the last 2 weeks, so he has only had about one hour with me before he went to bed in the evening, instead of several hours before.

Can he have died of depression and loneliness?? I'm just crushed and can't understand what happened...

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I am very sorry about your bird. Parrotlets are near and dear to my heart. I do not believe they can die from loneliness. So don't beat yourself up in to thinking you were the reason your bird died. Birds have survival instinct and they are notorious at masking illness, and some die suddenly without warning. You did the right thing, you noticed he was cold and sleepy and you took him to the vet. Everything else you mentioned was normal. I had a canary that died suddenly. One min I was listening to him sing his lil heart out, and an hr later he was gone. It broke my heart. Please don't beat yourself up. Again sorry for your loss.

 

[Gribouille]

Thanks MauiWendy, that is comforting. I really don't know what else I could have done anyway. Just confused, it was so sudden and unexpected.. And the house is so empty and silent now.

 

[Birdbabe]

 

[MauiWendy]

Thanks MauiWendy, that is comforting. I really don't know what else I could have done anyway. Just confused, it was so sudden and unexpected.. And the house is so empty and silent now.

I know that feeling all to well. And there probably wasn't anything you could have done. Did the vet say what they he thought was wrong?

When Skiddle (my canary) died suddenly, my home seemed so empty and quiet. He filled it with his singing. His favorite music to listen to was Led Zeppelin and Stevie Ray Vaughn (I'm serious) and the wild canaries would come to the window and they would all sit and chatter together. I even had to remove the feeder outside because the canaries would call in to my home looking for him. UGH! I eventually got another bird, my first Parrolett. I had her for 3 years, but had to re-home her because we moved to Hawaii, and her species was on the list of birds that is prohibited here on Maui. I cried for 2 years at every thought of her because I missed her so much, and still do. Its only been a few months since I got Keoki. He definitely fills the void, but I will always miss, Kiwi.

 

[MauiWendy]

We have 2 budgies so he was not alone, but he was attacking them so they could not be left together without supervision, and I have been advised to have only one parrotlet since they are so easily aggressive. He was very eager to be with me when I got home and I could notice that he had missed me because I had been away so long, but then he went on to his own business also and did not spend all his time with me when I was home.
Last Summer we were away for 2 weeks, it went very well. Seems like it is worse to be home and be with me a short time every day, than being in his cage for 2 weeks at a stranger's place... :-(

From my experience, Parrotlet's are not good with other species. They will take on even the largest parrot (even a human) if you tick one off, and get injured in the process. They are fearless lil balls of fluff. Better to have one, or two of the same species, preferably bonded.