Moandthefam
Checking out the neighborhood
- Joined
- 7/17/18
- Messages
- 1
*Long read-thankful for any advice*
Four weeks ago my life was changed when I brought home my baby conure Billie. Two days ago it changed again when she passed away. She was just four months old, and my heart is broken to pieces.
Our little family was me, my boyfriend, and Billie.. who we had saved for and dreamt of for years together. We have never been so happy as the day we brought her home. As a couple with bird experience, we had no problems, only fun, playtime, naptime, snacktime, etc.
Knowing we would be going away for five days to a family reunion, we opted to not bring Billie with us (it was a camping trip) and leave her at a friends, who also has a bird, though slightly less experience. On the second night away we received a phone call from our friend. Our sweet baby had jumped off her hands onto the floor, and grabbed by our friend’s dog. They rushed her to the local emergency vet and found out she’d broken her leg. The vet sent her away saying she would have to see another vet in town the next day if that’s what we wanted. He couldn’t reset her leg. He gave them something for her pain and sent them home.
Hearing this we were distraught. We both had had a few drinks and were no condition to drive. Our friends stayed up with her to make sure she ate and drank and was comfortable for the night.
The next day we called in the morning, our baby had improved. She was nursing her leg but comfortable climbing around her cage. Our friends were going to take her to get her leg reset and had spoken with multiple vets who said she would be okay. We decided to stay for the last day of our family reunion. We found out late that night that the vet in our town couldn’t reset her leg as they had not received her X-ray from the hospital. We were furious, but our friends said our baby seemed okay and that the vet said it may even heal on its own as she was so little.
The next morning I asked how they were. My friend was taking her back to the vet the day we were coming home, she sent me a picture of Billie resting comfortably in a blanket in her cage. An hour later, they called to tell us she was gone.
We are heartbroken and so confused. There is no real answer to how she passed. Because of the leg, because of shock, because of being over fed or medicated, stress, accidental suffocation. It’s not clear. We brought our baby home and buried her but we are grieving in every way and feeling all kinds of guilt. Knowing we did everything we could with the information we had doesn’t seem to cut it right now. There are feelings of anger toward our friends, dissapointment, broken trust... but also feelings of regret, responsibility, and extreme guilt. “We should have rushed home.” “She was probably so scared.” “We should have taken her to another city for vet care.” “We weren’t there.”.
Our baby was taken when we’d only just become a family. We don’t know how to cope with the loss much less all these confusing emotions. We don’t want to feel guilt or anger. We just wish she were still here. She was too young, and she was so little. Regardless of time she changed our lives, but we wish we could have changed her life for as long as she deserved.
If anyone has thoughts or advice we would be so grateful. We really just don’t know what to do at all in this confusing situation and every prayer and word is helpful.
Snuggle your little chickens everyone. Give them a kiss from us, including Billie.
Four weeks ago my life was changed when I brought home my baby conure Billie. Two days ago it changed again when she passed away. She was just four months old, and my heart is broken to pieces.
Our little family was me, my boyfriend, and Billie.. who we had saved for and dreamt of for years together. We have never been so happy as the day we brought her home. As a couple with bird experience, we had no problems, only fun, playtime, naptime, snacktime, etc.
Knowing we would be going away for five days to a family reunion, we opted to not bring Billie with us (it was a camping trip) and leave her at a friends, who also has a bird, though slightly less experience. On the second night away we received a phone call from our friend. Our sweet baby had jumped off her hands onto the floor, and grabbed by our friend’s dog. They rushed her to the local emergency vet and found out she’d broken her leg. The vet sent her away saying she would have to see another vet in town the next day if that’s what we wanted. He couldn’t reset her leg. He gave them something for her pain and sent them home.
Hearing this we were distraught. We both had had a few drinks and were no condition to drive. Our friends stayed up with her to make sure she ate and drank and was comfortable for the night.
The next day we called in the morning, our baby had improved. She was nursing her leg but comfortable climbing around her cage. Our friends were going to take her to get her leg reset and had spoken with multiple vets who said she would be okay. We decided to stay for the last day of our family reunion. We found out late that night that the vet in our town couldn’t reset her leg as they had not received her X-ray from the hospital. We were furious, but our friends said our baby seemed okay and that the vet said it may even heal on its own as she was so little.
The next morning I asked how they were. My friend was taking her back to the vet the day we were coming home, she sent me a picture of Billie resting comfortably in a blanket in her cage. An hour later, they called to tell us she was gone.
We are heartbroken and so confused. There is no real answer to how she passed. Because of the leg, because of shock, because of being over fed or medicated, stress, accidental suffocation. It’s not clear. We brought our baby home and buried her but we are grieving in every way and feeling all kinds of guilt. Knowing we did everything we could with the information we had doesn’t seem to cut it right now. There are feelings of anger toward our friends, dissapointment, broken trust... but also feelings of regret, responsibility, and extreme guilt. “We should have rushed home.” “She was probably so scared.” “We should have taken her to another city for vet care.” “We weren’t there.”.
Our baby was taken when we’d only just become a family. We don’t know how to cope with the loss much less all these confusing emotions. We don’t want to feel guilt or anger. We just wish she were still here. She was too young, and she was so little. Regardless of time she changed our lives, but we wish we could have changed her life for as long as she deserved.
If anyone has thoughts or advice we would be so grateful. We really just don’t know what to do at all in this confusing situation and every prayer and word is helpful.
Snuggle your little chickens everyone. Give them a kiss from us, including Billie.