A cautionary tale - RIP

[sachman]

@Kassiani I appreciate your concern. She still feels guilty for not paying more attention but I am really to blame for leaving him out and not directly supervising him. I still have not cleaned out his cage which I should since each time I walk by it I see his snack bowl and a partially eaten seed stick and feel bad all over again. Maybe today.

 

[Kassiani]

Sending you both much virtual support! Everything on your own time...

 

[Birdbabe]

 

[Dartman]

When you're ready get another bird needing a loving flock. You won't make that mistake again and it will heip all of you

 

[fashionfobie]

I am very sorry for your accident. This is a real concern I share with my parrotlets. The little guys love running around the ground and have NO understanding that they are tiny and fragile. To those who may not know parrotlets, they wouldn't fly off, if they trust their people they will stay put. This caution is one all new parrotlet owners should take very seriously.

I know it is hard now @sachman . It is easy to say, what I could have done, should have done... but this was an accident. I hope in time you can replace your experience of trauma with the positive memories of a life shared. Accidents can happen to anyone and in any way. You are not to blame. I hope you and your wife get through this together and I am sending sincere and supportive hugs. You are forgiven.

 

[sachman]

@fashionfobie Thanks for the support. You're right: I keep replaying that morning over in my mind. Why didn't i put him in his cage at any number of opportunities. I think it will take time - it hasn't been even a week yet. Maybe tomorrow I'll clean out the cage.....still haven't been able to do that yet.

 

[Feather]

 

[Love Birds]

Dilbird the parrotlet was just 2 and half years old. I decided he was not getting enough time out of the cage the last few days as I was going through a busy time at work. I let him out, then decided to have him sit on his perch in the bathroom while I showered, then, instead of returning him into his cage and closing the door I decided to let him have some more time on top of the cage to eat his favorite treats: oat groats and hemp seed. While getting dressed, I guess he jumped down from the cage to explore the house. He was in the front hallway when my wife was walking down the hallway to leave for work. She did not see him and you can guess the rest. Only a few minutes earlier he was happily chirping in the bathroom, whistling what I taught him over the previous 2 years and eating his favorite treats. Its the stark contrast to what happened next that makes me so sad. And the fateful choices to take him out if only for a short time or not to lock him back up right away.
I tell you all this as a caution. Such terrible accidents can certainly happen. I pray none of you experience this. Always be cognizant of where these little guys are.

Mike

Sorry for your loss. You are right about the importance of knowing where your birds are. It doesn't take long for them to get in harm's way or in an accident. I had a friend who had a lot of lovebirds. One of them was killed when it was on a bookshelf, and a book fell on it. Another drowned in a toilet. Her blue-fronted Amazon parrot was on the dining room table and ate some of the yew that was decorating her holiday table. Yews are poisonous, and it killed the bird. And let's not forget to check on our birds when they are in their cages. Many years ago, I happened to notice one of my lovebirds had been perched a long time on a small round mirror toy with a bell on the bottom of it. Upon closer inspection, I noticed it had its toe caught in the o ring that attached the bell to the mirror. I freed the bird's foot and threw away the mirror. I am paranoid of those o rings now. Recently, my male lovebird was flapping its wings a lot. I looked inside his cage, and one of his feet had slipped between the bars of the floor grate. The cage was made for a lovebird. I lifted the foot out of the opening of the grate. The lovebird looked like it was having a stroke. I really thought it was going to die. He was even standing at an angle. I talked to him, and fortunately, he snapped out of it and was OK.