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Charlie Runkle

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UnkleRunkle

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My Pets Pages


Charlie passed on 5/13/11. I miss him so much. The link above is the page I made for him.

Below is the entire page I wrote about him (I had to edit it into pieces to fit it on parts of his page)...

Charlie Runkle was the first bird I ever had the pleasure of befriending. He was a Sun / Jenday Conure and was about 9 months old when we got him. We were best friends for the three months he was with us. I feel honored that he spent his short life mostly with us.

He was actually supposed to be my wife's pet because she had a bird before we met and she had to give it to a friend because she was going through a lot and couldn't give enough attention to it. I think she regretted giving him up right away and always wanted another bird to fill that hole. Charlie was supposed to be that bird.

Within the first few days he claimed me. He loved everyone (except kids for some reason) but he literally claimed me. I liked that so it was mutual and I became his pet.

Even though we only had a few months together we got incredibly close, closer than I've been with any pet before and I've had several dogs I was very close with. Charlie was special. He knew I was home from work when he heard me set down my lunch bag in the kitchen. That's when he'd squak a few times to let me know he knew I was there. He wanted me to come to him and if I didn't go right to him he'd squak until I did. Not so much that it was annoying, but enough to let me know what he wanted.

Once I'd get to him he'd step right on my finger and go right to my shoulder. That's where he always wanted to be, on my shoulder. It felt good having him on my shoulder. Sometimes I would have a hard time getting him back off my shoulder. He would move away from my hand when I'd try to get him.

He also was my workout partner. He was on my shoulder every time I rode my stationary bike and that was quite a bit. Sometimes we were on there multiple times a day. My wife even made a climbing net for him to play on in my workout room while I lifted weights. He loved that too. He loved every thing and every toy my wife made him.

While he was on my shoulder he loved to chew holes in my shirt or play with my earrings or preen my hair and facial hair.

Charlie and I were inseparable. We really trusted each other. I trusted him not to hurt my ears when he played with my earrings and when he was just preening me. He trusted me to no end. He would let me do anything to him. He would sometimes protest by squaking and pretending like he was going to bite me but he never did not matter what I did. We got to where I could make him lay on his back in the palm of my hand for a minute. I think that's about as vulnerable as a bird could get.

About a week after we got Charlie, we got his brother Hank Moody. My wife still wanted HER bird and I stole Charlie from her! Hank is a Green Cheek Conure and we still have him. They got to be buds. We got another bird the day after Charlie died partly for us and partly for Hank. We have all gotten attached to him right away. His name is Harvey Wallbanger. He's just a baby of about 12 weeks I believe. He's very cute and learning already!

It's only been about *two weeks and I still miss Charlie so much. I can't believe he's gone. He was just starting to mimic some words. He would easily say "what" and sometimes he would say "gimme kiss" and make a kissy sound.
*It's been a little over a month but this was written a few weeks ago.
 
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expressmailtome

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I am very sorry for your loss.

Matt
 

SandraK

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:( I'm so sorry for your loss - it was obvious that you and Charlie had a special friendship. :heart: Dare I ask what happened? Charlie looked beautiful in all his photos and seemed really healthy looking.
 

UnkleRunkle

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Thank you SandraK, he was beautiful and we had an amazing friendship. We don't know for sure what happened. The vet also said he looked healthy. No way to know for sure without a necropsy and even then who knows. I can only guess... my wife was home with him and just said he wasn't acting like himself and we rushed him to the vet. When we inspected his cage later, one of the large wooden perches that you shove between the cage bars had dislodged and was on the bottom of his cage. So maybe he was scared out of his snuggy tent or just plain fell out and hit that perch on the way down??? We just don't know for sure but it's been the hardest thing I have ever had to deal with. Thank you again for your words.
 

Bridgette

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I'm so sorry for your loss :hug8:
 

Anne & Gang

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so very very sorry for your loss...fly free Charlie Runkle fly free :hug8:
 

Skyler

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I'm so sorry for your loss. There are wonderful birds but then there are the really special ones that form strangely deep and profound bonds with us. and that was Charlie. Fly free you are and always will be missed.
 

Dana Lee

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I'm sorry for your loss! :hug8:
 

ncGreyBirdLady

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So Sorry for Your loss:hug8:
 

April

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I'm so very sorry for your loss.
 

Annamacaw

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:hug8: I am so very sorry for the loss of your little friend.....
Fly free little Charlie Runkle :hug8:
 

Laurul Feather Cat

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So very sorry for your loss. Cherish your memories. Hope Harvey settles in well.
 

kcbee

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I'm so sorry for your loss. :(
 

UnkleRunkle

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So many kind words. I've only been able to talk to my wife about it because I know non bird people will say they are sorry but in their heads they'll be thinking it's just a bird. So they're not worthing of sharing with. Thank you all for your sympathy.

Oh, and to Laurul Feather Cat, Harvey is settling in wonderfully. He is a great bird and we love him deeply already. He's no Charlie but the nice thing is, he's a Harvey! They're all special. Charlie showed me that. He opened my eyes to the joy of birds. If not for him I would probably still be one of those "it's just a bird" people! Thanks Charlie.
 
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