Do they Grieve

[catnloco]

For the loss of a human?
People in the Avian world have been debating this question..
I re homed my Greenwing Macaw over a month ago something I was back and forth about. I being a human "thought" it might be best to rehome her to a home with no children as Mika really does not like them at all and will bite her ankle every time one comes into the room.
This wonderful couple who live in Detroit a 12 hour trip, drove all the way to adopt her from me. As it turns out all Mika has been doing is this moaning noise with her back turned to them. They said it's like she is crying.
They e-mailed me this morning I followed up the e-mail with a phone call to them and their exact words were "yes we can meet her physical needs but I don't think anyone but you can fulfill her emotional needs". I told them to let me talk to my husband on his lunch break and I would get back to them, when he cut me off and said tell your husband that Mika is coming home Saturday I will be there around 1. I want whats best for her and you are the best thing for her.
I can't wait for Saturday I miss my gurl she will NEVER leave again.
So I do think they grieve for the humans they love.

 

[saroj12]

Oh Karma,
I'm so glad you're getting your baby back!!
And she is going to be sooooo ecstatic to be with mommy again!

 

[dolldid]

well thankful a human got her that is looking in to your birds heart they couldnt have loved your bird more
a bird bonds with us and trusts us loves us they are our children when we die they morn for us un less we make sure the have a bonded home to go to to help them through our not being there .
im making sure mango is strongly bonded to my son as hes taking mango and realy wants mango
he takes mango out with him in his truch mango sits on a parrot stand in truch yes its ankered and they spend the day togather one on one its working out great
im so happpy these people are thinking of the bird not of you or themselfs

 

[piercesdesigns]

OMG, how great for you!! I know if I rehomed my eclectus they would be grief stricken.

 

[Hankmacaw]

My Jasper grieved for six months for her old family, especially the woman. Jasper was visibly depressed most of the time and would be worse for days after the woman would come to visit her. I finally asked her not to come see her any more.

Jasper actually jumped off my arm and tried to chase her car down the street one time. I suffered just watching her for all of those months, but she couldn't go back to them. All is well now and Jasper is my pretty little girl.
ML

 

[Cynthia & Percy]

yes I do not know what Percy would do with out me I am glad your baby is going back home thanks for sharing

 

[Danita]

Why did you rehome her?

What a happy ending

 

[Nikki]

I'm glad she is coming back home to you!

 

[Holiday]

Elvis grieved for five months for her old owner. For the first six weeks or so, she called out his name. It would break a heart of stone to hear it.

 

[catnloco]

Why did you rehome her?

What a happy ending

She absolutely dislikes kids... she really hates my daughter and my daughter hates her so........I "thought" maybe she would be happier in a home with no kids. I thought wrong hind sight is always 20/20 and my daughter will be moving out in 5 years then they wont have to tolerate one another.

 

[Bokkapooh]

I totally believe birds grieve!

Bokka was grieving his previous owner. Probably not really her, she treated him badly, even if she did rescue him. But grieving for a life he should've had. He was so misunderstood and unhappy when I got him. But he is the happiest bird he has been in his whole life now I'll NEVER give him up. He has a whole life now to be with the same person, a whole life I know he will grieve if I die first(which I hope its the other way around, I couldnt stand the thought of Bokka being left here without me). Whenever I leave, I get the feeling Bokka wonders "will she come back?" he has anxiety issues like that.

Ive seen my finches grieve their mates when one of their mates died.

 

[Welshanne]

Yes they grieve. Jay our blue fronted Amazon had not seen his original owner for just over six months.
He arrives suffering from sleep deprivation and very depressed. Chaz was also bullying him in the nicest possible way.
Sunday I got his previous owner to talk to him over the phone on one of my update calls to her.
Jay went mental at the sound ofher voice and tried to climb through the bars of his cage to the phone just saying "hullo, hullo,all of the time.
she talked to him and calmed him down, when it was over he was a totally different bird. Still is, his whole attitude to me has changed and he is interacting with the family like never before.

 

[Danita]

Our BG hates my daughter too (and me!), daughter is smart enough to keep a safe distance.

She absolutely dislikes kids... she really hates my daughter and my daughter hates her so........I "thought" maybe she would be happier in a home with no kids. I thought wrong hind sight is always 20/20 and my daughter will be moving out in 5 years then they wont have to tolerate one another.

 

[Holli]

I really believe they do grieve, imo. I have several rehomes - and I see the adjustments they have to make. My worst is my cbc, who had 4 homes in 4 months. He was a holy terror for the longest time. I don't believe he was activing out in spite - but more for the loss of someone he loved.

 

[Nikki]

Karma, is Micah still coming home today?

 

[Birdasaurus]

I'm so happy you're going to get your faby back!!!

My little budgie grieved when I went on vacation. Even though she lived with me at my parent's house and that's where she stayed, she had a really hard time adjusting. I left for a week and my mom did everything for her as I usually did, but she absolutely refused to come out her cage, and this is a bird who was never in her cage when I was home. She didn't sing, squawk...just sat my mom said. When I came home she went right back to being herself and my little shoulder attachment.

I'm very worried about that when we go on vacation without Tango.... luckily my mom is the ONLY other person who can scritch him so he should be ok with staying with her. We look alike and sound alike, which I'm sure helps too. And he'll be there with the rest of the flock....I'm so nervous about it though!

 

[catnloco]

Mika arrived home Saturday shortly be for noon. I open the carrier door and she came running out of the carrier and climbed up my arm pushing her whole body against me with her head tucked under my chin and purring. I could tell that she had lost weight so out came the good ol scale and yep sure enough she dropped 100 grams. Her starting weight was 1185 (she is very dainty) and Saturday she was down to 1058 . Today her weight is up to 1110 .
Saturday I was NOT allowed out of her sight even for a second or she would scream bloody murder. Sunday was a little better now she seems to be back to her old self.
I have lost some of her trust. I use to be able to put my finger in her beak and she would bob her head but never bring anything up and she would NEVER clamp down on it. Well now she is clamping down a little harder than what I am use to (like a vise) so I am not doing that with her at the moment.
She has not lived in a cage for over 3 years and when they brought her back I told them to keep her HUGE java tree I cared about her not some dead piece of wood. Well she really HATES a cage so (for now) she resides on different play stands and window perches and the outside enclosure that we have.
All in all she is doing well....

 

[Bokkapooh]

Awww, I am SO GLAD she is back at home where she belongs and where she loves

 

[Welshanne]

What a true story of how our birds love us and do miss us when parted. So glad you were able to take her back and hope this time it is for good. that you can see a difference in her almost immediately is marvellous. Hope you are going to give us updates on her progress. Good luck.

 

[M-Nature]

What an incredible story! Thanks for sharing it with us.