Lost my budgie Thunder today after a horrible and confusing 2 weeks of vet issues. She was only a year and a half old and the most beautiful bird. I guess my first mistake was getting her from a Petco, I know better than to buy animals from pet stores but she was so full of piss and vinegar I justified it. Lesson thoroughly learned unfortunately.
About two weeks ago I noticed she wasn't as active and chirpy as she usually was, I rearranged the cage and swapped out the toys and thought it might be due to the weather change. A week ago she was limping on one side, I felt to make sure there was nothing broken and called the vet who told me it was likely a strained muscle and to see if it would get better in a couple days and it did, although she still wasn't as lively as she used to be but I hoped it was all in my head and that she would be okay. Based on research many people mentioned tumors and I desperately hoped that wouldn't be the case. Yesterday she stopped using the other leg, I rushed her an hour away to an emergency vet that dealt with birds. On the way she started using the leg a bit and was pretty alert, after 5 hours at the vet I was told due to her age and the alternating leg issues it was unlikely to be a tumor and more likely to be nutritional or an infection. The vet did not want to do xrays or blood work because it may stress her out unnecessarily. She was given two injections of metacam and enrofloxacin and they gave me a supply in oral form. She seemed better when she got home and perched on her favorite swing.
When I came home from class today she was on the floor of the cage and in distress. Neither leg was working well and it was clear it was the end. Before I could take her to the vet she died in my hands. I'm devastated and angry. I'm angry at myself for not being more proactive and for supporting pet store trade. I'm angry that after all the hours of research into the best food and the best cage and toys it didn't make a difference. I'm angry that Petco's practices lead to genetic problems and poor quality of life for pets. I'm angry at the world for taking my baby from me. I'm angry that after all this I'll never know what killed her in the end, was it my fault? Was it a genetic predisposition to tumors? Was it a freak infection?
I'm lucky to have my peach fronted conure Diego for company, he's been keeping me company all day. I can tell he's sad to lose his little buddy and I don't know whether I can bring myself to get another bird. It's not fair to him to be alone for long hours while I'm in class or clinicals and he loved being around another bird. I want to rescue a bird but I'm scared they will be unhealthy and die too soon. I would get another budgie from a breeder (like my conure) but I'm afraid something will happen again.
Goodbye Thunder, even though you didn't like people much the whole family loved you. I miss your peeps and the way you always made sure to smack me in the face when you flew around. I wish we had more time together but I hope you were a happy bird while you were here.
About two weeks ago I noticed she wasn't as active and chirpy as she usually was, I rearranged the cage and swapped out the toys and thought it might be due to the weather change. A week ago she was limping on one side, I felt to make sure there was nothing broken and called the vet who told me it was likely a strained muscle and to see if it would get better in a couple days and it did, although she still wasn't as lively as she used to be but I hoped it was all in my head and that she would be okay. Based on research many people mentioned tumors and I desperately hoped that wouldn't be the case. Yesterday she stopped using the other leg, I rushed her an hour away to an emergency vet that dealt with birds. On the way she started using the leg a bit and was pretty alert, after 5 hours at the vet I was told due to her age and the alternating leg issues it was unlikely to be a tumor and more likely to be nutritional or an infection. The vet did not want to do xrays or blood work because it may stress her out unnecessarily. She was given two injections of metacam and enrofloxacin and they gave me a supply in oral form. She seemed better when she got home and perched on her favorite swing.
When I came home from class today she was on the floor of the cage and in distress. Neither leg was working well and it was clear it was the end. Before I could take her to the vet she died in my hands. I'm devastated and angry. I'm angry at myself for not being more proactive and for supporting pet store trade. I'm angry that after all the hours of research into the best food and the best cage and toys it didn't make a difference. I'm angry that Petco's practices lead to genetic problems and poor quality of life for pets. I'm angry at the world for taking my baby from me. I'm angry that after all this I'll never know what killed her in the end, was it my fault? Was it a genetic predisposition to tumors? Was it a freak infection?
I'm lucky to have my peach fronted conure Diego for company, he's been keeping me company all day. I can tell he's sad to lose his little buddy and I don't know whether I can bring myself to get another bird. It's not fair to him to be alone for long hours while I'm in class or clinicals and he loved being around another bird. I want to rescue a bird but I'm scared they will be unhealthy and die too soon. I would get another budgie from a breeder (like my conure) but I'm afraid something will happen again.
Goodbye Thunder, even though you didn't like people much the whole family loved you. I miss your peeps and the way you always made sure to smack me in the face when you flew around. I wish we had more time together but I hope you were a happy bird while you were here.
So Sorry![sorrow[1].gif](/data/attachments/293/293103-ab03357551cd39ce269e897ff4795e24.jpg)
Thunder sounds like she was a pretty feisty little lady. I know you wish you hadn't gotten her from Petco, but she was so special how could you help it? 
There was only one Thunder and she wasn't available from a breeder. Your paths crossed, as and as much as you're hurting now, I'm still glad you had the time you did together. 
It's too late for an autopsy as she's already at the crematorium and I'm not sure if knowing would help or hurt. She was my first bird and I researched everything so thoroughly so I anticipated her living a lot longer and it came as a shock. She lived a very extravagant and comfortable life compared to what most budgies get and that's what keeps me going. 
. I think this was the final straw for me, never again! She had quite a few recessive color mutations so who knows if there was inbreeding or something else insidious genetically. 
I'm kind of nervous about rescue in case there are health issues that will just put me through the same misery, but it would be nice to give a down-on-their-luck bird a loving and luxurious life. The trick will be finding the right bird that won't get me evicted for noise.
