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Lost young budgie...then two weeks later lost another. Don't know how to deal. Scared for the rest of flock.

shadoweon

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Rachel R.
I lost a young budgie "Bluey" about two years old who I had raised from a baby less than two weeks ago. He was a perky and happy bird until my mom found him at the bottom of the cage under the cage liner when she uncovered the cage in the morning, he seemed panicked. She helped him up but less than a minute later he passed. I can only assume it was night fright? I feel so awful, I don't know if there was something we could have done or not as this was at 5am as is. He was totally normal the night before.

Then, there is the matter of the rest of the flock, his father "Cloud" has a fatty tumor that cannot be operated on so his time is unknown. Another parakeet, "Yuki" a girl we adopted from a shelter last summer. She too, developed a fatty tumor but it was much smaller. We were instructed to mix in Harrison's High Potency powder into their seed to help convert them off of it and hopefully by them both more time. They didn't seem to like it so we reduced the amount for the time being. Then...fast forward to this evening.

I was carrying my Sun Conure "Cody" downstairs to have dinner with him as I often do when I noticed Yuki at the bottom of the cage panting with her wings spread out a bit. I thought she had fallen off of her perch as some of them do so I quickly opened the cage to help but she bit me hard when I tried to (which isn't typical for her) so I dropped her on accident which I feel awful about. I picked her up again after but she seemed to have paralysis in one of her feet. She fell over but tried to get back and climb up her ladder to get back to the main perch. Midway up the ladder she closed her eyes...and passed. I held her for her a long time after even if it was too late for her to know I was there. I don't understand, is it the food? I am afraid for the rest of the flock now, I don't think I can give any of the others the powder anymore. I saw Yuki eating and even being fed by one of the others this morning, but this still happened.

She was only three and I know she had the tumor but Cloud's is far bigger than hers and he still has alot of spirit still. Most of all I feel so bad I dropped her when she was already distressed...I hope I didn't make her feel even more afraid in her final times. I had Bluey cremated and just brought his urn home earlier this week but its still very hard for me to look at it, Now Yuki has passed too. I don't know how to really take this.

Attached is a photo of Bluey, Yuki and Cloud.
 

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shadoweon

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Rachel R.
So Sorry for your losses.. :sorrow:
Thank you. It's been hard to look at the cage but the remaining three chirped when I came down to check on them in the morning. I guess they are doing okay atleast...
 

sunnysmom

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I am very sorry for your losses.
 

Teckechick

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I am very sorry for your recent losses! It is never easy. :sadhug2:The only way to know for sure is to have a necropsy done.
 

shadoweon

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I am very sorry for your recent losses! It is never easy. :sadhug2:The only way to know for sure is to have a necropsy done.
Unfortunately I won't be able to take her in to have her cremated until tomorrow, and I think it's too late to have one done if they've been put in a freezer, isn't it? I don't like to be morbid I just figured they would refuse, i've only had it done on a cockatiel who passed while at the vet. (Turned out to be genetic heart condition no one could have prevented.)
 

Teckechick

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Unfortunately I won't be able to take her in to have her cremated until tomorrow, and I think it's too late to have one done if they've been put in a freezer, isn't it? I don't like to be morbid I just figured they would refuse, i've only had it done on a cockatiel who passed while at the vet. (Turned out to be genetic heart condition no one could have prevented.)
I would check with your vet and ask if they are able to still do one after freezing. Tissues and such will degrade with freezing but sometimes necropsies can’t be performed right away so the animal gets frozen until the necropsy can happen.
 

Tiel Feathers

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I’m so very sorry for your losses.
:sorrow:
 

expressmailtome

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I am sorry for your losses.
 

BirdG1rl

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I am so sorry for your losses. Losing two feathered friends directly after one another must be devastating. Sending hugs in this difficult time :sadhug2:
 

shadoweon

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I ultimately couldn't afford the cost of the necropsy and the cremation, so I could only have Yuki cremated. I haven't been able to eat or sleep most of the time and I don't really know what to do. I feel so much guilt for dropping her in her final moments because she bit me, did she pass on thinking I was being unkind to her? I love my pets like human family members but I don't have any support network, as people in my life dismiss pet loss or will just tell me to get another.

Thanks for your sympathy here nonetheless.
 

Pat H

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I am so sorry you and your family are going thru this... it is a difficult time for all of you...
 
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