Welcome to our Senior Center

[Macawnutz]

Rosie is my inspiration too! At least once a week I tell someone that I hope Tulip lives to be as old as Rosie!

Years ago when joining the forum I had no idea that she was not the normal. Greg was 62 when he passed and that was hard to take. I grew up in a pet store that claimed to have one in her 90's. She just passed away a few years ago and she seemed much older than Rosie. Many of the same conditions, she had quite a few strokes.

I've learned so much from my older ones, I watch so much in my flock without even thinking about it. I'm grateful to have to forum that strives to make me better, I try to learn from others mistakes too. Rosie is too delicate for me to have anymore ignorance then I have too.

 

[Ankou]

That is one thing that gives me hope for many more years with Peanut, for the most part she doesn't act old.
She acts more mature, problem-solving more, pacing herself, but she doesn't act old in the same way my nearly 14 year old dog does. Peanut will walk calmly and with dignity up to a ball, cheep at it to declare her intentions, then pounce on it and start mauling it like the violent little dinosaur she is. Shadow moves slowly because it's the only speed he has left, deliberately because he has the pain that comes with being so old.
When I watch Peanut sleep it's because she's adorable and I want to boop her face, when I watch Shadow sleep I find myself checking to make sure he's still breathing.

She will be 16 next month in a species who the average is often listed at 15 (though it's not that uncommon for healthy lovebirds to live into their 20s) and I really hope her energy means she has quite a few good years left.

She has minor arthritis in her feet that doesn't really slow her down much, the main issue with that is she will not grip any perch she trusts not to dump her... which would be okay but I'm one of those perches. While I appreciate the trust I'm a bit of a lummox and have caused her to wobble off a couple of times, as well as sent her rolling down my stomach when I sat up too fast once.
She is going blind in her right eye as well, but she has compensated well for it. For a week or so she would overshoot her flights when she had to turn left but has already figured out whatever was going wrong and can fly normally again.
She has trouble finding small, stationary treats I've left out for her and doesn't always pay attention when I try to point them out because she thinks she has better ideas of where I've "hidden" them. So I slide them into her line of sight and she has to lunge at me because I was TOUCHING her FOOD which is a filthy sin.

Unlike Shadow, I have not really been able to come to grips with the fact that Peanut will be gone someday. For him, all I hope is his time left is happy and he gets to pass in peace instead of afraid in a hospital. It would make me sadly happy (if that makes any sense) to get up one morning and find him on his bed, as if asleep, but gone.
Maybe it's because she is still so healthy and vibrant I haven't really felt like I needed to come to terms with it yet, mentally. Shadow's slow decline has given me lots of time to appreciate the life he's had, and all the things we still enjoy.

I really hope when her time draws closer I can find the same peace many of you have with your older birds as well.

 

[Bokkapooh]

All four of the cockatiels I had were in their 20s. I think they hit middle age in the teens and the 20s are their old years. The inbred pair I had lived to be in their 20s. The hen passed away first. Then the blind one, Freddieor as I called him, Baldie still lives.

My second pair were in their 20s and still laying eggs! Clyde past away first of the two. The hen, Bonnie still lives. And she and Baldie are living with an older woman in one of those BIG prevue pet cages. The 37" wide flight cage. And last I heard they were having sex a lot and having a good old old bird life.

I miss them

I have no senior birds. Moby is in his mid 20s almost 30. My oldest bird and I hope he lives another 30 with me!

 

[Kiwibird08]

I grew up in a pet store that claimed to have one in her 90's. She just passed away a few years ago and she seemed much older than Rosie. Many of the same conditions, she had quite a few strokes.

I am not sure if she is still alive now, but Winston Churchill's macaw is supposedly over 100 years old (and I wouldn't doubt it)

'Hello': Having a chat with Churchill's parrot and - at 114-years-old - one of Reigate's oldest residents | Surrey Mirror

I also read an article a long time ago about an amazon that was supposedly over 100 years old too, though I no longer remember the source.

 

[Macawnutz]

Cookie at the Brookfield zoo in WI is 90 something. G2 I believe.

 

[expressmailtome]

Here is a nice, brief, article about Cookie that has a few pictures: World's oldest cockatoo turns 82, still looks pretty great for his age | Pickle . He proves that a Major Mitchell's cockatoo is stunning no matter what age that he/she lives to.

 

[Macawnutz]

Here is a nice, brief, article about Cookie that has a few pictures: World's oldest cockatoo turns 82, still looks pretty great for his age | Pickle . He proves that a Major Mitchell's cockatoo is stunning no matter what age that he/she lives to.

An MM, I was close.

I have a friend that works with her, she is very sweet and drastically shows her age. Heath wise she is also much like Rosie. 82, I should remember that, many guests at my work ask about her.

 

[expressmailtome]

I have a friend that works with her, she is very sweet and drastically shows her age.

As exciting as it must be to work with her, there must be some sadness in seeing her decline.

 

[Smbrds]

So happy to see the Senior Center! When my cockatiel entered his golden years, he went through a lot of changes that required my attention, and I so wished there had been a resource for me to consult on his weaker grip, frequent falls, loss of balance and fatigue. Now there are treats and supplements, books, and this forum that I will be utilizing when my baby greenie gets older. My tiel was 23 when he passed away- i'd had him since I was 7.

I'm not sure I'm prepared or ready for the changes but I don't think we ever are to our fids. I just think it'll hit me very hard, because I've had him for such a long time. But, I'm not thinking about that. I'm embracing the days I've had with him and continue to have. Thankfully, Baby still has spunk, and more, is very loving and playful these days but also has his really mellow moments and birdy naps. I tell him I love him every day, and we cuddle until he goes on his next adventure or he "lets" me know. I'm glad I stumbled upon this forum and especially a senior section is now here.