RIP Maglite (the bird)

[bykfixer]

Welp, new bird (Sunshine) is gone.
We recently took in a piquenese/toy poodle mix named Chyna who is not completely house broken. So when I awaken she goes from her crate to outdoors right away. Working nights lately means I let her out around noon each day.

New bird had learned how to climb out of the cage when I opened the top up. Yet it took her about 5 minutes to climb out each day. Then she'd fly into the kitchen and hang out on top of the refrigerator. Plenty of time to let Chyna out, who can return back inside via doggy door.

The other day when I opened the door to let Chyna out new bird suddenly landed on my head. Noticing the door was open, she bolted outside. Eh, I figured alright she'll fly up to a nearby tree or shed and we'd play the "come back home" game like Maglite did a couple of times but nope. That bird flew away making 200 yard circles heading west yelling "freeeeeeeddoooomnm!!!" until she was out of sight. I did hear her for a brief time after that but not for long.

I did the whole search the area thing, tell neighbors, put it on social media and put her cage out side where she got out. Figuring she'd flown several miles rather quickly all I could do was hope that somehow the bird we'd had for 3 whole days would somehow remember where the flight of freedom had begun. The next couple of days were hot weather so perhaps she'd managed to make it and find water and maybe food on the floor of woods. Maybe landed on the first human she spotted in hopes of a new owner...

Then last night a hum-dinger thunderstorm rolled through with strong winds that would have blown her father west from us and grape sized hail. It went from 85 degrees to 55 degrees in a short times. After that the weather has been cold so I'm really hoping new bird found that new owner, because by now that hybrid bird who'd been pampered in a climate controlled evironment her whole life probably won't make it much longer outside in the sub 40 degree rainy weather.

As much as I don't want to say it....RIP new bird (Sunshine).

 

[knucklegary]

Try "Nextdoor" Neighborhood network. It's worth a try registering and putting out feelers for Sunshine..
Really sorry to hear she flew the coop!

 

[bykfixer]

Try "Nextdoor" Neighborhood network. It's worth a try registering and putting out feelers for Sunshine..
Really sorry to hear she flew the coop!

Our community has a pretty active fakebook network. One lady responded "is the birds wings clipped?" "Maybe it's in a tree next door".

My sense is she may have flown a couple of miles away being the wide circles and the pace she was flying. The wild cockatiel can fly 35 miles a day, but this captive bird maybe 5. I also read she may take up residence with house finches, a very common bird in my area.

 

[PhotonWrangler]

I'm sorry to hear this. Given the bird's propensity to land on a human's head, I think there's fair chance that it finds a new owner as long as it can survive the weather in the interim.

 

[Got Lumens?]

Our sympathies go out to You.
Birds do have the natural instincts of survival. Sadly in our New neck of the woods there are hawks and eagles that roam here that would not have allowed for the birds survival. If 5 yr old Sunshine had not gone through their molt, there's a good chance she found refuge and has managed to survive. My wife has suggested contacting all the Vets within your 50 mile radius to see if any have heard any news of Sunshine.

Don't give up being the good caretaker that You are. It is important to mention that birds are still wild animals that require us as caretakers to do our best to learn what is needed to promote their continued survival and companionship.

 

[bykfixer]

The cockatiel has a habit of foraging the forest floor looking for bugs. Besides predators, lonliness is one of their enemies, hence taking up with other birds like house finches or the recent influx of black birds.

 

[bykfixer]

Got word a bird that matches Sunshine's description was found in a town about 15 miles away and is doing fine. Apparently the person found the bird and bragged about it at fakebook indicating they would be taking it to a vet for a wellness check.

Right on.

 

[Got Lumens?]

Congrats
Hope leaving word with the Vets gets Sunshine back.

 

[KITROBASKIN]

You know it may be that fixer decides the new home is better for the bird than his? Or not.

 

[knucklegary]

Got word a bird that matches Sunshine's description was found in a town about 15 miles away and is doing fine. Apparently the person found the bird and bragged about it at fakebook indicating they would be taking it to a vet for a wellness check.

Right on.

Finders Keepers?

 

[bykfixer]

Finders Keepers?

I kinda see it that way. I mean, it's not like we know who found her anyway, just that it seems like somebody 15 miles away was happy to find her. A friend of a friend of a friend said a friend of a friend had found a Lutino cockatiel about the time Sunshine had flown away.

If it was Sunshine I hope the new home wants to keep her, really.

 

[Got Lumens?]

Yes 2023, original post updated with the year.

I kinda see it that way. I mean, it's not like we know who found her anyway, just that it seems like somebody 15 miles away was happy to find her. A friend of a friend of a friend said a friend of a friend had found a Lutino cockatiel about the time Sunshine had flown away.

If it was Sunshine I hope the new home wants to keep her, really.

Her finding a new home would be fine if they are able to take care of her.
Getting her back might be an effort that might require a Vet's input.
Sorry You had this happen, and looking forward to Sunshine's survival and chance for a quality life.
GL

 

[bykfixer]

Meet Three.
A baby gray cockatiel.
Too young to know boy or girl and the name 'new bird' had been taken by Sunshine.

We drove to a high end pet store one day to see about another Lutino. I stopped at a basin of cockatiels and was looking at a gray parrot on the next row. I put my hand on the basin to lean while somebody walked past in a narrow aisle when 3 jumped up on my hand, walked up my arm and began nibbling on my ear. The choice was easy.

Names are swirling around. Elzetta, Kelly (for Kel-Lite), gray bird, Aussie, Norm (for normal gray cockatiel), shadow, pick-me (since it picked me), and others to come as time progresses.

 

[bykfixer]

Her finding a new home would be fine if they are able to take care of her.
Getting her back might be an effort that might require a Vet's input.
Sorry You had this happen, and looking forward to Sunshine's survival and chance for a quality life.
GL

I'm just glad to know it is likely Sunshine made it.

The first 48 hours the weather was good. Day 3 a bad storm blew through dropping the temperature some 30 degrees in a few minutes with high winds, heavy rain and lima bean size hail. After that lows in the 30's for 4 nights. So it would have been likely she didn't survive the weather.

 

[ampdude]

Sorry to hear that bykfixer, sucks to lose pets, I've lost a few over the years.

On the flashlights, I had a nice new 2D Maglite die the other day from Alkaleakitis. My mourning period was not very long though and I chucked the tube in the garbage, kept the rest for spare parts. Maybe I can necromance another one with them.

 

[scalpel_ninja]

I vote for the name to be Elzetta.

 

[bykfixer]

Done.

If it's a boy, Bones. If it's a girl, Elzetta. Ellie or Zetta for short.

 

[scalpel_ninja]

Done.

If it's a boy, Bones. If it's a girl, Elzetta. Ellie or Zetta for short.

Yessssss!

 

[Got Lumens?]

View attachment 42599
Meet Three.
A baby gray cockatiel.
Too young to know boy or girl and the name 'new bird' had been taken by Sunshine.

We drove to a high end pet store one day to see about another Lutino. I stopped at a basin of cockatiels and was looking at a gray parrot on the next row. I put my hand on the basin to lean while somebody walked past in a narrow aisle when 3 jumped up on my hand, walked up my arm and began nibbling on my ear. The choice was easy.

Names are swirling around. Elzetta, Kelly (for Kel-Lite), gray bird, Aussie, Norm (for normal gray cockatiel), shadow, pick-me (since it picked me), and others to come as time progresses.

You do have a gift of caring for birds
Hope Sunshine does well with the new home.
I like the names You've picked for three.
Take Care
GL

 

[bykfixer]

Thanx GL.

My wife is an animal lover, except for roaches, snakes and cats. Maybe mice, depending on the cute factor. She has had some birds over the years. Rescue's mostly. Pets are fairly new to me aside from a hamster or fish. Well, dogs too but they're not pets. They're one of life's necessities in my view like socks, headlights on a car or ceiling fan in summer.

Maglite was like the proverbial baby left on somebody's front porch with a note. Somebody dropped him off at a pet supply store where Mrs Fixer worked at the time. It took a few weeks to figure out how to get in touch with his feelings aside from his angst. He demanded new food by 8pm, then lights out by 9pm. It took a minute to figure out that was what he wanted but we did and things were pretty cool after that. He never was hand tame but would walk up your arm to your shoulder if you had the correct color shirt on. At one point he would "ride with me" to put out the trash, and short tasks like that. He flew away twice making it about 50 yards before quitting, which is why when Sunshine took off I was so surprised at how far away that bird was in about one minute.

Maglite never was a good flyer even though we only clipped his wings on occasion. And only enough where he could land like a helicopter if he lost his balance or something. Sunshine was vastly over weight and looked like a giant cockatiel, which ordinarily weight between 3 and 4 ounces. Sunshine was nearly 7oz. So again the fact that the bird could fly 50 yards without running out of fuel was a big surprise. Within a minute it was obvious that bird had been training for the 'escaped pet bird Olympics team'. She was laid back and friendly compared to Maglite but had a call starting at 8am that was loud. Not annoying, just loud. "Hey, anybody, let me out of this cage, please?" in a friendly way. If she was truely found the new home will be lucky to have her.

So far new bird 3 has been near silent aside from some happy beak grinding sounds and a couple of hisses at weighing time. We've heard a couple of chirps here and there but figure it still thinks everything within eyesight wants to eat it. It no longer freezes up when hearing birds chirping outside. It's been about a week since 3 arrived and little by little I see confidence building as it explores our house. Soon the baby bird will become a grown up and we'll know which pronoun to call it. And we'll assign a name besides new bird three at that point.