Dawg
Enlightened
Friday last, I went with a few fellow flashoholics to take a look around at Target and when we were done, my friend wanted to stop in at the Petsmart next door. While he was asking a young girl a question, I noticed a little Black Capped Conure and asked the girl about it. She just began gushing about the bird and excitedly explaining how he was just the sweetest, mellowest bird she or anyone at the store had ever seen. She took him out and placed him on my finger. She was absolutely right. The little guy was a wonder to behold. I never saw a bird so friendly and sweet.
My wifes birthday was coming up and the day before, I tried to get her a new Dyson vacuum cleaner, and she refused it saying it was "too" expensive. My wife and I are animal lovers supreme and when I saw this little bird, I fell in love immediately and told the girl "I'll Take It"
The store actually closed and it took another 20 minutes to finalize the transaction, so it was almost 9:30 PM when I left the store. I got home around quarter to 10 and my wifes reaction was fantastic. I set up his cage and after a little time with my wife, we put the little guy to bed.
The next day, Saturday, he was up and waiting eagerly for us and I took him out of the cage and let him spend some time sitting on my finger and my wifes before putting him back in his cage. The rest of the day went well and we even went back to the store and purchased some more food and accessories before going to dinner and then home. "Pepe" was fine and we covered him and went to bed.
Sunday dawned with him seeming a bit tired and listless. He was still very eager to sit on my finger and cuddle. He was not very willing to go back in his cage. Every time I tried to put him back inside on one of the perches, he would turn around real quick and get back on my hand. After he was back in the cage, I noticed that every time I walked past the room he would come to the front of the cage like he wanted me to pick him up. He just seemed so tired and was getting listless. I figured the excitement had left him tired and I covered him and every hour or so, I would look in and he would be for all appearances sleeping comfortably with his head under his wing a little.
I went out for about an hour around 8pm and when I got back at 9 oclock, I asked my wife how Pepe was doing and she said she had just checked him about 20 minutes ago and he was fine. I peeked in and to my surprise, he was laying on the floor of the cage on his stomach with his wings slightly outstretched. I opened the cage and tried to rouse him, and it became apparent he was in serious distress. I picked him up and he lay on my hand on his back and looked up at me and made a few noises. I called our Vets emergency line and they advised that they did not have an emergency Avian doctor. They referred us to a Doctor that was some 35 miles away and I called them and after a brief conversation we left with Pepe wrapped in a small towel and in the box he came in. We made it about 2 miles from home when he gave a loud screech from inside his box. I pulled over and opened his box and he had died.
The store I got him at, gave no indication of how or why he died so quickly on the second day when the first night and the next day he seemed perfectly fine and did not seem stressed at all. We have a Cockatiel that has been with us for 18 years, so we have a little exposure to birds. They said they were going to do a Necropsy and would let us know if there were any serious findings. I have my doubts.
I cannot stress how gut wrenching this whole thing has been. Sunday night I never went to sleep. I felt like my guts had been ripped out of me. My wife just cried all night. We just put down one of our Dogs 2 months ago, that we had for 13 years. She had cancer. A Possum that was living under our neighbors deck for two years since he was a baby that we were feeding, got hit by a car right in front of our house Wednesday night the 4th.
Please forgive my longish rant. I just needed to vent.
My wifes birthday was coming up and the day before, I tried to get her a new Dyson vacuum cleaner, and she refused it saying it was "too" expensive. My wife and I are animal lovers supreme and when I saw this little bird, I fell in love immediately and told the girl "I'll Take It"
The store actually closed and it took another 20 minutes to finalize the transaction, so it was almost 9:30 PM when I left the store. I got home around quarter to 10 and my wifes reaction was fantastic. I set up his cage and after a little time with my wife, we put the little guy to bed.
The next day, Saturday, he was up and waiting eagerly for us and I took him out of the cage and let him spend some time sitting on my finger and my wifes before putting him back in his cage. The rest of the day went well and we even went back to the store and purchased some more food and accessories before going to dinner and then home. "Pepe" was fine and we covered him and went to bed.
Sunday dawned with him seeming a bit tired and listless. He was still very eager to sit on my finger and cuddle. He was not very willing to go back in his cage. Every time I tried to put him back inside on one of the perches, he would turn around real quick and get back on my hand. After he was back in the cage, I noticed that every time I walked past the room he would come to the front of the cage like he wanted me to pick him up. He just seemed so tired and was getting listless. I figured the excitement had left him tired and I covered him and every hour or so, I would look in and he would be for all appearances sleeping comfortably with his head under his wing a little.
I went out for about an hour around 8pm and when I got back at 9 oclock, I asked my wife how Pepe was doing and she said she had just checked him about 20 minutes ago and he was fine. I peeked in and to my surprise, he was laying on the floor of the cage on his stomach with his wings slightly outstretched. I opened the cage and tried to rouse him, and it became apparent he was in serious distress. I picked him up and he lay on my hand on his back and looked up at me and made a few noises. I called our Vets emergency line and they advised that they did not have an emergency Avian doctor. They referred us to a Doctor that was some 35 miles away and I called them and after a brief conversation we left with Pepe wrapped in a small towel and in the box he came in. We made it about 2 miles from home when he gave a loud screech from inside his box. I pulled over and opened his box and he had died.
The store I got him at, gave no indication of how or why he died so quickly on the second day when the first night and the next day he seemed perfectly fine and did not seem stressed at all. We have a Cockatiel that has been with us for 18 years, so we have a little exposure to birds. They said they were going to do a Necropsy and would let us know if there were any serious findings. I have my doubts.
I cannot stress how gut wrenching this whole thing has been. Sunday night I never went to sleep. I felt like my guts had been ripped out of me. My wife just cried all night. We just put down one of our Dogs 2 months ago, that we had for 13 years. She had cancer. A Possum that was living under our neighbors deck for two years since he was a baby that we were feeding, got hit by a car right in front of our house Wednesday night the 4th.
Please forgive my longish rant. I just needed to vent.
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