Very Sad Day.

No Name died this morning as the result of a broken neck. Despite my best attempts are resuscitation, there's no way he would have made it. He was flying around the room one minute and the next, literally, dropped out of the air. I'm still not really sure how it happened.

Pigpen is calling for him and looking around for him. She clearly thinks he's hiding somewhere. What are the dangers of a bird losing its cagemate? I'd really prefer not to lose a second.

Oh, Kay I'm so sorry What a terrible way to start a Sunday morning. I'll let others answer the questions because I don't feel like I'd be much help, but you're getting hugs from Atlanta

LyzGrace wrote:

Oh, Kay I'm so sorry What a terrible way to start a Sunday morning. I'll let others answer the questions because I don't feel like I'd be much help, but you're getting hugs from Atlanta

Yeah, it's even more sad because Pigpen keeps calling and looking around for him. Normally she wants to get away from him, so I'm not sure what to do about her now.

What to do next? Tell Bobby to go get you another.

henpecked wrote:

What to do next? Tell Bobby to go get you another.

Yeah, not gonna happen.

sorry for your loss...i dread the day it happens to me...best spend an extra amount of time with your other birds for a few days to get it over the transition...again my condolences

dusty

dusty wrote:

best spend an extra amount of time with your other birds for a few days to get it over the transition

Pigpen is not much for human interaction which is why I got No Name. She's been contact calling, but is focusing on the millet I've given her. Luckily, it's her favorite treat and they haven't had it in a while.

I am so sorry. I think Pigpen will just need a few days to get used to the new normal that will take place.

Lots of love, hugs, and light coming your way.

Julsiebean wrote:

I am so sorry. I think Pigpen will just need a few days to get used to the new normal that will take place.

Lots of love, hugs, and light coming your way.

Thanks.

I've been reading about grief in budgies for the past hour or so, and it appears that they can/do grieve over their lost companion. Signs appear to be a loss of appetite, lethargy, and otherwise being withdrawn.

She's eating millet now, so I'm hoping she won't be too down. It's only been an hour and a half though, so I'm not sure when these signs are normally observed.

I'm definitely leaning toward clipping her wings now. He just kind of dropped out of thin air, didn't hit anything, didn't crash into anything, no night frights, nothing. It was very obvious his neck was broken though, so I doubt my attempts at CPR would have done anything for him anyway. I'd clip her now, but I don't want to traumatize her more.

I am just so, so sorry. It is always a terrible loss.

Words cannot express how Sorry I am.

I know how much those little pipsqueaks can charm us.

zazanomore wrote:

Words cannot express how Sorry I am.

I know how much those little pipsqueaks can charm us.

Yeah, even though he didn't like to be handled, he was certainly very charming and fun to watch.

if you fall off a bike, you get back on and try again, the same with a horse, so its the same with a bird of course...its the rule


dusty

So sorry for your loss!

patdbunny wrote:

So sorry for your loss!

Thanks.


Is that normal? For a healthy bird to just fall out of the air with a broken neck? There's literally nothing I could think of that happened. He didn't crash into anything, he didn't fall from anything, he didn't have any nightfrights that could have caused it.

KayLayUh wrote:

Is that normal? For a healthy bird to just fall out of the air with a broken neck? There's literally nothing I could think of that happened. He didn't crash into anything, he didn't fall from anything, he didn't have any nightfrights that could have caused it.

If he didn't smack into something, a broken neck's unusual. I'm really wondering if the neck wasn't broken. I know - when you picked him up, his head's flopping around like the neck's broken. That's not necessarily broken. The neck is loose like that at death. Falling out of the air for no apparent reason sounds like a heart attack or something sudden like that. Without a necropsy you really aren't going to know. Even with a necropsy sometimes they can't pinpoint the cause of death. For me, so long as a necropsy rules out contagious disease, I'm satisfied even without a definitive cause of death.

patdbunny wrote:

If he didn't smack into something, a broken neck's unusual. I'm really wondering if the neck wasn't broken. I know - when you picked him up, his head's flopping around like the neck's broken. That's not necessarily broken. The neck is loose like that at death. Falling out of the air for no apparent reason sounds like a heart attack or something sudden like that. Without a necropsy you really aren't going to know. Even with a necropsy sometimes they can't pinpoint the cause of death. For me, so long as a necropsy rules out contagious disease, I'm satisfied even without a definitive cause of death.

When I picked him up, he was still alive and breathing but he couldn't hold his head up any longer and he couldn't move his feet or wings. Once he stopped breathing is when I started the CPR and he died soon after. I was actually on the phone with the emergency animal clinic when he stopped breathing and told me it sounded like a broken neck if he could no longer move.

He wasn't showing any signs of illness at all. Yesterday he was flying around as usual, eating and drinking normally, playing with his toys. There was no change in his droppings, amount or colorwise. And today he's just dead.

I'm going to keep watching the other two to make sure nothing happens to them, but both appear fine. Pigpen is going between contact calling and her normal calling on the windowsill and Cheney Bird is playing with his playgym.

Oh no... Im so sorry!!! Perhaps you can try to bond with her now?

GlassOnion wrote:

Oh no... Im so sorry!!! Perhaps you can try to bond with her now?

I hope so. If not or if she seems really unhappy with being alone, I'm going to contact a rescue and see if they have one to adopt.

patdbunny wrote:

Falling out of the air for no apparent reason sounds like a heart attack or something sudden like that. Without a necropsy you really aren't going to know.

After reading more about the avian heart attacks, that's what it sounds like. The emergency vet doesn't specialize in avian patients, so I'm assuming they just guessed now.

I am so, so sorry to hear this. I feel terrible.

For Pigpen, if not for you, I'm also in favor of another budgie. I've heard stories of birds being fine one minute and gone the next, but I've never heard of anyone actually witnessing it. Do birds have strokes?

Oh honey, I'm so sorry...

I agree with you and Roz that it sounds like a heart attack as opposed to a broken neck. But regardless of the cause, I know it's terribly sad. I remember waking up finding LadyBird in the bottom of her cage, it was terrible. I can't imagine seeing her literally fall out of the air.

I don't know what the best answer is for Pigpen, but sounds like you've already got a good plan. Try to bond with her then contact a rescue. (I know you didn't want to have to make a plan at all...)

I wish we could help. Let us know if we can do anything for you, but in the meantime,

and for you and Pigpen.

ScooterNScotty wrote:

Do birds have strokes?

Yes, they do. Birds can have cardiovascular issues similar to humans, but they aren't studied as well.

I've never heard of anyone seeing their pet parrot fall out of the air during normal flight before. Unlucky for me, I was the first.

Just logged on a few minutes ago. Kaela, so sorry for your loss, and Pigpen's loss. Watching a pet die when you cannot do anything is not fun to have to do. My thoughts and best wishes are with you.

RogerP wrote:

Kaela, so sorry for your loss, and Pigpen's loss.

It appears I'm taking it harder than she is. I guess I'll have to watch over the next couple of days to make sure she's okay.