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When Is It Time To Say Good Bye?


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:angel1: A few years ago a pair of budgies came into my life through horrible and at the same time happy circumstances, I was working in a pet store. I was a kennel tech (the special person that feeds and water’s the animals and cleans up their poop) and this woman calls me, crying asking if we take our budgies back if the owners cannot keep them anymore, of course I said, so she showed up about 30 minutes later with these two very large budgies, and she came into the back and chatted with me for almost an hour, her daughter was finally aloud to come home from the hospital after almost two years battling cancer the only problem was that none of the animals could stay just for her safety, there was the later named Bo who was a very tame loving boy, who chatted away to anyone who would listen, and then there was Reba a very large cranky cobalt blue hen that accompanied him, the woman held my hand right before leaving and looked me straight in my eyes and said ‘make sure they go to a good home together’. She left, I cried a little and when we closed that night Reba and Bo in a hamster cage, came home with me on the bus. So these two were the birds that took me back from the brink of cat hood (I had lost a Quaker a few years prior and wasn’t ready for birds again) So fast forward a couple of years (and 18 birds) Reba and Bo blessed me with a few wonderful clutches and then on her last clutch almost a year ago she hatched and raised a Quaker parrot chick (till 2 weeks old and too big for the nest box, she only laid one egg and was a dud) and since been dubbed the Superhen,

 

For about four months now Reba has been in her own cage in quarantine because she was looking really ill, blood work and other weird test later discovered she has a growth on her uterus (the vet thinks). Now Reba is looking worse for wear and appears to have shortness in breathe if startled and sleeps almost all day. Is it time to say goodbye? When do you know?

 

 

Bo’s still kicking he’s the resident baby sitter. Loves to play with the babies and helps me hand feed them, shows them that the green stuffs better than kibble and millet,

:angel1:

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((hugs)) it is so hard to know, I have an 18 yr old shep mix and I still can't say good bye.

 

I have experience death in different ways, my first dog died in my arms (I look back and realized I hung on too long to him). I believe if you have a close bond they tell you. Pepper was my recent loss, I was giving her IV bags daily and force feeding to keep her alive. I remember picking her up and she looked into my eyes and she had said hey this enough, I love you, you love but you have to let me go.

 

Tears roll from my eyes because I say we never say good-bye it is until we met again.

 

Now that is an emotional and from the heart I am sure someone will come and say if the animal is in pain, suffer etc.. but that is how I knew.

 

I wish you the best in this decision, no matter what it is know that your decision is the best for you and your pet and don't let anyone tell you otherswise.

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I too have had to make this awful decision, my eyes filled with tears as I read your post at the memories it revived. I still believe it was the hardest decision I have ever had to make. But with Gypsy, my Pom, I knew it was time and have no doubts, as sad and horrible as it was, that I had made the right decision for her.

Consult your vet, discuss the options, go home and think them over. When the time is right, you will make the correct decision. As lovey said don't let anyone pressure you into any decisions, it must be yours and yours alone.

You are in my thoughts.

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Thank you guys, soo much its been werid, most people around me arn't bird people and say its old just set it free(as in out doors) thank you

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yes people say that too me about my dog so it is just not birds many don't understand the bonds.

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Set it free???? OMG, that is the last thing you need to hear when you are struggling with this decision. I work in a veterinary clinic, and so see the last days and minutes of beloved pets more frequently than I care to. I tear up every time, whether I know them or not.

 

As far as when do you know? You just do. I can't explain it in any rational way. But some things to ponder would be

- is she still eating well?

-does she still show interest in her surroundings?

-does she still crave the company of either you or other birds?

-how is her mobility? Sometimes tumors cause lameness. I have very personal experience with kidney tumors in a beloved budgie, and as the tumors grew in size, he lost the use of one of his legs. With cage modifications, a higher comfort level can be given to a bird with this difficulty.

-does she still fly?

-does she seem to be in any discomfort?

-since she is content to sleep a lot, is it in the normal fashion with one leg drawn up and/or the head tucked into the back?

-is there still a spark in her eye?

-does she still seem happy?

 

No one here can make a decision for you one way or the other, as it is an intensely personal one. Only you know really know this bird. But whatever you decide, please know that we are behind you.

 

It was so very unselfish of you to take the pair several years ago and give them a home together. :angel1:

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