Hello All:

 

I was hoping you could advise me about end-of-life care for budgies. I have a very special buddy, Joey, who has been with me through a lot, and a love him incredibly. I got him from a place I used to work at, and I estimate his age to be about 14. One wing never worked properly, he's got dry feet, which I use a little bit of watered down aloe vera gel on. I have to pick the poop off his feathers around the bum area at times, and he's starting to fall off his perch now and again. He's been a lively little prima donna all his life, with an exceptional singing voice and a very good communicator. He's a bright, tough little guy and I am going to miss him dearly. Are there things that I can do to increase his comfort, or perhaps supplement him nutritionally in his old age? He's got a mate, and they get along exceedingly well, but the other one's only 2 years old. Also....because he was completely alone for a good chunk of his life, it distresses him deeply to be handled. He has learned to tolerate toenail clipping okay, but anything novel (like me picking away at his rump) distresses him so much it takes him the better chunk of a day to get back to himself, and I don't want to add to his stress as that is hard on his health.

Hello All:

 

I was hoping you could advise me about end-of-life care for budgies. I have a very special buddy, Joey, who has been with me through a lot, and a love him incredibly. I got him from a place I used to work at, and I estimate his age to be about 14. One wing never worked properly, he's got dry feet, which I use a little bit of watered down aloe vera gel on. I have to pick the poop off his feathers around the bum area at times, and he's starting to fall off his perch now and again. He's been a lively little prima donna all his life, with an exceptional singing voice and a very good communicator. He's a bright, tough little guy and I am going to miss him dearly. Are there things that I can do to increase his comfort, or perhaps supplement him nutritionally in his old age? He's got a mate, and they get along exceedingly well, but the other one's only 2 years old. Also....because he was completely alone for a good chunk of his life, it distresses him deeply to be handled. He has learned to tolerate toenail clipping okay, but anything novel (like me picking away at his rump) distresses him so much it takes him the better chunk of a day to get back to himself, and I don't want to add to his stress as that is hard on his health.

 

 

Hi there,

 

It sounds to me like you are doing what is possible. We had a little guy that was done with this world after 11 years too. In the last two weeks or so, Oliver couldn't sit on his perch and we took the perches away and replace the paper on the bottom of the cage with clean rags because these could be bunched up and help him support himself. Of course it meant a lot of clean rags on hand, but hey, you do what you gotta right. So it sounds to me like you are taking care of his basic needs which are warmth, cleanliness, dinner at six, whatever.... I think these are the things that are important to him. I am getting older myself and my wants are definitely changing and I already realize that there will come a day, like your little friend there, when the wants and needs become even more focused and specific and it all boils down to comfort.

 

Love him while you can.

 

Debby

Thanks, I know this is a part of life, this letting go. I work with many elderly at our hospital, and there are definitely similarities. It's so hard.... there are times when he looks at me that I know he knows he's fading. He's had a good life, a better life since being with me instead of the mascot of a children's treatment centre, I hope, where he was left all by himself on weekends. Crazy, these attachments to our feathered friends, but so real, too. It's as though he were a person. There have been times in my life where he was my best friend. I just want his leaving to be the best it can be. If anyone else has been through this and has found some ways that work to communicate love and care during this time I'd really appreciate it.

what a wonderful life your budgie has had, I agree it sounds like you are doing a wonderful job on caring for him. Do you have pics you can post of your budgie? Love to see him.