RIP

Maggie, our cockatiel that we have had for around 10 years died last night. When we got home Ali told me that it looked like she was dying. She was hunched over by her one bowl and you could tell she had been throwing up. She looked terrible and she had been off and on sick for a few months. Even though the bird basically hated everyone except Alison, I couldn’t help but feel emotional as Ali had the bird sitting on her all night. Even though Maggie was obviously fading, she still came up and cuddled under Ali’s neck and even tried to nip at her earrings like she used to do. As the night went on she got worse and started throwing up in amounts that seemed impossible for a bird her size. We stayed up with her till almost midnight. Ali was very upset about the idea of her dying alone but I told her I thought that if we put her in a towel, in her cage that she is used to, she would be ok. I woke up this morning and found her dead, as I expected. Even though I couldn’t stand the bird for the majority of her lifetime, I still felt very sad.

There were some good times I can remember like when we first got her I used to string wood ladders together and watch her climb and swing on them. We used to have a shower perch that Ali would set Maggie on while she showered and sprayed her down. In the morning Maggie would closely listen for any sounds that indicated Alison was waking up and then she would chirp happily when Ali would appear. She wasn’t all bad.

Seeing the face of death, even on a little cockatiel was enough to stir up my own issues with it and make the emotions more intense. I was going to bury her but Ali wants us to have her cremated so we can have her ashes like we did with our only other pet that died in our care, Elbie.