Sadly Emily died today after being ill for the last two days. She'd never been a particularly bonny or robust bird. Where Edmund's eyes are large and bright, Emily's were small and bleary and her orange 'cheeks' weren't as pronounced as Edmund's. I guessed that poor Emily would go before Edmund but it's still very sad that she's gone, especially as she was eating and drinking well up until two days ago. That's the thing with birds..... once they succumb to an illness, it takes them very quickly.
Although Em wasn't very pretty, she gave us many laughs and she stood no nonsense from Edmund. Quite often, when he got frisky, she'd give him a good clout with her beak and he'd scuttle off to the other end of the perch. The funniest thing was their first Christmas with us..... they musn't ever have seen Christmas tree lights and when we switched ours on, the crests on their heads shot up and the look of amazement on their little faces was priceless. :O)
I'm feeling sad tonight but no doubt my attention will be on Edmund tomorrow when he starts looking for Emily again.
Our animal companions bring so much pleasure but it's so hard to bear when they leave us.
Oh, Lesley. I am truly sorry for your loss. As you know we are adjusting to having lost one of our animals recently and it can be very difficult. At least Emily had a few good years with people who loved and appreciated her after being cruelly discarded.
ReplyDeleteRest in peace, Emily!
I had a a white parakeet who was about the size of a parrot, named Shiva and she was so adorable. I really missed her when she died and it was just like you said, one day she was healthy and 2 days later she was gone.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry for your loss. I hope Edmund is ok without her. :-(
Its so lovely that you gave Emily and Edmund the chance of a new and much better and loved life Lesley.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts are with you.
Thank you Mr.B. I hope Jack and Annie are coping alright without Luther now.... and you and the rest of the family of course. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Nancy. Birds are so vulnerable aren't they. I think it's when they stop eating and drinking when they're poorly that kills them as much as the illness. It makes us feel powerless to help them.
Thank you Gf. I've got two episodes of Moon's escapades to catch up on.... I'm looking forward to that.
Update on Edmund: Poor little chap was squalking long before I removed the cover from the cage this morning... and he squalked on for hours. I was reluctant to let him out of the cage in case he injured himself while flying around looking for Emily. Then I thought it best not to alter his routine too much, so I let him out and, eventually, he's settled down a bit.
I've throughly cleaned the cage and everything in it in case Edmund picked up any germs from whatever affected Emily.
I'll see how he goes on for a little while, whether he'll settle down on hiw own or whether to get him a new companion.
Many thanks to you lovely people. Your words and virtual presence are very comforting and valued. :)
Oh Lesley,
ReplyDeleteHow awful. For you, your family and poor Edmund. We have cats and no matter what the animal is, it becomes part of the family. How anyone could have left these beautiful birds in the first place and in such awful circumstances. A lot of humans aren't very humane.
Just think back at the lovely times you had and the joy that passed between you all. Lets hope Edmund doesn't pine too much for his lost companion. I'm so sorry.
Best wishes
John
Thank you John. Yes, it was both a shock and a surprise when he came back from the tip with the birds! I'll be keeping a good watch over Edmund and if I think he's pining too much, he'll be getting a new playmate. He settled down quite well as the day went on, but we'll see. :)
ReplyDeleteI am truly sorry for your loss. I know what it means to have that special bond with a pet. I once had a hamster named Fanny Brice. I called her that because she was so funny. And because she loved people. She had one of those balls that allowed her to run all over the house & she especially loved a good party where she was always the center of attention. I lost Fanny last Christmas and I have not had the courage to get another hamster because she brought me so much joy. Even now, hearing about your lovely bird, I am crying because a part of you is gone. But the memories she gave you will last forever.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your lovely comments Miguel.
ReplyDeleteYour hamster must have been a real character to become such a celebrity at your parties. :) Many pets revel in human contact and your little hamster must have had a wonderful life.
We haven't had much time to feel sad over Emily as all our attention has been on Edmund..... but don't worry, it's looking like a happy ending which I'll be posting about soon. :D
Oh, I'm so sorry. Pets are such an important part of our lives.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the memories of your darling. I love that she stood no nonsense from Edmund!
I am a little late getting here Lesley dear, I'm sorry that you have lost your Emily, it is always very sad to lose a pet, they become a part of the family ... I hope that Edmund is coping well, he will miss his companion so much.
ReplyDeleteLovely that your husband rescued them from the tip all of those years ago, and that you have given them a good home ... thank goodness there are still some humane people in the world. xoxo ♡
Thank you Ethelmae. Yes, Emily was a fragile little bird, but she definitely wore the trousers. :O)
ReplyDeleteThanks Dianne. I'll be doing a post about Edmund soon. :)
What beautiful birds, Lesley. Sorry Emily has left you. Enjoy Edmund. I just did a post about one of my beloved cats who is in decline. It is the hardest thing about pets- losing them.
ReplyDeleteThanks Deedee. I've left a reply on your blog about Catboy.
ReplyDelete