PARROTS AND THE END-OF-LIFE STAGE

LadyLaveau · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2014 9:52 pm

Hey guys-

Ok. Got a question here. Does a parrot go through an end-of-life phase of some kind?? Asking because one of my cockatiels became an angel and went otrb this morning. Pietro {tiel} was four years old and never really had it all that easy from day one {he was missing quite a few feathers when I adopteingd him}. As a result his original vet said that his life-expectancy was kind of up in the air {no pun intended}. Pietro has always had a need to fly {to the point where I stopped locking his cage except like during inspections}. And over like the past couple of months he has been losing feathers permanently. As a result he is starting to have problems flying. Around the same time Pietro and his housemate Boniface started to become extremely close when they have never really been real close in the first place. He started to taunt my bluetongue skink. Which btw is not Pietro's normal behavior {by "taunt" I mean walking up to the back of Ramses's {bluetongue skink} cage and pecking at the glass, which caused Ramses to slam into it and according to my home assistant Pietro was making a noise that literally sounded like a laugh or a cackle}. A couple of days ago Pietro actually got into Ramses's tank {also not normal for Pietro}. I got him out of Ramses's cage and everything was pretty much fine. And then he passed at around 9:30a this morning. So ok guys. Here is my question. Was Pietro actually kind of preparing for his own death??

Get back to me. Thanks!!

Barbara · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2014 11:30 pm

Although very sad, this is a very interesting question and one I have been asking myself a lot when my Yoghi was at the last stages of his illness.
He had a few behaviours that seemed to indicate that he knew what was happening.
I think the other birds were aware too.
I am so sorry about Pietro, no matter how much you prepare yourself for the inevitable it's heartbreaking to see them go.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

LadyLaveau · Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 12:39 am

Thanks.

Jan · Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 1:42 am

So sorry... remember the good
times you had together...

LadyLaveau · Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 12:26 pm

So ok. Hate to ask guys. But my other question. I know that they say that parrots are unable to plan. But is there a possibility that Pietro sort of got the "bleep it" syndrome and actually did sort of plan his death???? :shrug:

ilovemypetbirds · Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 12:34 pm

I don't think that is possible. No animal can plan their death, it just isn't logical.

Quote:

So, ok. Hate to ask you guys....

This is what we are here for! Questions are definately encouraged, and will be answered to our fullest capability!

tielfan · Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 4:06 pm

I'm sorry you lost him. I don't think birds understand the concept of death and can't plan for it. But when their health changes their biochemistry will change too, and their attitude can change with it.

If they're becoming weaker they will usually become calmer and more gentle because they don't have the energy to get all excited about things. It sounds like maybe Pietro went the other way, so his biochemistry might have been "off" in a way that made him bolder.

Barbara · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 5:28 pm

I don't know what level of understanding they have about death, but I think they must have some.
The bird who's in danger or is about to be devoured by a predator knows.
I don't think they make plans the way we humans do, but they are so much more in touch with their body.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

PARROTS AND THE END-OF-LIFE STAGE

Who is online