My Amazon parrot passed away today.

My female amazon Rebecca passed away at 33 years old today.

I'm not really sure why, and had very little signs. She seemed normal in the morning and did her normal routine. She was talkative and happy.

I had her on my shoulder and went to sit at the computer table in my bedroom and she climbed off my shoulder as she normally does to go on the table and to try and mate with my hand, not sure why she does this as a female but she has been doing it for years.

All of a sudden she panicked and reached back for her tail feathers like a feather was irritating her. This was odd because I notice her do this a few times in the last couple of weeks, she would panic and start feeling around at the back of her, sometimes growling. I believe at this point on the computer table it looked like she was losing control of her right leg.

She climbed up my shoulder and I believe she looked like her right leg was bothering her on my shoulder so I took her off and placed her on my bed just so she wouldn't fall off my shoulder.

The moment I placed her on her bed she got worse quickly. She seemed to not be able to move both legs, just barely, and just laid there on her stomach. After about 5-10 minutes I tried to pick her up and she started flapping her wings strong, yet she couldn't move her legs or talons. She seemed to still have strength in her wings which was odd.

I got her to the vet in less than an hour and she passed away at the vet. She was never able to use her legs again.

This is really sad as I was really close to my bird and she was very affectionate and spent a lot of time with her. I wish I could have only spent more time with her. I am happy she didn't suffer and she seemed to have full strength up to that last hour of her life.

Do you have any idea what could have caused her death so suddenly at only 33 years old?

Oooh i am so very sorry for yor loss.my amazon had a stroke..in front of me and i had no idea, but had similar symptoms you mentioned. Sending u love and feathered hugs.

I’m so sorry for loss that’s heartbreaking. Thoughts and prayers with you.

I am very sorry for your loss. :smile016:
I'm glad you were with her and she wasn't alone.
My thoughts are with you. :heart:

I am so sorry for your loss. Did the vet have any idea what may have happened?
My heart goes out to you.

I'm so sorry, my deepest condolences for your loss of Rebecca.

The lack of signs is not unusual, as parrots strive to maintain normalcy as long as possible. What you describe may have been a neurological event. Is the vet a certified avian specialist? If so, it may be possible to perform a necropsy - autopsy for birds. Sometimes the cause will be readily apparent, and it is possible to send certain tissue samples to a lab for more detail. The choice is always yours; some folks desire more information while others prefer to grieve without invasive measures.

My heart is broken of hearing this! Poor Rebecca! Feathery hugs to you!





Jim

Condolences from me and my husband.
You saw your darling out in style... loved and treasured. I believe that lasts into eternity.
I hope I can do as much when it's the Rickeybird's time.
Thank you for sharing this with us.

Others have provided well founded reasoning as to what may have caused the passing of your beloved sweetheart. More important to the reason is that she passed with you and knew she was loved deeply! For you, I provide the following words and hope that they will comfort you...

May peace find and stand with you as part of your loss my friends…

Passing of a Feathered Friend
Provided By: Steven (SailBoat), November 2016

“All of us feel such deep sadness when our Parrot friends die, and because they are Animals and not Humans, we are at a loss for words. Often, it is only other Parrot owners who can understand the depth of the loss that we feel with this complex, loyal, and loving creature. Resulting from such a loss, I have placed feelings and emotions into words and found verse to console the loss of my Cleo and since her, other sweet Amazons, in turn; I hope it will speak for all of you.” - Steven

You left this world so quickly. I can hardly comprehend your leaving. Yet there, in my hands, your still body rested – no longer your home. So much I have learned, so much you have taught, your purpose a full measure beyond your size. Comprehensions of your loss still a mist but yet, I know you are whole and happy - now beyond Rainbow Bridge. And so busy you must be upon your green wings, guiding angles to those of us yet to cross. With in my ear, I still hear you, those special sweet sounds of comfort and contentment:

“Do not stand by my grave and weep my friend.
I am not here. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glint on snow.
I am the gentle summer rain.
When you wake in the morning hush, I am the swift uplifting rush of quiet birds in circling flight.
I am the soft starlight at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry my friend.
I am not there. I did not die.”

My pray for you my beloved feathered friend:

“May your body nourish this earth.
May your soul find release and contentment.
May you fly high and free upon wings of spirit.
Rest in peace little green one.”

The love and tender warmth of you is a un-full-fill-able void.
I do so much thank-you for creating a space for another, a special place next to yours’.

In remembrance of Cleo, (Estimated) Spring 1959 - May 2003

Amazon’s Have More Love!

Sources: Cheyenne Warrior Blessing, The Amazona Society’s Forum, Steven (SailBoat)

I'm so sorry. May her soul fly high and soar.

My friend our condolences go out to you. I made a donation in Rebbecca's name to the Cornell Univ Vet school to be used expressly on parrot related studies and programs. 32 yrs is not long enough to be in the company of one of these amazing creatures.

So so sorry for your loss.
Rebecca was very lucky to have found you.

So sorry! Without a necropsy, you can't have any idea of why it might be happening....


I can say that the symptoms sound similar to what my conure, Jayde, had... she died due to ovarian cancer. Her ovary was just a massive tumor...

I am so sorry for your loss.

my prayers go out to you


texsize

Words are never enough or 'quite right' but please know I feel your loss greatly as many here do as well. Hugs to you.

So sorry to hear you lost a friend.


I have no words,

but cry with you.


Farewell Rebbecca

I am so very sorry for your horrible loss!

I'm so very sorry for your loss...we're never prepared to lose our family and it's never easy. Positive energy your way...

On a side-note, of course you can always have your CAV do a necropsy if you'd like to find out exactly what happened, sometimes this can bring a bit of "closure", though that word isn't really applicable when you lose a loved one...

I'd like to mention that the behavior that you mentioned that your Amazon had been doing for the past few weeks of "reaching behind her" and seemingly picking at her feathers/legs/vent area, or trying to, sounds very similar to our Senior-Member Kiwi's experience with her Amazon...He was doing the same thing, except he was actually itching around his vent area, and had been doing it off and on for quite a while...Well Kiwi finally decided to figure out why, as there were not external marks, and no other signs or symptoms, so she took him to her CAV, who did an x-ray and blood work...And it turned out that her Amazon had a horribly advanced Renal Infection, or Urinary Tract Infection, and he had had it for so long that it had spread to his kidney. His kidney was extremely enlarged from it, and he definitely would have passed away very soon had she not taken him when she did...Such a subtle sign of a life-threatening illness, birds make it so difficult for us to know when they are sick or injured...and Kiwi's CAV is to be commended, as the bird came in with "chronic scratching around his vent" as his only symptom, and this CAV decided to do the tests that they did, which saved the bird's life...So this isn't your fault at all, they are so good at hiding illness, injury, and pain...

Aw, so sorry to hear this.

As others have mentioned, taking her body in for your vet to do a necropsy is the ONLY sure way to know exactly what happened. The vet will be able to determine what happened and why the control of her legs went out like that.

I lost my female cockatiel this year and had a necropsy done as it was very sudden. Turns out she had a kidney and liver failure, they had never really worked right from the beginning. But having a necropsy done brought me much closure.

Very sorry for your loss. Can't say much else, been there, done that and it just stinks.