Thank you, Laura. I saw your other thread and you are taking such a good care of your sick Penny! I wished I had this knowledge and could recognize that Alex wasn't well and could comfort him and get him meds.

Lisa, I've been watching this thread from the start, but waited to comment since honestly, it hit home for me. You found the forum while seeking like minded folks who understand the bonds with our parrots, and how we feel when we lose them. I'm so sorry you had to find us under such heartbreaking circumstances, but we're glad you're here. You found what you're looking for. So many of us have been there. We truly understand.

Now, the thing that struck me at first was your Alex being only 8 months. Far too short a life for such a beautiful little soul. You had birds previously, but for you, Alex was the one. That special, indescribable bond that feels like never before, and you'll never have again. I have also had other birds, for many years in fact, but never really understood that connection until I met my boy Patches, my first Ekkie. He was my "one." He had the saddest life, and after all that for 18 years, he found me, and got his forever home where he knew how much he was loved. Unfortunately, too much damage had already been done, and he passed in my arms after only 8 months, right before Christmas 2018.

So, yeah, that bond is real. It's unique, and strong, and earth shattering when it's ripped away from you. It's okay to grieve, and you should. I still have bad days when something reminds me.

Everyone is different, so the grieving process is very different from one person to the next. Only you know what that looks like for you, and that's okay.

For me, I chose to open my heart and home to another bird, to honor Patches, and help another bird in need. It was something I needed to do for me. That's where my guy Tucker comes in. (another Ekkie) Aaaaaannnd, in the process of adopting him, my girl Baxter, my YNA, found me, and sucked me in too. I'm so blessed to have them both. I can't imagine life without them now. They'll never be Patches, but that's okay. They're unique individuals, and while completely different, the bonds are just as strong.

I'm not saying go out and get another bird right now. AT ALL. Just saying if it's in the cards at some point, your heart will know when it's ready. Don't rush what your heart needs.

Again, my sincere condolences. Alex was beautiful, and will be missed.

Thank you, saxguy. I am so sorry to hear about Patches and that he was with you for only 8 months! Your post is very helpful. I've been thinking what to do now. I don't feel like I trust myself to get another bird but I will keep reading, I will be doing the research, I'll talk to Alex's vet and at some point I hope I will feel confident to have another bird.
I will gladly adopt one but I'd have to do even more research because I am not familiar with behavior issues that birds might have. I've been meaning to ask in the forum when it is the right time to get another bird but then I realized that it might be different for everybody. I am sure I will know when I am ready or there will be a situation when a bird will need a home and I'll be able to provide it.

A dear friend shared sage words when my male eclectus "Sasquatch" passed. There is no substitute for full measures of grief, overt mourning, and second-guessing actions. Allow the tears to flow literally and metaphorically by commiserating with like minded friends and family. I sense the desire to keep the door open for a future avian, very healthy sign indeed.

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Thank you, Scott. Sorry to hear about your eclectus "Sasquatch" passing. Thank you for sharing the words of wisdom.

Yesterday I received the necropsy results. The pathologist called me because he knew that I was waiting on the report. He took time to discuss it with me. The only significant finding was the renal gout. No vitamin A deficiency or infection neither bacterial or viral was found. The pathologist thinks that the problem was dietary. Even though we fed Alex a healthy diet of fresh chop every day plus pellets - Rowdy Bush and ZuPreem. I am sure a trained vet would've picked up on the fact that there was a nutritional deficiency and we could've taken care of this problem if we only knew ... I also discussed with the pathologist the move and it's possible that the stress of moving could've contributed to his death. I had no idea a move could be so stressful. It's such a terrible feeling that I wasn't able to help Alex and that I moved him.

Renal gout can be advanced by excess protein intake, though your diet for Alex appears mainstream. I've attached a comprehensive article discussing kidney anatomy and function, renal gout discussed page 457. http://avianmedicine.net/wp-content/...16_kidneys.pdf

Given Alex's young age, might there be a hereditary component? Parrots are masters at hiding illness, there was likely no advance warning short of comprehensive blood analysis. Stress is impactful, though folks routinely move parrots without harm.

Please know that while the pathology report was not entirely comforting, most or all of us would have done similar given the circumstances. Sometimes the unthinkable happens despite our best efforts. I am certain Alex knew he was dearly loved and a bit of him will sing in your heart forever.

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Thank you so much, Scott! I've been trying to find more information on renal gout, so the article is very helpful! I think the best advice that I see in the posts is to keep track of the bird's weight. Of course, most of us new to this, never expect that our birds can get so sick.

Thinking of the Next Step...

When or will I ever want to bring another Parrot into my life is a very personal choice. There is no correct answer another can provide. It is your Heart that will provide guidance. Allow your Heart to guide you.

If your Heart chooses to bring another Parrot into your life, consider an older Parrot and most importantly, 'allow' the Parrot to 'choose' you. They are so very much better at the process than you or I could ever be.

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In each Morning's early light; there is a promise, an Amazon makes!

Weight is extraordinarily important, adjusted for same time daily, ie just after morning poop or similar. Birds do not come with "owner's manuals" and virtually all of us had a steep learning curve. I am just so sorry yours was so unfortunate and sad.

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