20 years!

[cfr70]

I haven't posted here in 5 years but I just wanted to announce that my little buddy Bruce is 20 years old this month! I'm so happy and grateful that he's still with me after all this time that I have to share lol.

He came to me by accident when a friend didn't want him anymore after his first year. We had already bonded from the many times i'd petsit for him so I decided to take him in or out the window he probably would've been tossed by that uncaring friend!

I then learned that they could live for 35 or more years, and at the time I was 35 myself so I thought "That's my whole lifetime! Yikes!".

I never could have dreamed he'd still be with me 20 years later. I guess we're both old men now haha. He still has a lot of energy and is always free flighted in the house and has a big enclosed patio out back to sit and watch the ducks and crows around the lake outside.

He does show signs of slowing down...more naps in his little nest box and x rays at his checkup 6 months ago showed early arthritis in his feet, so I'm very mindful of that. He was holding one foot up for a while and the doc gave some medicine that he wouldn't touch.

So I did some searching an learned that 100% Tart Cherry Juice helps humans with arthritis, so what the heck?....I bought it and fill a shot glass each morning of it and leave it on his table with his other treats and drinks. He LOVES it and no longer holds the foot up anymore....so who knows if it helps?

Anyway, I just had to come here to share the great news of his big 20th this month. He's brought me more joy and happiness than any human i've known and that's no exaggeration but a fact. Each day with him is a gift and the doc in November gave him a clean bill of health and said he can last another 10 years!!...I can only hope and pray!

It is hard at times because I love travel and have cancelled trips many times due to fear of leaving him alone at boarding especially at his advanced age. I finally booked a short 4 day cruise for December and am going to force myself to go and not cancel this time lol. At 55, I can't keep putting it off because I'm not getting any younger.

Also, my house is always a mess with seeds and orange feathers everywhere and sometimes it drives me nuts having to sweep and vacuum every single day. And the surprise months that show up from time to time in the house that seem to come from his food bags.....I won't even go into the droppings but he is trained to fly over to his special lampshade on an old table to do his business.

And the only Avian Vet in my area is a 20 mile Uber ride each way that has to be done every 2 months like clockwork for his nail trims or those long nails will get snagged in everything...so that $18 trim costs $90 with the travel.

But still, I wouldn't want it any other way because this is my life and the joys received from him have far outweighed any negatives of owning him. I know the day keeps getting closer when it will be time for him to go and I know i'll be devastated. No matter how much I prepare and steel myself for it, I know it's gonna leave a giant hole that won't be filled so I treasure every day with him.

Here he is this morning on my shoulder looking beautiful as ever, and the other photo I just took right now as I'm writing this. If you look close he's in the top shelf on the white box chewing it away lol. That whole ugly buffet table is his play area and he sleeps inside the box in the middle shelf on the right due to his feet. He has soft blankets in there that cushions his old feet while he sleeps.

(The pink stuff in the shot glass on the table is Jumex Strawberry Banana Nectar I pick up at the Dollar Tree. Each day I fill a shot glass with it and leave it on the table for him. For 20 years he's been drinking it and absolutely loves it. I go through 2 32oz cartons a month.)

Sorry for being so long, I just wanted to ramble to share the big news. 20 years is a long time with the same pet! Before him the longest pets I had were 2 parakeets that lasted 7 years. I'd love to hear if anyone here has Conures that are older and how they are doing!

Ok here's the Birthday Boy

....photos taken today.....

 

[DonnaBudgie]

He's still a beauty! I love his play area- he does lead a gifted life.
I'm going to try the tart cherry juice for my arthritic hands. I don't know where to get it. Maybe Whole Foods?

 

[cfr70]

Thank you. He is always the first thing on my mind when I wake each morning and I try to give him everything he wants. I only hope he feels his life is gifted as I occasionally feel pangs of guilt that he's a solo bird and i'm depriving him of a mate. But I know if I got him a mate now he'd most likely attack it for invading his territory and that wouldn't he fair to the new bird.

The tart cherry juice I get at Walmart. It used to cost $4.99 for a 32 oz bottle, but lately, they just keep raising their prices of everything every week by a few pennies and now it's up to $5.38. But that's a whole other thread lol.

Copy and search the brand below and it will take you to the product. It does seem to be helping Bruce as he doesn't hold his foot up anymore since i've started him on it.

Antioxidant Solutions 100% Tart Cherry Juice not from Concentrate, 32 fl oz.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Thanks for the Cherry Juice lead. Is it in the refrigerated section? Where do they put it?

As for depriving him of an avian friend, you're his friend! He has a full life. He doesn't need a another bird and would likely attack one. Don't worry about not giving Bruce what the needs beyond what you already do. Some would argue they should be wild and free not captive in the first place, but Bruce was born to be and have a human companion and you have given him a great life.

As an aside, I discourage anyone from getting their bird an opposite sex same species friend. I promise you that the last thing you want is for your buddy to start breeding, and that's what healthy birds are programmed to do- Make More Birds. Breeding birds don't make good human companions and it's very hard to stop a pair once they start short of physically and visually separating them. Even hearing their mate call to them is a problem if you're trying to stop a breeding situation.

 

[cfr70]

The Tart Cherry Juice is kept in the warm bottled juice aisle and I keep it in the fridge when I bring it home.

Over the years i've gone back and forth about bringing in a second bird, but I guess i'm glad I didn't because even just Bruce is a lot of work at times and can be a handful. Having 2 Conures, especially at my older age would be a lot to handle.

And yes, I thought about breeding and I definitely wouldn't want them to multiply like Gremlins lol. And as sad as i'll be when he's gone, there will be a little part of me that feels relief because I wouldn't have to worry about him anymore. With 2 birds, i'd still have one left to care for if one of them went, and with me getting older I do worry at times if something should happen to me, who would take care of him. So if I can stick around until he's gone, it will be a relief because then i'll be free to get run over by a garbage truck and drop dead without any guilt of leaving him behind lol.

Whenever i'm out or traveling I worry constantly about him being alone or when he's at boarding. It will be strangely freeing to have that worry gone.

For example, I went to Paris 13 years ago and left him with a friend for the 12 days. I took a side trip to London for one of the days but spent the entire time in the hotel room because after a full day I didn't hear back from the friend when I asked how Bruce was doing and I was having all these horrible thoughts that he was dead and my friend was not replying to wait until I got home to tell me. I was so distraught with worry that I didn't leave the hotel room all evening! How sad is that lol. So to have that worry gone will be strange, but also freeing.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

It is definitely way more work and more stressful to have two conures vs one. There's always a very real chance they won't get along and then you're stuck trying to give both high maintenance birds what they need separately, and that's a lot of work for a person of any age!

I understand the stress about traveling. I have 19 budgies, four female "wild" ones in one large cage, and four "wild" males in another. These eight don't get let out to fly. Then I have two wonderful tame ones together, four tame ones in another cage, and three tame ones in another cage. All nine of the tame ones fly free in my living area all day. Then I have one very tame female in our bedroom because two of my males won't stop trying to mate with her. I have a bird sitter who comes to the house twice a day when we travel for $50 a day to feed and water them and let the free flyers out and put them back in. The female in the bedroom comes with us if it's a road trip. It's a lot of money when we're gone for a week but she's great and I know my birds are happy and safe. BUT we want to go away for a month and don't want to leave our birds for that long but how can we take them all with us? It mostly rules out spending a month in a warmer climate in the winter unless I just bring some of them and pay the sitter $1500 to take care of the rest for a month.

 

[LaManuka]

I haven't posted here in 5 years but I just wanted to announce that my little buddy Bruce is 20 years old this month! I'm so happy and grateful that he's still with me after all this time that I have to share lol.

He came to me by accident when a friend didn't want him anymore after his first year. We had already bonded from the many times i'd petsit for him so I decided to take him in or out the window he probably would've been tossed by that uncaring friend!

I then learned that they could live for 35 or more years, and at the time I was 35 myself so I thought "That's my whole lifetime! Yikes!".

I never could have dreamed he'd still be with me 20 years later. I guess we're both old men now haha. He still has a lot of energy and is always free flighted in the house and has a big enclosed patio out back to sit and watch the ducks and crows around the lake outside.

He does show signs of slowing down...more naps in his little nest box and x rays at his checkup 6 months ago showed early arthritis in his feet, so I'm very mindful of that. He was holding one foot up for a while and the doc gave some medicine that he wouldn't touch.

So I did some searching an learned that 100% Tart Cherry Juice helps humans with arthritis, so what the heck?....I bought it and fill a shot glass each morning of it and leave it on his table with his other treats and drinks. He LOVES it and no longer holds the foot up anymore....so who knows if it helps?

Anyway, I just had to come here to share the great news of his big 20th this month. He's brought me more joy and happiness than any human i've known and that's no exaggeration but a fact. Each day with him is a gift and the doc in November gave him a clean bill of health and said he can last another 10 years!!...I can only hope and pray!

It is hard at times because I love travel and have cancelled trips many times due to fear of leaving him alone at boarding especially at his advanced age. I finally booked a short 4 day cruise for December and am going to force myself to go and not cancel this time lol. At 55, I can't keep putting it off because I'm not getting any younger.

Also, my house is always a mess with seeds and orange feathers everywhere and sometimes it drives me nuts having to sweep and vacuum every single day. And the surprise months that show up from time to time in the house that seem to come from his food bags.....I won't even go into the droppings but he is trained to fly over to his special lampshade on an old table to do his business.

And the only Avian Vet in my area is a 20 mile Uber ride each way that has to be done every 2 months like clockwork for his nail trims or those long nails will get snagged in everything...so that $18 trim costs $90 with the travel.

But still, I wouldn't want it any other way because this is my life and the joys received from him have far outweighed any negatives of owning him. I know the day keeps getting closer when it will be time for him to go and I know i'll be devastated. No matter how much I prepare and steel myself for it, I know it's gonna leave a giant hole that won't be filled so I treasure every day with him.

Here he is this morning on my shoulder looking beautiful as ever, and the other photo I just took right now as I'm writing this. If you look close he's in the top shelf on the white box chewing it away lol. That whole ugly buffet table is his play area and he sleeps inside the box in the middle shelf on the right due to his feet. He has soft blankets in there that cushions his old feet while he sleeps.

(The pink stuff in the shot glass on the table is Jumex Strawberry Banana Nectar I pick up at the Dollar Tree. Each day I fill a shot glass with it and leave it on the table for him. For 20 years he's been drinking it and absolutely loves it. I go through 2 32oz cartons a month.)

Sorry for being so long, I just wanted to ramble to share the big news. 20 years is a long time with the same pet! Before him the longest pets I had were 2 parakeets that lasted 7 years. I'd love to hear if anyone here has Conures that are older and how they are doing!

Ok here's the Birthday BoyView attachment 79611View attachment 79612....photos taken today.....

Happy Birthday, Bruce, you are a very handsome young man!!

 

[cfr70]

It is definitely way more work and more stressful to have two conures vs one. There's always a very real chance they won't get along and then you're stuck trying to give both high maintenance birds what they need separately, and that's a lot of work for a person of any age!

I understand the stress about traveling. I have 19 budgies, four female "wild" ones in one large cage, and four "wild" males in another. These eight don't get let out to fly. Then I have two wonderful tame ones together, four tame ones in another cage, and three tame ones in another cage. All nine of the tame ones fly free in my living area all day. Then I have one very tame female in our bedroom because two of my males won't stop trying to mate with her. I have a bird sitter who comes to the house twice a day when we travel for $50 a day to feed and water them and let the free flyers out and put them back in. The female in the bedroom comes with us if it's a road trip. It's a lot of money when we're gone for a week but she's great and I know my birds are happy and safe. BUT we want to go away for a month and don't want to leave our birds for that long but how can we take them all with us? It mostly rules out spending a month in a warmer climate in the winter unless I just bring some of them and pay the sitter $1500 to take care of the rest for a month.

Oh God, 19 budgies!! I don't know how you do it lol. As much as I love birds I'd be completely overwhelmed with that many. I love that they all have each other to keep themselves company.
It may be expensive, but i'm sure you have a lot of peace of mind knowing they can keep each other company and not miss you while you're gone.
I constantly worry about Bruce being alone without me and if he had a mate i'd have more peace of mind about it so that's one of the drawbacks of having a solo bird.
I live near Disney World and they have a wonderful boarding place on their premises that I use and they have a special great room just for birds and the workers even take him out of the cage for a little bit so he's not caged in his prison the whole time. That makes it a little easier to go away.
If I could I would take him with me on vacations, but then i'd have the anxiety of wondering if someone would steal him from the hotel room lol. So he's better off at boarding.

 

[cfr70]

Happy Birthday, Bruce, you are a very handsome young man!!

He says thank you! When he was a baby back in '05 he was mostly all green and kind of dull looking, but then he began to sprout those beautiful orange feathers of his with bits of yellow, blue and green. I love the bright colors of these birds.

 

[GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh]

He's still a beauty! I love his play area- he does lead a gifted life.
I'm going to try the tart cherry juice for my arthritic hands. I don't know where to get it. Maybe Whole Foods?

Or online from Vitacost.

 

[GaleriaGila]

An inspirational and wonderful and exciting and all-around-fabulous thread and story! Thank you!

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

Twenty Years! That's a whole lot of luv'n! My Peach Front Conure, Charlie, is 25 this July. He outlived his previous owner and lived longer than my first peach front by almost 4.5 years! (FYI - Charlie was a rescue I got when he was 20 because his human slave was dying in the hospital). It's amazing how long our lovebugs can live.

 

[cfr70]

Charlie looks like Bruce only green lol. Before I became a Conure owner, I mistakenly thought that only the big Macaw parrots were long lived birds and had no idea that smaller ones like these could live over 20 or even 30+ years!
How is Charlie doing at 25 and did he adjust well after you took him in? I wonder if he missed his original owner when they passed away. I can only hope that I outlive Bruce because one of my big fears is something happening to me while i'm out and he's home all alone wondering where I am so I keep a card in my wallet alerting anyone in an emergency that he's home all alone.

Do you see signs of Charlie slowing down or is he still energetic? Bruce is free flighted and is all over the house during the day and even flies out to the patio on his own when he wants to see the outside birds. The crows out there are fascinated with him probably because of his bright coloring.
I saw a Green Cheek Conure at the vet once and fell in love with it's personality. All the other types of Conures seem to be a little more sedate and playful than the Suns. Bruce is sweet but he can be an aggressive little demon from hell when he wants to lol.

 

[cfr70]

He just had his bath and will spend the next hour preening his old self. Behind him is his big bath bowl and to the left you can see one of the many ducks he likes to watch outside.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I like his lampshade!