PLEASE HELP!!

[Hopee]

My budgie who for privacy I'm just gonna refer to as T. T has never trusted me since i brought her home, she had a cage mate who died awhile back who ill call K, K was always the brave one who would try and bite me if i even entered my hand into their cage, while T would just run or hide. K's body sadly was in there with T all night as it happened while I wasn't awake and i didnt even notice K was sick. Im unsure if T is like traumatized or something. All day T wont move at all she just sits in one spot and stares at me. literally does nothing else other than sometimes looking at the spot on the cage where K passed. Ive been able to pet T maybe 3 times in the past but like a switch one day she woke up and just was scared all over again. Ive tried to offer her food in my hand to see if shell take it.. she wont she has no taste for any treats or fruit/veggies. She's been on the same commercial seed since i got her, and i know its bad but she would rather starve that eat anything else. If i get too close to her (which too close for T is my hand being within a foot of her) she panics and tries to fly away but shes terrible at flying so she just falls and her cage is quite tall so im scared shell hurt herself just because im trying to change her water.

I know i went wrong when i invited a friend over and my friend grabbed them. To be fair i was younger and i didnt rly say no.. The thing is they didn't even fight it they came out of the cage and chased each other around and sat on my shoulders at one point. (this was before K died) but the day immediately after it went back to how it was before. I know i prob lost their trust there and i screwed up.

Im really scared for T im scared she wont eat because shes just staring at me ALL day she doesn't move i swear. Ive tried to offer her a pirch that i was holding to see if that would work and before i could even get it in the cage she FLIPPED OUT. so i didnt wanna stress her more and just stopped.

Someone please help me. If this doesn't get better im scared shell hurt herself or ill have to rehome her who can care better for her because she barely eats around me.

 

[wrench13]

Parrots, like a lot of other fairly intellegent animals, are capable of feeling grief over a lost friend. As long as T is eating SOMEthing, I would let the natural process develop. GIve her a few days. It might be an opportunity to start from scratch with T, just take your time - parrots rate of change is glacial compared to our quick money brains. Go at T's pace and not the pace of your expectations.

 

[foxgloveparrot]

Like wrench said. As long as T eats at all, let her, and give her some time to recover. Then start over, and be sure to pay close attention to her, not yourself.
Birds have emotions the same way we humans do, so treat her kind of like you’d treat a grieving human.

 

[HeatherG]

Hi,
I would give T a break from being watched. Maybe you could cover half her cage with a towel or sheet so she has some privacy or feeling of safety? And leave something she really likes to eat in her cage, like millet or a treat stick, plus her regular food.

Yes, parrots grieve the death of their bird friends. When my very old Quaker passed on, her neighbor green cheek conure reacted very much like you are talking about. I thought he was only jealous of her and did not like her. I guess he was very upset. In your case, it sounds like T was more timid and K was more adventurous. T maybe feels more scared without her buddy to try everything first?

I hope she is ok. But I would suggest you not sit and watch her. You might seem a bit like a predator and it could be scary for her. Even though that’s not what you intend to do, being watched closely can add to a bird’s stress.

 

[Laurasea]

I'm sorry for your loss of K.
Birds hide being sick, and many times we can find them gone and never knew something was wrong.

Burds do grieve, and budgies can feel Xtra fearful being suddenly alone.

But because we can't know if T has something that K had. It could be a good idea to have her checked by a veterinarian.

Definitely make sure she is eating. Put millet spray by her as this is a favorite and you want her eating. You can offer whole leaves of romaine , stick through a cage bar ( away from her so as to not stress) or lay on a plate on bottom of cage.

 

[kme3388]

I’m sorry for the loss of your feathered friend. As stated above birds hide illness until near death. Which is why by the time a vet is contacted sometimes it’s too late. Whenever I contact my vet she always asks me what my parrots weight is currently. I don’t know if you have a scale but if parrots drop a lot of weight it’s a sign of sickness. Its something that could save a parrots life. Prior to my parrot I adopted I never did this. Again, I am so sorry for your loss. Hopefully your other bird bounces back.

 

[Hopee]

Thank you all for the help. T seems to be doing a bit better, i covered 1/2 her cage and moved her into a less active room for the time being so she can feel a bit safer. Ill move her back when i think she's fully better. Just to preface T was taken to the vet the day after K died and the vet said nothing was wrong with her. Not sure if I trust that as this wasn't an avian vet I just took her to one in a panic. Ill take her back to an avian vet if she hasn't seemed to have eaten by tomorrow morning! Good ish news tho i was cleaning her cage to be sure if K was sick it wasn't lingering on their toys and sadly i scared her : / but i scared her to her food, and not on the opposite side where she was. Im sad i scared her but im hopeful that now shes near her food shell try it. Ive offered her Millet, apples, carrots. and ofc her normal food in hopes she might just be bored of her food aswell? Ty again : )
T (blue) K (green) ps. i hid there names in fear id get hate for idk why but t's name is tomago and k's name was Killjoy (weird ik, its from a video game)

 

[HeatherG]

It sounds like you are doing a really good job taking care of K. I really hope she’s ok. I wonder if she’s eating a little and you haven’t noticed?

I named my first cockatiel after a teenage mutant ninja turtle (Raphael). K’s name is fine. Don’t worry about it. It’s much less silly than being named after a cartoon turtle!

They are both cute birds!

 

[Hopee]

It sounds like you are doing a really good job taking care of K. I really hope she’s ok. I wonder if she’s eating a little and you haven’t noticed?

I named my first cockatiel after a teenage mutant ninja turtle (Raphael). K’s name is fine. Don’t worry about it. It’s much less silly than being named after a cartoon turtle!

They are both cute birds!

Lol ty! i haven't noticed her eating actually : / when i put her food in the cage she flys always from it even though normally when i would put her food into the cage she would stay put bc my hand wasn't actually in the cage. But at least shes moving? Killjoys an iffy name because it sounds meanicing lol Raphael though is a cute name! If i ever get Tomago another friend ill prob name her Tadashi (big hero 6 reference lol)

 

[HeatherG]

It sounded like she was practically catatonic before so I am glad she’s moving around the cage.

 

[Hopee]

I woke up this morning and she was eating!! My worries might have been nothing she might have been eating while i wasnt around but i was very freaked out so thank you all for the help!
(Tomago says thank u as well <3)