Good bye sweet Owlie :(

[henrietta]

I had to put my owl finch, Owlie, to sleep today at the vet. She was my sweetheart from this post that was badly plucked when I got her in January. She's also the bird in my avatar picture. She had started to get better and better through the months, growing more feathers and her sore was completely healed, but then, about 2 weeks ago she started looking worse. She was sleeping all the time, fluffed up, and suddenly one day she couldn't fly to reach the high perches any more. So I took her to the vet. He analyzed her droppings under a microscope and found some protzoa. He said she either had giardia or cochlosoma and prescribed metronidazole for 10 days. I put her in a hospital cage with a heat lamp. I had to arrange a series of perches so she could hop around because she couldn't fly. She would eat lots of hard boiled egg, but was just getting thinner and thinner. I would alternate sprinkling "high fat" hand feeding powder and feather fast onto her egg food. She was just looking worse and worse. Still, she was eating and hopping around and chirping to her buddies in the other cage, so I was hopeful she might turn around.

Then this morning (the 10th day of the medicine) my nephew found her laying on the bottom of the cage. She wasn't responding to our voices and didn't move for a few seconds. But then she sort of "woke up" and starting hopping around and eating and drinking again. I called the vet and got scheduled in right away. But it is an hour from my house and by the time I got there, she was just lying there on the bottom of the cage and didn't get up, but she was still breathing. They offered to hospitalize her and force feed her, but he said she probably wouldn't live till tomorrow and it would be better to just let her pass in peace, and I agreed. It was so horrible, holding her tiny body and knowing it would be the last time I would see and hold her. I wanted to hug her tight and kiss her, but I didn't want to terrify her, so I just pet her tiny head and let her go. She was my darling, my brave one, who would come to my hand and perch on my finger. She was the one who needed me the most, and became my sweet baby. She was the one who wouldn't fly away at the sight of me approaching and actually was happy to see me because she loved her egg deliveries. Not to make my other birds jealous, but she was special. One of the hardest things is seeing her buddies cling to the side of the cage, looking to where her hospital cage used to be, and hearing them call for her. I am just heart broken.

They are going to do a necropsy and send some samples to the lab to make sure the other birds are okay. I will let you guys know when I find out.

[Sally]

So very sorry for your loss. Owlie sounds like one of those special birds that come into our lives, I'm sure she will be missed.

[debbie276]

So very sorry for your loss

[DanteD716]

Im so so sorry Liz.. you seem liked you loved her dearly, you did the right thing.

[Perfex]

What a sweet and special girl, sorry for your loss.

[Angela&Shalamar]

very sorry to hear.

[Sunbay]

You gave her love and a good life. I see some other dirty, crowded cages on the internet here and there. Knowing there are those that get all the life and love they deserve makes me hopeful for humankind.

Sleep well, and fly on angel's wings, wee one.

Lauren

[Ginene]

So sorry about Owlie passing, Liz. She was a precious girl.

[henrietta]

Thanks so much for all your sweet comments, everyone. They mean so much to me.

[Zebrafincher]

Awwr! She was such a sweetie! Finches really capture people's hearts! I hope you find joy again with your other finches as well.

[30 Seconds to Bob]

Sorry for your loss. Hoping it's good news for you as far as the other birds are concerned. Bob

[Mands]

I am so sorry for your pain and grief. I am sure she was so special and very lucky to have you love her as much as you do. Hugs. Mandie.

[lyzzyjayne]

I am so sorry Liz. My heart breaks for you. I remember Owlie's story. What a precious, sweet angel girl.

[cindy]

So very sorry for your loss, I do hope your other birds will be alright.

[Nerien]

So sorry she's gone.

Fly high and free, sweet Owlie!