Cooper’s Travels

We had lots of trips to various countries planned this year, but Cooper decided that Heaven would be the next stamp in her passport.
Here she is at the pearly gates. She is going to meet up with her flock, Dewey, Sunny, Ozzie, Alfie, Lera, Gordie, Harvey, Felix and Riley. She will splash in fountains, eat all the delicious millet she wants and fly free in clear blue sunny skies.

The Littlest Angel

On Saturday, January 13, Cooper crossed over the rainbow bridge.

On Friday, the 5th we noticed Cooper had a little bulge on her abdomen. It wasn’t there the previous day, and she was fine otherwise. We made an appointment for the next day with our avian vet.
They withdrew some fluid, tested her blood and gave her a lupron injection in case it was a reproductive issue (in 2016 Cooper had egg removal surgery when she became egg bound). The vet suspected a tumor, as the bulge was firm.

Her labs returned showing elevated uric acid levels and an elevated white blood cell count. The vet suspected a kidney tumor and an infection. So I went back to the vet to pick up some antibiotics for Cooper.

Over the next few days Cooper was slowing down. We moved her into the “condo” so she would be more comfortable. Emmy would visit her and preen her and keep her company. The following Friday we took her back to the vet for a recheck. There wasn’t anything they could do for her, but they prescribed additional antibiotics and pain meds on the chance that she might rally.
Cooper declined quickly that evening. We brought her out to the living room and put her on my chest on a blanket that was on a heating pad.
We spent the early morning hours just snuggling her and telling her what a wonderful budgie she was and how much she was loved. Later she cuddled up against my neck (which she used to do as a young budgie). Around 11 am she passed away.

Cooper was our amazing little budgie. We were so lucky to have her in our lives. She brought us so many blessings. I don’t think I will ever be able to express how wonderful she was and how much I loved her.
Life won’t be the same without her.

Over the rainbow

Last month we lost our beautiful Sunny. She had been ill for quite some time, beginning in April. After having some labs done, she was diagnosed with an infection and avian gastric yeast. She was in and out of the vet’s office several times and was put on various medications. We had to keep her separate from the other birds, so she moved into her condo full time.
The last couple months were a roller coaster – she would seem to get better, then relapse. Keeping her food down and her weight up was a struggle. But Sunny was a trooper through it all.
On August 12, she said goodbye to the budgies. We put her on a heating pad on my desk and stroked her head and told her how much we loved her. Then she was gone.
It’s been a rough year for the flock, and losing Sunny was a big blow. She was such a sweet, gentle, little budgie and we loved her more than words can say. I still can’t believe she’s gone. I hope she is in a better place with the rest of our rainbow budgies and her darling Dewey.