Post by clt80 on Jun 24, 2017 16:49:43 GMT
It was April 2016 when my hubby's auntie said she had a friend who needed to re-home a budgie. Her friend had inherited the budgie, and I can't recall if it was her husband or father who had died. The budgie was a boy named Charles and was 3 years old.
I think it was April 16th when Charlie arrived in the back of a car, complete with her cage that she sat in so beautifully. She came into the house and I looked at her and remember thinking ' wow what a beautiful budgie'. Her feathers were so immaculate, white with grey on her wings like lace, and her body was blue. Her head was white and she had the most gorgeous eyes I've ever seen on a budgie: they were dark and shaped like almonds. I've never seen eyes like them since.
Upon noticing Charles was actually a girl, and that her leg ring said she was born in 2011 meaning she was 5 years old, I kindly told the lady who brought her. She laughed and said she had no idea, and obviously the previous owner hadn't. So it was decided to name her Charlie, it was as close to Charles in feminine form we could think of. You could see the lady was hesitant to leave her, but after she saw where Charlie would live in the aviary after her quarantine time was up she was reassured. I like to believe that before I had Charlie she had a close bond with her previous owner. I don't know if he was her only owner, or if there had been another before him. But I hope whatever her life was before I met her that it was filled with happiness.
Charlie's cage had a swing she liked, and a wooden mirror which she had chewed the perch off. She had some toys but her mirror and the swing were her favourite. It was later that day that we first heard her tweet: it was a wolf whistle. A full on wolf whistle!! My hubby and I laughed and laughed, and the more we did the more Charlie did it. She was so sweet.
After some weeks had passed and it was obvious Charlie was in good health she was introduced to the aviary. She was a little hesitant at first, there were birds flying around and being noisy in there. I assumed she'd been an only budgie for all of her life so seeing all these budgies flying around must of been an experience for her.
She sat on my fingers surveying her new home. Gradually she jumped off and started climbing up the side of the aviary. She settled in quick. Charlie was a large budgie who had a very pleasant nature and no one ever bothered her. Each morning when I would come in to open the outdoor flap everyone would fly out and the last three still sat inside would be Rita, Harriet and Charlie. She liked to take her time in the morning to wake up and only when she was ready would she go outside. She knew her own mind.
Outside she had three favourite places. The first was on the high bridge under the roof. She would often sit there, higher than the others playing with the wooden parts on the bridge. Swivelling them around and no doubt pecking bits from them. If she wasn't on there she would be on the ladder, which again is high up by the roof. She'd sit right at the top next to the mirror. The other favourite place was on the big swing, where she'd swing back and forth with others and whistle. She learned to tweet as the others do, but she did prefer to do her whistle which always could be heard about the others' chatter.
Heathcliffe had shown an interest in Charlie, and I had seen them get up to no good when Dorothy's back was turned. But Heathcliffe was really devoted to Dorothy, so he never paired with Charlie, they would just have a dalliance now and again and in between would never go near each other. Charlie's soulmate was Mabel. I saw them sitting together a couple of months after Charlie had gone in the aviary. I thought how strange two hens together, usually pairs are of one of each gender. But they were bossom buddies and inseparable. Mabel is very popular in the flock, in fact I'd say she's top of the pecking order. she has had two suitors already but disregarded them for Charlie.
Her love for Charlie was incredible. They would sit so close to each other it was like they were stitched at the sides Mabel would preen Charlie, Charlie would preen Mabel. Mabel would feed Charlie which made me smile as she was half the size of Charlie. If anyone tried to come near Charlie, or annoy her, in particular any suitors (including Heathcliffe) Mabel would fly over and sit in between them. She was possessive of Charlie, but it was out of love and Charlie was happy. The friendship they had was so strong and quite unique between hens.
A few months ago when I locked up at night, I checked to make sure no one was outside and once I was happy everyone was nestled inside ready to go to sleep I closed the outside flap then locked the aviary up. As I walked back inside I heard the distinctive whistle of Charlie.....I looked around and there she was outside sat on a swing!! Needless to say I went back and let her inside, she must of been hiding when I checked everyone was inside.
A few months ago Charlie's wing feathers started sitting funny, they were not flush on her body. I looked on the internet to see what i could find and found nothing of any worry. I watched Charlie for weeks and she seemed the same happy bird she always was. Ten days ago she started struggling to breathe so came inside; after being so distressed coming inside she refused to eat. I brought Mabel in and Charlie started to perk up.
A trip to the vets and days of administering antibiotics to her beak left Charlie feeling scared and uncertain. She was getting no better and more research was done and solution bought for mites, in particular air sac mites. After the first dose Charlie perked up, starting whistling and sat up high in the cage on a swing with Mabel. Hurrah - she was getting better.
This was the last time I would hear her beloved wolf whistle. The next day she went downhill and carried on doing so. Mabel stayed true to her and carried on feeding her, for which I am eternally grateful for. Their love knew no bounds and I was so proud of both of them.
Last night she was so very weak. She couldn't really move and I realised this when I moved some millet over to her and she started to eat it. I moved her water over to her too but she didn't want to drink it. I tried with a syringe but she just turned away time after time. I lay a soft tea towel over the paper towels on the bottom of the cage in case she needed to lay on the floor in the night. I think I knew she was not going to get better.
This morning, as I have for the past few mornings, I feared the worse. I went down at 7.30am and poor Charlie was on the bottom of the cage trying her best to breathe. I put Mabel back outside.
I picked Charlie up but she was so untrusting of me by this stage she just tried to get free. She had no energy and rolled around; it was truly horrific to witness. I decided there and then for her own sake I had to ring the vets when they opened and take her, it was cruel for her to endure any more suffering. Charlie was suffering, she had been for days. As she couldn't stand, and could hardly hold her head up I picked her up and I held her in my arms where she struggled to take some breaths then let out a loud exhale. Her eyes closed and she went limp. Charlie was no longer in any pain, my beautiful Charlie had gone.
Charlie - if there is another life after this and you are there I hope with all my heart you will forgive me for not saving you; I wish I had done something as soon as I realised your feathers had changed. You were so brave towards the end, true courage. I wish dearly that the year we had together was filled with happiness for you. I hope you are happy and pain free, and I hope you are reunited with your previous owner who I am sure loved you as much as I love you.
Mabel misses you, she has been walking up and down looking for you. I will look after her for you do not worry.
Until we meet again beautiful Charlie, rest in peace. We all love you xxx
I think it was April 16th when Charlie arrived in the back of a car, complete with her cage that she sat in so beautifully. She came into the house and I looked at her and remember thinking ' wow what a beautiful budgie'. Her feathers were so immaculate, white with grey on her wings like lace, and her body was blue. Her head was white and she had the most gorgeous eyes I've ever seen on a budgie: they were dark and shaped like almonds. I've never seen eyes like them since.
Upon noticing Charles was actually a girl, and that her leg ring said she was born in 2011 meaning she was 5 years old, I kindly told the lady who brought her. She laughed and said she had no idea, and obviously the previous owner hadn't. So it was decided to name her Charlie, it was as close to Charles in feminine form we could think of. You could see the lady was hesitant to leave her, but after she saw where Charlie would live in the aviary after her quarantine time was up she was reassured. I like to believe that before I had Charlie she had a close bond with her previous owner. I don't know if he was her only owner, or if there had been another before him. But I hope whatever her life was before I met her that it was filled with happiness.
Charlie's cage had a swing she liked, and a wooden mirror which she had chewed the perch off. She had some toys but her mirror and the swing were her favourite. It was later that day that we first heard her tweet: it was a wolf whistle. A full on wolf whistle!! My hubby and I laughed and laughed, and the more we did the more Charlie did it. She was so sweet.
After some weeks had passed and it was obvious Charlie was in good health she was introduced to the aviary. She was a little hesitant at first, there were birds flying around and being noisy in there. I assumed she'd been an only budgie for all of her life so seeing all these budgies flying around must of been an experience for her.
She sat on my fingers surveying her new home. Gradually she jumped off and started climbing up the side of the aviary. She settled in quick. Charlie was a large budgie who had a very pleasant nature and no one ever bothered her. Each morning when I would come in to open the outdoor flap everyone would fly out and the last three still sat inside would be Rita, Harriet and Charlie. She liked to take her time in the morning to wake up and only when she was ready would she go outside. She knew her own mind.
Outside she had three favourite places. The first was on the high bridge under the roof. She would often sit there, higher than the others playing with the wooden parts on the bridge. Swivelling them around and no doubt pecking bits from them. If she wasn't on there she would be on the ladder, which again is high up by the roof. She'd sit right at the top next to the mirror. The other favourite place was on the big swing, where she'd swing back and forth with others and whistle. She learned to tweet as the others do, but she did prefer to do her whistle which always could be heard about the others' chatter.
Heathcliffe had shown an interest in Charlie, and I had seen them get up to no good when Dorothy's back was turned. But Heathcliffe was really devoted to Dorothy, so he never paired with Charlie, they would just have a dalliance now and again and in between would never go near each other. Charlie's soulmate was Mabel. I saw them sitting together a couple of months after Charlie had gone in the aviary. I thought how strange two hens together, usually pairs are of one of each gender. But they were bossom buddies and inseparable. Mabel is very popular in the flock, in fact I'd say she's top of the pecking order. she has had two suitors already but disregarded them for Charlie.
Her love for Charlie was incredible. They would sit so close to each other it was like they were stitched at the sides Mabel would preen Charlie, Charlie would preen Mabel. Mabel would feed Charlie which made me smile as she was half the size of Charlie. If anyone tried to come near Charlie, or annoy her, in particular any suitors (including Heathcliffe) Mabel would fly over and sit in between them. She was possessive of Charlie, but it was out of love and Charlie was happy. The friendship they had was so strong and quite unique between hens.
A few months ago when I locked up at night, I checked to make sure no one was outside and once I was happy everyone was nestled inside ready to go to sleep I closed the outside flap then locked the aviary up. As I walked back inside I heard the distinctive whistle of Charlie.....I looked around and there she was outside sat on a swing!! Needless to say I went back and let her inside, she must of been hiding when I checked everyone was inside.
A few months ago Charlie's wing feathers started sitting funny, they were not flush on her body. I looked on the internet to see what i could find and found nothing of any worry. I watched Charlie for weeks and she seemed the same happy bird she always was. Ten days ago she started struggling to breathe so came inside; after being so distressed coming inside she refused to eat. I brought Mabel in and Charlie started to perk up.
A trip to the vets and days of administering antibiotics to her beak left Charlie feeling scared and uncertain. She was getting no better and more research was done and solution bought for mites, in particular air sac mites. After the first dose Charlie perked up, starting whistling and sat up high in the cage on a swing with Mabel. Hurrah - she was getting better.
This was the last time I would hear her beloved wolf whistle. The next day she went downhill and carried on doing so. Mabel stayed true to her and carried on feeding her, for which I am eternally grateful for. Their love knew no bounds and I was so proud of both of them.
Last night she was so very weak. She couldn't really move and I realised this when I moved some millet over to her and she started to eat it. I moved her water over to her too but she didn't want to drink it. I tried with a syringe but she just turned away time after time. I lay a soft tea towel over the paper towels on the bottom of the cage in case she needed to lay on the floor in the night. I think I knew she was not going to get better.
This morning, as I have for the past few mornings, I feared the worse. I went down at 7.30am and poor Charlie was on the bottom of the cage trying her best to breathe. I put Mabel back outside.
I picked Charlie up but she was so untrusting of me by this stage she just tried to get free. She had no energy and rolled around; it was truly horrific to witness. I decided there and then for her own sake I had to ring the vets when they opened and take her, it was cruel for her to endure any more suffering. Charlie was suffering, she had been for days. As she couldn't stand, and could hardly hold her head up I picked her up and I held her in my arms where she struggled to take some breaths then let out a loud exhale. Her eyes closed and she went limp. Charlie was no longer in any pain, my beautiful Charlie had gone.
Charlie - if there is another life after this and you are there I hope with all my heart you will forgive me for not saving you; I wish I had done something as soon as I realised your feathers had changed. You were so brave towards the end, true courage. I wish dearly that the year we had together was filled with happiness for you. I hope you are happy and pain free, and I hope you are reunited with your previous owner who I am sure loved you as much as I love you.
Mabel misses you, she has been walking up and down looking for you. I will look after her for you do not worry.
Until we meet again beautiful Charlie, rest in peace. We all love you xxx