Post by chiprockskip on Aug 11, 2014 2:57:33 GMT
Goodbye...so final, i do so hope that we meet again. Yes Rocky and Skipper just 10 days after poor Rocky passed away his mate Skipper stoped fighting and died sometime this morning. I'm so sorry i wasnt there but you looked fine when i left.
Rocky yes 10 days ago you passed away in my hand, your little white face looking at me. I remember the first time i saw that face with a smear of blood over one eye in a pet shop in Huddersfield. The shop assistant was trying to convince me it wasnt your blood so i'd buy you but your face with the blood on it had already done the job for her. Sold and named so off we went. And we didnt have a very good start for two weeks you did nothing and after that it was war you'd eventuly let me get you on my finger but only to peck and bite untill you drew blood after about a year you clamed down a little then Chippy came along and for some reason you decided that your cage was a nest and all the birds in the mirrors where your flock then you'd attack anything that came near. To be honest you where our first budgie and we haddent given (like so meny others) any thought on how to look after a Budgie. Luckily for you you had me and i'd worked out what the problem was. So away we went to my house (he'd been at my girl friends 4 doors away) away from Chippy and Tweet the canary and we took away all the mirrors and toys and every day you sat on my fimger and i talked to you, and you listened. First 1 then 2 then 5 untill you'd be there for 20 min and after 8 days we took you back without the mirrors and you became the big Rocky rock rocker we love'd so much you'd play with Chippy and although you'd think that all the toys belonged to you and you'd chase old Chippy away. Although Chippy was smaller he was 5 years older than you and abit smarter, and it was so funny how he'd lead you away get you intrested in another toy then return to the one he wanted all along. A few years ago my girl friend had some work done in her house and you and Chippy came to stay with me. And neither of you ever left. During there last 3 years you and Chippy and Skipper too have become real friends to me and me to you. As Chippy got older he didnt want to mix much pherhaps because you were so big and strong but we got by i just split my time between you and where Chippy liked to look out the window and go to the door (he couldnt fly by then old age). You where the king of my front room you never wanted to leave there. You fly round sit on the vairous pictures and on top of the door and you'd sing your little heart out. I'd just put my finger out and you'd hop on, i'd bounce you up and down and tap your beak with my finger nail. You loved it and so did i. you even started letting me put my lips to the top of your head and go Brrrrrrrrrr and send the vibrations through you you love'd that as well. At other times i'd have you on my finger and talk to you in a soft even voice and you'd slowly drop your little head forward and let your tummy settle on my finger and the next thing youd be fast asleep. Ofcorse all the toys were still yours your favorites where the string of basket balls with bells in and not forgetting the mirrored string thing with a big bell on the end how you'd run up and down your perch with that in your beak. But most of all the windmill thing you so loved to spin that. And i loved to watch you. At supper time i'd have a Rocky bisciut and i'd show it to you and tell you what it was then one day you said it. Mumble mumble Rocky bisciut mumble clear as day. 4 years old we never thought you'd talk but then it started all kinds of stuff. But i'll never know how you came to say this, about 4 months ago after Chippy had gone and Skipper had been with us for awhile one night you just came out with "i'll ask him" then "i'll ask Skipper" after that every night "i'll ask him i'll ask Skipper". I never knew what you where going to ask him or if you ever did because sadly you left us. When i uncoverd you that tuesday morning i thought he's going to make it you were eating millet, on sunday you'd been asleep all day and monday i'd got you to the vets and he'd given you some baytrill. Monday afternoon you'd been eating and drinking if acting a little strange running under the telly but i thought you were over the worst. Yes i thought Rockys going to be okay i went in the kitchen and 15 min later i return to find you flat out at the bottom of your ladder wings spread i rang the vet thay said how soon can you get him in. It was 9.10 quickly i figuerd if i can get a taxi i'd be there by half past. Then i went to pick you up and to my horror you had some kind of fit you jumped up wings flapping landing on your back, i picked you up but i knew then youd never make it to the vets. So i just held you, your body in my palsm one wing either side of my hand, i could feel your little heart raceing. I remember it so clearly i said fight it Rocky fight it although i knew it was the end so i tryed to put on my soft voice the one that made him go to sleep it was hard because i was sobbing and i said " Its okay mate i love you everybody loves Rocky" thats something i used to say to him all the time. Then "Its okay mate nothings going to hurt you i'm with you". He just lifted his little head up and looked around then he pulled his wings in nice and straight then put his head down on my finger and it was over.
Rocky oh Rocky you where only 6 but these last 3-4 years we've got to be realy good friends and i've grown to love you and your little ways. I'm going to miss you in so many ways, parts of my life are going through a bad time but you were always there to talk to i'll miss that and i know you didnt have much choice but thank you for spending your life with me youve made mine so much the better for it, i'll never forget you Rocky rock, and now your laying next to your mate Chippy and tomrrow Skipper will be next to you. So maybe you can ask him whatever you've been going to ask him all this time eh. Be good boys and sleep well love you all.
Skipper...Skippy skip Skipper i'm so sad that i was'nt there when Skipper died i came home this lunchtime about 2pm to find him laying on his cage floor it was almost like he'd been put there right in the middle lind up with the sides of the cage very neat so unlike Skipper himself, never has there been a scruffyer Budgie but oh how i loved him. I first saw that tiny scruffy bird in a cage in a indoor market in Skipton along with three normal budgies and three parakeets. It was the distressed double chirp that drew me to him and as i watched this little bird got knocked off the pearch then had to climb all the way up (he was in a large display cage with perspecs front) to get to the feeder trays there he was pecked and pushed out of the way but he pushed back and managed to get a beak full only to be pushed back down to the floor only to start his climb again. My girl friend and i continued on our day out but i could not stop thinking about that little plucky bird and so the day out was called short and we returned to rescue Skipper. For a long time i thought the pet stall holder had lied about his age he'd said 3 months but to look at him he was tiny half the size of the Budgies that where in with him who the guy claimed where the same age. He had tiny stubby wings no tail, feathers that stuck out all over the place. And as i said i thought he was just too young and that he'd grow. But after we'd had him 2 months and he haddent got much bigger i began to realise somthing was wrong. And it was'nt untill a trip to the vets that i found out what. I've put most of Skippers diagnosis on a couple of posts called Skippers tail and one called the end of Skippers tail, and his progress is talked about in "Help for Skipper" if anyones intrested so i wont go into all the details hear. but suffice to say little Skipper has a liver problem and the vet went on to say that Skipper was very lucky, first not to have been killed at birth as some breeders will kill a bird like that, it cant breed cant be shown and probably wont live long anyway, secondly his liver must be working enough to keep him alive if not let him thrive, and thirdly that i came along and was pepaired to look after him. That be as it may but i think i was the lucky one. I've watched that little bird and his whole life has been a fight right from day one ofcourse i never saw day one but i wonder how many times that little bird had to make that climb in the pet stall just for a bite at the seed pot. Well with me he never had to fight for his food again he even learned to chase big Rocky away from the seeds. I think i know i'm probably wrong but i like to think Rocky let him because on some level he knew he was ill. I've watched that little Skipper bird overcome so much and through all this constant battle to stay alive i've watched as his little persoality emerged, i've seen how Rocky became a friend rather (okay as well as) a rivel for food. How he so wanted to join in with the games, Rocky'd have toys out on the floor and Skipper'd be watching from the cage door so he'd launch himself off on to the floor and after a time he'd learnt if he wanted to get back up he just came to me and looked at me and i'd lift him back up so gental how he just stand there looking and then step onto my finger. Later i bought him a ladder and he use that but he rememberd the same princeable when he wanted to join Rocky singing on top of the door. And i know he liked me because he'd not only come when i called him but i'd see the feathers on the top of his little head rise up. I came to admire him as well as love his little affectionate ways later well i'm not even shure when he started to be sick but certianly over the last 2-3 months i'd watch with my heart breaking as he was sick over and over and he's sit there looking realy poorly sick all down the front of him and i'd think i cant let the poor fella live like this, only to see him sit quiet for half an hour or maybe even 2 but then start eating again then wash himself his little head would fluff up again and he'd be jumping on the swing with Rocky or hanging upside down to drink his water, i'd started calling it soup it had that many additives in it. But the thing was he'd learnd to cope and he was enjoying his life between the bouts of illness. His poor guts must have realy hurt him somtimes but he knew that it'd pass and he could get on with things. And he was getting better the stuff the vet was giving me to put in his water was working he'd got bigger okay still no wings as sutch and no tail but he looked good, he'd started to try to sing and he'd started to mumble like he was going to talk.
Rocky had become his rock however and Skipper wanted to be everywhere with Rocky and do everything Rocky did, he wouldnt eat or drink in his own cage as soon as i'd uncover them he'd be wanting to get into Rockys cage and i'd almost have to prise him off Rockys swing at night to get him in his own cage you could see he looked up to Rocky he just loved him. And over the months i saw Rockys attitude to Skipper change as well. At first i think Rocky reguarded Skipper as a little pain in the neck and again over these last few months i've seen a change. Yes thay still fell out over the swing and sometimes the food but quite often Rocky'd just stand next to Skipper whilst he ate, if i took Skipper out of the room thay'd be calling to each other, thay'd happily munch on the same bit of millet together. Lots of moments that'd make you smile and think yeah there best mates. And perhaps thats part of the problem, after Rocky died Skipper was lost he kept looking for Rocky and calling i disifected Rockys cage rinced it realy well and moved Skipper in so at last he had the swing to sleep on. But without his best mate i think Skipper had stoped fighting well not fighting as hard.
This morning i thought he was okay i think he'd been sick sometime before i uncoverd him but he was getting on with it eating his millet and his normal seeds, yesterday i thought he was a bit fluffed up and then i thought no your just getting paranoid after Rocky but with Skipper it is hard to tell. He sat on my finger and preened himself the only thing i thought was a bit odd was when i sat him on top of his cage he went to sleep not just once twice but he woke and was wandering around. I wish i'd never left but honestly i didnt think anything was wrong. So i came home i didnt even think anything when he didnt answer me when i called we've started calling to each other when i open the door he wont answer if he's eating. And then i saw him laying there it couldent have happend long because he was still warm if only i hadent stoped for that coffee but there's always what ifs.
If i could say somthing to him i'd say, Skipper i'm so sorry i realy tryed and i'm so sorry i wasnt with you when you went. Forgive me for all the mistakes i made trying to look after you. But thank you Skipper for comming into my life and making it so much richer, thank you Skipper for showing me how you could be so happy through all that pain and how one little poorly bird could be so strong, stronger than some people i know. Poor little Skipper only lived to be just over one year old but in that year you claimed a place in my heart, you made some friends you experianced alot more than some birds do in longer lifetimes. Skipper i'll never forget you too love you little mate.
Rocky yes 10 days ago you passed away in my hand, your little white face looking at me. I remember the first time i saw that face with a smear of blood over one eye in a pet shop in Huddersfield. The shop assistant was trying to convince me it wasnt your blood so i'd buy you but your face with the blood on it had already done the job for her. Sold and named so off we went. And we didnt have a very good start for two weeks you did nothing and after that it was war you'd eventuly let me get you on my finger but only to peck and bite untill you drew blood after about a year you clamed down a little then Chippy came along and for some reason you decided that your cage was a nest and all the birds in the mirrors where your flock then you'd attack anything that came near. To be honest you where our first budgie and we haddent given (like so meny others) any thought on how to look after a Budgie. Luckily for you you had me and i'd worked out what the problem was. So away we went to my house (he'd been at my girl friends 4 doors away) away from Chippy and Tweet the canary and we took away all the mirrors and toys and every day you sat on my fimger and i talked to you, and you listened. First 1 then 2 then 5 untill you'd be there for 20 min and after 8 days we took you back without the mirrors and you became the big Rocky rock rocker we love'd so much you'd play with Chippy and although you'd think that all the toys belonged to you and you'd chase old Chippy away. Although Chippy was smaller he was 5 years older than you and abit smarter, and it was so funny how he'd lead you away get you intrested in another toy then return to the one he wanted all along. A few years ago my girl friend had some work done in her house and you and Chippy came to stay with me. And neither of you ever left. During there last 3 years you and Chippy and Skipper too have become real friends to me and me to you. As Chippy got older he didnt want to mix much pherhaps because you were so big and strong but we got by i just split my time between you and where Chippy liked to look out the window and go to the door (he couldnt fly by then old age). You where the king of my front room you never wanted to leave there. You fly round sit on the vairous pictures and on top of the door and you'd sing your little heart out. I'd just put my finger out and you'd hop on, i'd bounce you up and down and tap your beak with my finger nail. You loved it and so did i. you even started letting me put my lips to the top of your head and go Brrrrrrrrrr and send the vibrations through you you love'd that as well. At other times i'd have you on my finger and talk to you in a soft even voice and you'd slowly drop your little head forward and let your tummy settle on my finger and the next thing youd be fast asleep. Ofcorse all the toys were still yours your favorites where the string of basket balls with bells in and not forgetting the mirrored string thing with a big bell on the end how you'd run up and down your perch with that in your beak. But most of all the windmill thing you so loved to spin that. And i loved to watch you. At supper time i'd have a Rocky bisciut and i'd show it to you and tell you what it was then one day you said it. Mumble mumble Rocky bisciut mumble clear as day. 4 years old we never thought you'd talk but then it started all kinds of stuff. But i'll never know how you came to say this, about 4 months ago after Chippy had gone and Skipper had been with us for awhile one night you just came out with "i'll ask him" then "i'll ask Skipper" after that every night "i'll ask him i'll ask Skipper". I never knew what you where going to ask him or if you ever did because sadly you left us. When i uncoverd you that tuesday morning i thought he's going to make it you were eating millet, on sunday you'd been asleep all day and monday i'd got you to the vets and he'd given you some baytrill. Monday afternoon you'd been eating and drinking if acting a little strange running under the telly but i thought you were over the worst. Yes i thought Rockys going to be okay i went in the kitchen and 15 min later i return to find you flat out at the bottom of your ladder wings spread i rang the vet thay said how soon can you get him in. It was 9.10 quickly i figuerd if i can get a taxi i'd be there by half past. Then i went to pick you up and to my horror you had some kind of fit you jumped up wings flapping landing on your back, i picked you up but i knew then youd never make it to the vets. So i just held you, your body in my palsm one wing either side of my hand, i could feel your little heart raceing. I remember it so clearly i said fight it Rocky fight it although i knew it was the end so i tryed to put on my soft voice the one that made him go to sleep it was hard because i was sobbing and i said " Its okay mate i love you everybody loves Rocky" thats something i used to say to him all the time. Then "Its okay mate nothings going to hurt you i'm with you". He just lifted his little head up and looked around then he pulled his wings in nice and straight then put his head down on my finger and it was over.
Rocky oh Rocky you where only 6 but these last 3-4 years we've got to be realy good friends and i've grown to love you and your little ways. I'm going to miss you in so many ways, parts of my life are going through a bad time but you were always there to talk to i'll miss that and i know you didnt have much choice but thank you for spending your life with me youve made mine so much the better for it, i'll never forget you Rocky rock, and now your laying next to your mate Chippy and tomrrow Skipper will be next to you. So maybe you can ask him whatever you've been going to ask him all this time eh. Be good boys and sleep well love you all.
Skipper...Skippy skip Skipper i'm so sad that i was'nt there when Skipper died i came home this lunchtime about 2pm to find him laying on his cage floor it was almost like he'd been put there right in the middle lind up with the sides of the cage very neat so unlike Skipper himself, never has there been a scruffyer Budgie but oh how i loved him. I first saw that tiny scruffy bird in a cage in a indoor market in Skipton along with three normal budgies and three parakeets. It was the distressed double chirp that drew me to him and as i watched this little bird got knocked off the pearch then had to climb all the way up (he was in a large display cage with perspecs front) to get to the feeder trays there he was pecked and pushed out of the way but he pushed back and managed to get a beak full only to be pushed back down to the floor only to start his climb again. My girl friend and i continued on our day out but i could not stop thinking about that little plucky bird and so the day out was called short and we returned to rescue Skipper. For a long time i thought the pet stall holder had lied about his age he'd said 3 months but to look at him he was tiny half the size of the Budgies that where in with him who the guy claimed where the same age. He had tiny stubby wings no tail, feathers that stuck out all over the place. And as i said i thought he was just too young and that he'd grow. But after we'd had him 2 months and he haddent got much bigger i began to realise somthing was wrong. And it was'nt untill a trip to the vets that i found out what. I've put most of Skippers diagnosis on a couple of posts called Skippers tail and one called the end of Skippers tail, and his progress is talked about in "Help for Skipper" if anyones intrested so i wont go into all the details hear. but suffice to say little Skipper has a liver problem and the vet went on to say that Skipper was very lucky, first not to have been killed at birth as some breeders will kill a bird like that, it cant breed cant be shown and probably wont live long anyway, secondly his liver must be working enough to keep him alive if not let him thrive, and thirdly that i came along and was pepaired to look after him. That be as it may but i think i was the lucky one. I've watched that little bird and his whole life has been a fight right from day one ofcourse i never saw day one but i wonder how many times that little bird had to make that climb in the pet stall just for a bite at the seed pot. Well with me he never had to fight for his food again he even learned to chase big Rocky away from the seeds. I think i know i'm probably wrong but i like to think Rocky let him because on some level he knew he was ill. I've watched that little Skipper bird overcome so much and through all this constant battle to stay alive i've watched as his little persoality emerged, i've seen how Rocky became a friend rather (okay as well as) a rivel for food. How he so wanted to join in with the games, Rocky'd have toys out on the floor and Skipper'd be watching from the cage door so he'd launch himself off on to the floor and after a time he'd learnt if he wanted to get back up he just came to me and looked at me and i'd lift him back up so gental how he just stand there looking and then step onto my finger. Later i bought him a ladder and he use that but he rememberd the same princeable when he wanted to join Rocky singing on top of the door. And i know he liked me because he'd not only come when i called him but i'd see the feathers on the top of his little head rise up. I came to admire him as well as love his little affectionate ways later well i'm not even shure when he started to be sick but certianly over the last 2-3 months i'd watch with my heart breaking as he was sick over and over and he's sit there looking realy poorly sick all down the front of him and i'd think i cant let the poor fella live like this, only to see him sit quiet for half an hour or maybe even 2 but then start eating again then wash himself his little head would fluff up again and he'd be jumping on the swing with Rocky or hanging upside down to drink his water, i'd started calling it soup it had that many additives in it. But the thing was he'd learnd to cope and he was enjoying his life between the bouts of illness. His poor guts must have realy hurt him somtimes but he knew that it'd pass and he could get on with things. And he was getting better the stuff the vet was giving me to put in his water was working he'd got bigger okay still no wings as sutch and no tail but he looked good, he'd started to try to sing and he'd started to mumble like he was going to talk.
Rocky had become his rock however and Skipper wanted to be everywhere with Rocky and do everything Rocky did, he wouldnt eat or drink in his own cage as soon as i'd uncover them he'd be wanting to get into Rockys cage and i'd almost have to prise him off Rockys swing at night to get him in his own cage you could see he looked up to Rocky he just loved him. And over the months i saw Rockys attitude to Skipper change as well. At first i think Rocky reguarded Skipper as a little pain in the neck and again over these last few months i've seen a change. Yes thay still fell out over the swing and sometimes the food but quite often Rocky'd just stand next to Skipper whilst he ate, if i took Skipper out of the room thay'd be calling to each other, thay'd happily munch on the same bit of millet together. Lots of moments that'd make you smile and think yeah there best mates. And perhaps thats part of the problem, after Rocky died Skipper was lost he kept looking for Rocky and calling i disifected Rockys cage rinced it realy well and moved Skipper in so at last he had the swing to sleep on. But without his best mate i think Skipper had stoped fighting well not fighting as hard.
This morning i thought he was okay i think he'd been sick sometime before i uncoverd him but he was getting on with it eating his millet and his normal seeds, yesterday i thought he was a bit fluffed up and then i thought no your just getting paranoid after Rocky but with Skipper it is hard to tell. He sat on my finger and preened himself the only thing i thought was a bit odd was when i sat him on top of his cage he went to sleep not just once twice but he woke and was wandering around. I wish i'd never left but honestly i didnt think anything was wrong. So i came home i didnt even think anything when he didnt answer me when i called we've started calling to each other when i open the door he wont answer if he's eating. And then i saw him laying there it couldent have happend long because he was still warm if only i hadent stoped for that coffee but there's always what ifs.
If i could say somthing to him i'd say, Skipper i'm so sorry i realy tryed and i'm so sorry i wasnt with you when you went. Forgive me for all the mistakes i made trying to look after you. But thank you Skipper for comming into my life and making it so much richer, thank you Skipper for showing me how you could be so happy through all that pain and how one little poorly bird could be so strong, stronger than some people i know. Poor little Skipper only lived to be just over one year old but in that year you claimed a place in my heart, you made some friends you experianced alot more than some birds do in longer lifetimes. Skipper i'll never forget you too love you little mate.