roxy culver
07-06-2010, 01:13 AM
He wasn't with us long, only a whole nine days, but little Meatball seemed like a bright light in a world full of darkness. I was so afraid that none of the eggs would make it, I was checking them and praying that at least one would. And then I came home from work that day, thinking how it was hopeless and none would hatch. Until I picked up his egg and he chirped and wiggled. That's when I realized he had worked the whole way around the top of the egg. Half an hour later when I went back to take a picture, he was here. All wet and yellow and cute!!!:love: I just wanted to hold him but I knew I shouldn't, he could get cold. As the days went on, he grew, he ate A LOT, and he chirped. He had the cutest little chirp I had ever heard and he was always curled up with the last two eggs in the nest, both of which did not make it. It was sad but at least I had my little Meatball, named so because one of my brother-in-laws has a tiel named Spaghetti. He wasn't long for this world but even as a baby he still had a personality. He had his daddy's persistence, he couldn't walk in a straight line yet, but he sure did try, ending up walking in left circles the whole time. He loved to open his mouth and chirp at me even though he probably didn't know what I looked like. His last moments were cold and for that I blame myself. If only I had been there to hold him or if I had realized before what was going on. I thought with a full crop he was fine, it didn't occur to me until we were almost home that it could also have been a sign that he was dying. If he got cold enough it would slow down his digestion. I didn't even think of it until it was too late and my baby was gone. :( You know how you always remember your first? Your first kiss, your first love? Well Meatball was my first hatchling and I learned so much from him. I learned what a healthy crop should look like and how a baby is supposed to develop in an egg properly. I learned that even that small they can be so intriguing. I could sit for hours and listen to him chirp, it was just such a soothing sound. And I will never forget my first. It's like Elton John's song, "Candle in the Wind" he was here for a short time, but in that time he was loved very much and will be missed very much. Fly free little one....