# I lost my 25 year old Cockatiel last week.



## rouge047 (Dec 21, 2010)

Hi, my name is Donna and I am new to the forum.

Last week my 25 year old Cockatiel Max died. I really don't know what happened. He started acting funny the day before he died. He was still eating but kept falling off his lower perch. He tried so hard to get back up, I was just heart broken for him. Later he was fine and back up on his high perch but I could tell something was still wrong, we was shivering. Before I could get to the vet with him, I came home from work and he was in the corner of his cage. At first I thought he was just there like he did normally the past several years. He liked sleeping down there, but he was gone and I was heart broken. Can anyone help me to figure out why he may have died?
The last time I took him to the vet the vet told me normally they can live to be 25-30 years old. Could it have been old age, heart gave out, cold? I cried like a baby for 2 days. I buried him in my back yard with his favorite mirror. RIP Max.


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## dianaxgalvez (May 3, 2010)

I'm sorry for your lost. 
Be strong... 
I can't tell what happened to him... but I'm sure he gave you a long time of happiness and you'll always remember him for that.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I'm sorry for your loss. He did live to a ripe old age and that was probably a factor in his passing. We can only guess at what happened, but it sounds like he might have had a stroke.


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## Belinda (Oct 9, 2010)

Wow, you must be so proud he lived to 25 years! well done Max... 

It's hard to say why he might have died, but like tielfan said it probably had to do with his age... perhaps his heart gave in or he might have had a cancer or an illness but you wouldn't definitely know unless you got a vet to do a post mortem - unless you have other birds who may be endangered by an illness, I wouldn't worry about it. You obviously looked after him well if he lived to be 25.


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## tielmom (Aug 4, 2010)

Terribly sorry for your loss. Your tiel lived a very long time...you must have taken such good care of him. Did he eat veggies and other stuff besides seeds? I am just wondering because it sounds like he did. There is no way to know what happened. Hope you have plenty of good times and wonderful memories to cherish


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## yvel (Nov 17, 2010)

Im so sorry for your loss. I know how bad it hurts. We just recently lost our beloved tiel at 24. I cried for a whole week. It feels as if I lost a little brother. My actual human brother still visits his grave every day. I hope we get to meet again. He was such a great little soul.

Our tiel also passed very sudden and unexpected. Just be grateful for the time you had! Also getting in touch with other tiel lovers who understand your pain will help.


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Im so sorry for your loss 25 year old wow, best 25 years of his life 
Im sure he died because of his age so there wasn't alot you could do
RIP max


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## Sar (Sep 22, 2010)

I am really sorry that you lost Max so suddenly. I hope you can take comfort in the fact that you were obviously an excellent owner, as 25 is a really good age for a tiel.
The gap they leave behind is awful but you will come to cherish the memories without too much pain in time.
XXX


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## rouge047 (Dec 21, 2010)

Thanks everyone for you kindness. Max did live a long life for a tiel and he will be missed. My sister said she will miss his wolf whistles : ) Max did talk a little, loved to dance and loved the Andy Griffith show's theme song. He could be quite the entertainer. 
My first thought tielfan was a stroke. I just hope he did not suffer. Tielmom, he was a seed only eater. I was so unaware of how to take care of a bird when I got him, I didn't even know that they should have veggies until my vet told me. He said that normally seed only tiel's live to about 20, and seed and veggie are more likely to live until they are 25-30, so I guess he did pretty good. 

Thanks again to all !


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## Dave & Tito (Aug 1, 2010)

I am sorry to hear you lost Max after 25 good years.

Like others here I'm not sure what happened but can only assume that at 25 old age played a part.

Well done to you, you must be a wonderful loving bird owner to have seen Max through to 25 years old, the rest of us here can only try to do as good a job as you did.

RIP Max


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## larisar (Dec 7, 2010)

Hi Donna, I'm very sorry for your loss. Yesterday I lost my little girl cheeky. I'm struggling to come to terms with her passing and can sympathise with your pain. Cheeky and I only had 6 years together , but they were 6 wonderful years. She gave me joy every single day. I'm glad that you were able to spend 25 years with your feathered friend...my thoughts are with you...


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## rouge047 (Dec 21, 2010)

larisar said:


> Hi Donna, I'm very sorry for your loss. Yesterday I lost my little girl cheeky. I'm struggling to come to terms with her passing and can sympathise with your pain. Cheeky and I only had 6 years together , but they were 6 wonderful years. She gave me joy every single day. I'm glad that you were able to spend 25 years with your feathered friend...my thoughts are with you...


I'm sorry for your loss too larisar. They become like family, especially after 25 years.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

I was so unaware of how to take care of a bird when I got him, I didn't even know that they should have veggies until my vet told me. He said that normally seed only tiel's live to about 20, and seed and veggie are more likely to live until they are 25-30, so I guess he did pretty good. 
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((((HUGS)))) it is so hard to lose such a long loved family member.

As to a seed diet...I've been breeding and keeping tiels a long time, and have found that a seed only diet does *not *affect longevity of the bird. Some of my seed only birds lived to be 29 and 30 years old. And a friend has one that is 35, and still acts like a youngster. And another friend has a very older group of tiels and many have lived to the late 20's to 31 years old. All on seed diet, no pellets, and occassional greens and veggies.

I have found that longevity can also be genetic, and have been breeding long enough that I've learned some family bloodlines I have had lived 15-18 years. My oldest pet bird is Noodles, and he is 17, I'm hoping to have him for awhile because many of his bloodline lived to be 25-28 years old.

I have learned too that the older birds rarely show their age or any indication that they are having difficulties with age. They may only act slightly sluggish or puffed up a day or two before they find their favorite comfortable spot and pass on peacefully.


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