# Lost my 10 year old Cockatiel yesterday ??



## PrettyBird10 (Oct 4, 2009)

I came home from work yesterday to find my bird "Cody" looking sick. He was at the bottom of his cage in a corner. He had watery droppings and he didn't look good. He seemed fine the day before. I cleaned the bottom of his cage so I could keep a close eye on his droppings. I put a heating pad around the back of his cage to keep him warm. He went to his perch near the heating pad so I knew he liked the warmth, but I also noticed it took everything in him just to get to his perch. He sneezed and a little blood came from his nose. I tried not to bother him too much because I knew he needed to rest. I checked on him faithfully and then 2 hours later he died. He took his last breath as I approached his cage. He was back on the bottom of his cage gasping for air. I was so shocked to see I lost my bird. Shortly after he died when I was holding him blood came from his mouth. What do you think happened??? Was it old age??? I've been trying to think of EVERYTHING that had happened in the last week that may have been differant and the only thing I can think of is a week before I had sprayed some room deorderizer. I usally move Cody to another room until the smell leaves, but this time I didn't because I thought he'd be ok....did I harm my bird??? I also seen him playing days before with his toy at the bottom of his cage, but there's no plastic missing or anything. I just don't know what caused my feathered friend to die. I don't think it was the spray. I honestly think it was old age or something of that sort. I just want a better answer so my mind can rest. I honestly beleive my Cody waited for me to come home....I thank God he did! If anyone has any anwers, I'd sure appreiate it. I searched the internet and I can't find anything!


----------



## clawnz (May 28, 2009)

I am so sorry you have lost Cody.
I can not give you any answers, but I would not think it would be the spray unless you used an excessive amount close to him. So! No! He passed away from some disorder by the sound of it.
I'm sure someone will be along with much better idea of what may have caused this.
They leave a big hole in your life for such a small bird.
Sorry.


----------



## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

I'm very sorry for your loss.

Any item that releases strong fumes to scent or "clean" a room should not be used while a bird is in the airspace it's poisonous if ingested. *(it doesn't matter HOW MUCH is sprayed or HOW CLOSE you spray it, if sprayed in the same room the bird is in it will and can kill birds)*

I'd say sadly your bird either had internal bleeding or poisoning.

You can take him to an Avian Vet/Vet and have them see if they can find out what caused him to start bleeding out of the mouth so suddenly - I'm pretty sure most Avian Vets/Vets do it, but if you chose to do this you'd need to ring around to see if they will.


----------



## kerrio (Jul 7, 2009)

Sorry for your loss. Ten years god bless that baby. I think if it died of piosoning it would of suffered vomitting and siezures. You dont describe anything like that.(cleaners are very toxic) What ever your baby died of you shouldn't look for reasons to blame yourself or feel guilty. For ten years I am you took great care of this bird and he had a charmed life and hung around to say his goodbyes to you. WITHOUT A DOUBT he wanted to say good bye to you. So what ever it ends up being that ended his life you were with him till the end when it is the hardest! Sorry for your loss.


----------



## clawnz (May 28, 2009)

Can you post details of contents of spray and I will check it in my Agichemical bible on chemicals in common use.
If it was a toxic spray it would not be sold as a Air freshner.
Some chemicals are toxic but only in large amounts, and I can give you the LTD Death Rate for each chemical. Oral and Dermal.


----------



## Mythara (Apr 9, 2009)

The problem is, because of the size of birds, and especially because of the way they breathe - differently to any other animal because of the air sacks - a lot of things that aren't toxic to us, are toxic to them, and these aren't always publised to the same degree.

Whatever the cause of death was (I doubt it was old age, as 'tiels can live well in to their 20's) I'm sorry for your loss.


----------



## PrettyBird10 (Oct 4, 2009)

Thank you sooooooo much for all your replies. Kerrio...your words brought me to tears! You're so right...I took the BEST CARE of Cody. He was my baby...of all our family members he loved me (his Mamma). I want to seriously believe in my heart that it was old age....but the sneezing of the blood really puzzles me. He was absolutely fine the day before. In fact 2 weeks ago I had him out of his cage and he was acting overly happy. I have him on video tape and I even asked him "Cody...what's gotten into you, you are so happy?" I mean he was doing things he's never done before. He jumped on top of my husbands head and pulled at his hair. We laughed so hard. After all the research I wonder if he wasn't really feeling too good then??? They say a bird will disguise his sickness so it doesn't show a sign of weakness since they're prey animals. Cody never flew into anything, he didn't hurt himself (that I know of), he didn't have any seizures, no vomiting. When I say he had blood coming from his nose. It wasn't pure blood it was like mucus with light colored blood. I'm just so puzzled...so puzzled. My house is so darn quite without him  Everyday when I came home from work I could hear him chirping and whistling before I even made it inside the house. He truly is missed.

Clawnz - I've used this spray many times before but this one was a different scent. It's Slatkin & Co Concentrated Room Spray in the scent Cinnamon and Clove Bud from Bath & Body works. I don't have the bottle with me but when I get home I will get you the chemicals in it. It states on their website "no harsh chemicals or fillers". If that's what killed my buddy I will never forgive myself. I don't think my mind will ever rest until I find the answers. I'm fine with old age....but the light colored blood doesn't lead to believe it was age...maybe kidneys??? a tumor, liver disease??? 

Thanks again for all your advice, kind words, help and time.


----------



## clawnz (May 28, 2009)

I have to agree with Mythara. They did use buggies and Canaries down mines,as an early warning of gas. I think this was methane.
The only way you may find out what she died of, (not what caused internal failure), is if a vet could do an autopsy.
You had her for ten years, you maybe right she may of known she had something wrong way back. It does sound unlikely she died of old age.
But I still think it was not the spray, and as you say you have been using that brand for a long time, this time it was only a different scent.

I let Tweety escape and for me the house just an empty space without her. The guilt was and still is hard to bear. And I only had her a year. So I can understand what it must feel like to loose your baby after ten years.
Keep your chin up.


----------



## Bea (Jul 26, 2007)

I'm very sorry for your loss. 

I highly doubt it was old age, 10 years is more middle aged for a cockatiel. It sounds like some kind of illness, possibly a respiratory upset caused by the spray, but it's really impossible for us to know. A vet can do a necropsy, but it's not much good unless the body has been refrigerated and taken in ASAP. Something to remember is that birds are absolute masters at hiding their illnesses, to show that they're sick means getting picked off by a predator or other flock members in the wild. It's possible that your little guy had been unwell for a while and was masking symptoms.


----------



## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

do you have any Rat/Mouse poison pellets out ??? 

2 years ago I lost my Cockatiel Lily , She was fine a hour before - I was in taking pictures , video taping them she was GREAT playing, being silly, being a camera hog 

then it was time for bed, and at that time to gather up the budgies We would turn the light out, Get one , turn the light back on put it in the cage and so on, I shut the light out and heard Sneezing Flipped it back on and followed the sneezing - it was coming from Lily - her back was to us so we didn't see anything at first then before I stood up i realized there was blood on the wall, I opened the cage and pulled her out she had blood pouring out of her nose and mouth 

It was 11 pm on a Saturday - so i was out of luck for any vet - I put her in a smaller cage and checked on her every 20-30 mins all night long - she died a few hours later 

the Mouse/Rat poison was NOT in the birds room or even upstairs It was in the crawl spaces in the basement - The stupid mouse brought it up got in the birds cages and dropped it to get the birds pellets and Lily went to eat and got the mouse poison instead 


so it doesn't matter if the pellet poison for mice/rats are in the house or not They will bring it into the house with them and it'll kill animals (or small children) So we no longer use it.


----------



## Cassie (Jan 7, 2009)

That is so sad. I'm so sorry.  Reading all of those comments is terrifying. You can be so careful and still they can get sick, injured or lost so easily.


----------



## kerrio (Jul 7, 2009)

Hi, did you feed him any thing different, his dropping suggest this. His droppings also suggest the beginning of being dehydrated. Maybe it a fresh box of food that maybe ended up not being any good. On several occasions when emptying a newly opened bag of food I found dead insects and webs right in the package. Look carefully I always inspect my pets food by pouring it into a container with a lid to keep it fresh and uncontaminated. The blood in the sinus suggest internal bleeding. This can happen for many reasons and not just injury. Small animals are known for tumors.
I am not an expert on cockatiels (or anything for that matter)and rely on this sight for its great info, I hope this info helps you and brings you some peace.
If this turns out to be and accident of some sort some times we have give them to rainbow bridge and be there for the next critter that needs us. I lost a budgie (adopted two years ago ,he had only one foot) over the summer when my husband accidentally left door unlocked and he got out and the dog ate him,never got to say goodbye.
I am sure any pet would cherish even one week of love(that you supplied in abundance) than never knowing it at all.


----------



## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

Iam sorry for your loss  For a fresh smell in the house I boil water, cinnamon and cloves on the stove for a little while.


----------



## PrettyBird10 (Oct 4, 2009)

atvchick95 - No...I didn't have any rat/mouse poison or pellets at all...but good thinking. Thank you.

I do remember Cody's droppings being running and his urine yellow. After researching I'm thinking...maybe he had kidney disease..or liver??? He was very spoiled and loved his seeds. I hear long term feeding on seeds is not the best. Of course, I always gave Cody vitimins, treats, and fresh mellet...he loved that! I would have taken him to the vet for a necropsy, but I already buried him  

CLAWNZ - the spray contained Fragrance oil and ethyl alcohol. Hmmm??? That doesn't sound like what their website stated..."No harse chemicals or fillers"! Grrrrrrrr  I'd feel absolutly HORRIBLE if it was the spray. The only ONE TIME I didn't take Cody out of the room...and he dies????


----------



## birdlady75 (Oct 7, 2009)

I am so sorry for your loss


----------



## PrettyBird10 (Oct 4, 2009)

Kerrio,
I logged on this morning and didnt even see the 2nd page of my replies. I'm so sorry :wacko: I didn't mean to forget you...I didn't see that there were more replies. It has crossed my mind about the food???? I did try a new brand because the pet store was out of his usual seed. Cody is picky, picky. He didn't really care for the food, but my husband mixed it with what was left of his other food. 
You're absolutely right about the love I had for Cody. My love for him, I'm sure, fullfilled his life.  When my husband bought me Cody there was 2 birds at the pet store...Cody who was 4, not real friendly, not hand fed, but he whistled. The other bird was a beautiful hand fed, young, very friendly bird. My husband wanted it and I said "No, I want this one (Cody)." My husband said you can't even hold him. I said "By the time I'm done with him you will!" The owner told us Cody, who was then named Tarzan, had 2 owners and had a tuff life. His laast owner didn't want him because he wasn't breeding with his other birds. It took time, but Cody turned out to be the best, VERY CLEAN, friendly, loving, funniest, most special bird I have ever had. After we lost Cody my husband asked if I wanted another cockatiel but I said No, not for a long time. The bird may look like Cody, but it won't be. I need to mourn my loss of my little precious feathered friend. 

I'm still searching for answers. I guess I will never really know. I still, even though the chemicals don't sound too good, want to believe it wasn't the spray....maybe it was a tumor or something internal???....maybe it was just his time???, but whatever the reason...he has forever left a footprint on my heart!


----------



## feathers (Aug 21, 2007)

he had a great life ten years!!!
Im sorry for your loss.
R.I.P. Cody fly free:angel:


----------



## PrettyBird10 (Oct 4, 2009)

Feathers...........you're so right!

:tiel2:Fly free Cody....fly free!


----------



## birdluv (Jul 31, 2007)

l'm so sorry to hear of your tiel Cody passing away


----------



## uki09 (Jul 3, 2009)

By the sounds of it, any bird would be lucky to have you as their owner. There are just some things in this world that we cannot control. He waited until you got home before he finally went which shows how much he loved you. Although he is gone, you can look back for the years that you had him and be proud of what you achieved, you took an unwanted bird and gave him a home and a flock to call his own. I know exactly what you are feeling at this moment, when I lost Uki the guilt and the loss I felt was overwhelming but I realised I needed to celebrate the life she had rather than mourn her loss. You did all you could.


----------

