# Herbie is 31 years old. Good news (+bad news)



## Herbie's Mum (Apr 30, 2012)

Hi all,
Herbie has reached 31 years old this month, but I fear he is coming to the end of his long life. He is happy, eats like a horse! and still sings and talks occasionally, but he has lost the sight in his right eye. I think his sight was getting poorer in the eye a few months ago, and then he must have knocked it as one day his eye was closed up and weeping. The eyelid has stayed shut over the eye now. The vet didn't think there was anything much he could do for his eye. He is doing well with one eye, but is more careful and cautious as to where he puts his feet, especially when I put my hand in his cage to get him out.
He also has a limp which the vet puts down to arthritis.

He doesn't move about as much as he did, and certainly doesn't fly anymore.

He is a tough old bird, and we will try to keep him happy and comfortable for whatever time he has left with us. He has given us alot of happy times

If anyone has any ideas for keeping him happy and comfortable I would love to hear them.


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## eduardo (Jan 27, 2012)

Wow!! I can only hope that my two live that long! Herbie is one tough cookie, and you have obviously been taking good care of him!
I don't really have any useful advice, I have only had my tiels for about a year and a half. Perhaps lower the perches for him? But I am sure you are already doing that.


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

He is doing incredibly well for 31 by the sounds of it, even with eye sight lost in one eye and arthritis, bless him! 

How big is his cage? One thing I would suggest is (only if he has trouble getting around in the cage) having everything down low for him inside the cage – perches, food/water dishes, toys, etc, and a towel/blanket on the bottom. If he doesn’t, then ignore my suggestion, this is what you could do if you wanted to, if it ever got to that stage. 

Edit: I have heard platform perches are great too, your little guy may find these very helpful, there is different ones, there is pine which you can cover with fleece to make it more comfortable, and others that you could use that you can cover with fleece also (which is what I would suggest doing): http://www.perchfactory.com/bird_cage_perches/platform_shelf_corner_perches.htm I would have rope perches available in his cage for him too.


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## rpo (Mar 8, 2011)

That is absolutely phenomenal. 31 years old. Wow. How old was Herbie when he stopped flying?


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## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

Wow 31 years old
That's amazing your a pro at taking care of tiels
G-d bless you and him


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## Korvia (Aug 3, 2012)

maybe rope perches will help?
Wow I can only hope my little guys get to be that old.


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## KerriMac0216 (Apr 7, 2013)

I lost my girl at christmas at 28 its an awesome thing to love and to have a bird love you for that long....I hope you have more years to come.


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## vampiric_conure (Jul 8, 2012)

Wowza! 31! And I thought I had an old tiel at 23! LOL!

I won't give suggestions as the others have given good ones already. Keep up the great work!


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## Herbie's Mum (Apr 30, 2012)

Thanks for your advice and good wishes everyone. The softer perches and platforms sound a great idea. I will look into that. He prefers being on a perch rather than the floor, but he does stay on the lower perch now. All his food and water are within easy reach. Strangely he has never been that interested in toys!
Thanks again everyone,
Gerry (Herbie's mum).


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## Herbie's Mum (Apr 30, 2012)

Sorry rpo forgot to mention when he stopped flying. I think it must have been around 3-4 years ago. He still excercises and stretches his wings.

KerriMac- sorry to hear you lost your old lady tiel at 28. It's horrible when you lose one. They are one of the family.
I think I would put one year of a tiel's life as 3 years of our own, so I would put herbie at 93 human years old and your old lady must have died at about 84. I don't know if anyone else would agree with me on age comparisons?


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

Wow! 31! That's amazing. What a good bird mom you are.  I second trying rope perches. They're supposed to be softer on tiels' feet. I added some to my 16 year old's cage last year. It took him a little while to get the courage to try them, but now it's the perch he sleeps on.


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## mlew54 (Feb 27, 2013)

Wow that is incredible. My babies are getting ready to go to new homes and some one asked me what is the life span and I told her from 12 to 15 years, wait until I tell her she may have to put her baby in her will. lol I would want to be a tiel in your house. My oldest is 18 and I thought she was old. lol. God bless you and yours.


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## dearblythe (Nov 15, 2012)

wow, well done to you and herbie. 

i hope he is able to live comfortably for the rest of his life. do you have any pictures of him?


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## Herbie's Mum (Apr 30, 2012)

Dearblythe- there are a couple of pictures of him at 30 years old in the gallery. If you look under 'H' for Herbie you should find them. I'll try and get some more recent photos put on the forum.


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## necromancer08 (Mar 19, 2013)

If you have had him for 31 years. I would say keep on doing what you do.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

I found Herbie's pictures, he looks so good! you are such a great mom, keeping him healthy and safe for so many happy years


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## RowdyTiel (Jan 24, 2013)

bobobubu said:


> I found Herbie's pictures, he looks so good! you are such a great mom, keeping him healthy and safe for so many happy years


I saw too. ^-^ And want to second what bobobubu said. 
I hope my boy lives to be such a wonderful age!


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## Herbie's Mum (Apr 30, 2012)

Thank you bobobubu and Rowdytiel. As he gets older he gets more and more white feathers in amongst the grey, where they wouldn't normally be. He has some on his chest and on top of his wings/shoulders.
My Mum was with Herbie today, and she said he was singing alot! Thats good news as I thought he had been a little quiet lately.


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## dearblythe (Nov 15, 2012)

wow, he looks fabulous for his age!  what a beautiful boy.


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## rpo (Mar 8, 2011)

Where do I find the pics? There does not appear to be a way to search the gallery.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

rpo these are the links, I hope they work... never posted one before

http://talkcockatiels.com/photoplog/index.php?n=2000

http://talkcockatiels.com/photoplog/index.php?n=1999

:wf grey:


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## KerriMac0216 (Apr 7, 2013)

Herbie's Mum said:


> Sorry rpo forgot to mention when he stopped flying. I think it must have been around 3-4 years ago. He still excercises and stretches his wings.
> 
> KerriMac- sorry to hear you lost your old lady tiel at 28. It's horrible when you lose one. They are one of the family.
> I think I would put one year of a tiel's life as 3 years of our own, so I would put herbie at 93 human years old and your old lady must have died at about 84. I don't know if anyone else would agree with me on age comparisons?


It really is like loosing a family member.....I cant go with out I now have a pair of youngsters 2 yrs nesting starting the next generation. My barney was similar did not enjoy toys...I would say you are spot on about the age thing...seems about right. Platform perches and close food dishes were the key for my girl she continued to eat and drink right till the end....Good Luck with Herbie


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## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

I just saw his photos from the links
And he is adorable, I hope my tiels live and love that long


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## beelute (Dec 29, 2012)

Sorry about his eye, but it sounds like he's had a long and very happy life


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## Vcc828 (Apr 13, 2013)

Look down
whoops


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## Vcc828 (Apr 13, 2013)

Wow!The normal cockatiel life span is 10-15.







Vcc828 owner of two baby twin cockatiels


Lucky:grey tiel: spike :wf cinnamon:


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## Herbie's Mum (Apr 30, 2012)

Thanks for doing the photo links Bobobubu. Can you see them rpo?

Thanks for all your kind comments guys. Just LOVE your 7 tiels Baruch! They are gorgeous!

We are trimming Herbie's beak later. It makes me sooo nervous. He hates it being done, and I don't like upsetting him much at his age, even though it is very quick (as long as he keeps still). I just worry it will give him a heart attack one day, and that will be that! But I try not to think about it too much.


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