We adored you, Woody

On 21/9/05, we brought home 3 new little budgies, Danny, Snoopy, and Woodstock, to join CJ.

Tonight, we lost Woodstock. He was around 2 years and 2 months old.



Woody hadn't been feeling very well yesterday, he'd been pretty quiet most of the day and sleeping, which is very unusual for him. We'd been through similar with Danny and Snoopy a month or two ago, so I thought he'd just eaten too much grass.

He wasn't any better this morning. He'd been sitting on the perch looking incredibly fluffy and depressed, had barely struggled when I grabbed hold of him to look him over, just made a pathetic complaining sound. He didn't seem interested in food, which is very unWoody-like.

I had to go to work, but apparently as the day went on, he seemed to have trouble walking and had to put his wings out to balance and was breathing very heavily.

From my sister:
"When we got the other birds out for their fly, CJ attacked my finger when I tried to get him on my finger - I don't know whether he realised that Woody was very sick and didn't want to leave him alone. We were going to put Woody on top of the cage, but he couldn't balance when I got him on my finger, so I just ended up holding him and stroking his head. We ended up putting him in a separate cage, as he just seemed so sick, and he hopped on the floor not long after we put him in there. This is never a very good sign for a bird. About an hour later, he died."

Mum said he moved around the bottom of the cage from corner to corner, I guess trying to feel safe and like he was in a nest. He was pretty much lying on the floor, his wings out, breathing a struggle. Mum kept an eye on him, but tried not to disturb him. He died around 7pm, about 10 minutes before I got home from work. I held and patted him and cried, he'd already gone stiff.

Again from my sister:
"Woody was possibly one of the most loving, enthusiastic and weirdest budgies I've ever met. He loved everyone, fed everyone, and loved to play - nobody pulled the rings along the perch like he did. He had the weirdest body shape - not the streamlined shape of the normal budgie, but a bulk to his front that always reminded me of Rodney McKay, and this might be the reason that he died. He always had trouble keeping up with the others with flying and waddled like a duck as his legs just didn't seem to straighten properly."

He was my sister's bird, but we all adored him. He was everyone's bird. His personality was bigger than he was. He had this loud whistle that sounded like he was broken, never again will we yell "shut up, Woody". He particularly loved my hand, courting (with his little wings vibrating) and feeding it, and every so often trying to make love to it. As soon as I put my hand in the cage, he'd pounce. They'd be out for a fly, and as the others whizzed by, he'd be trying to feed my hand.

We're not sure what it was, hoping it wasn't contagious, but we don't think so. He was a weird body shape, didn't fly at all well, and got easily puffed. Maybe his heart and lungs weren't formed right.

( little birdy )

My sister has been reading Little Women and said that Woody was like Beth - loving and giving to all, and taken too soon.

We adored you, Woody

On 21/9/05, we brought home 3 new little budgies, Danny, Snoopy, and Woodstock, to join CJ.

Tonight, we lost Woodstock. He was around 2 years and 2 months old.



Woody hadn't been feeling very well yesterday, he'd been pretty quiet most of the day and sleeping, which is very unusual for him. We'd been through similar with Danny and Snoopy a month or two ago, so I thought he'd just eaten too much grass.

He wasn't any better this morning. He'd been sitting on the perch looking incredibly fluffy and depressed, had barely struggled when I grabbed hold of him to look him over, just made a pathetic complaining sound. He didn't seem interested in food, which is very unWoody-like.

I had to go to work, but apparently as the day went on, he seemed to have trouble walking and had to put his wings out to balance and was breathing very heavily.

From my sister:
"When we got the other birds out for their fly, CJ attacked my finger when I tried to get him on my finger - I don't know whether he realised that Woody was very sick and didn't want to leave him alone. We were going to put Woody on top of the cage, but he couldn't balance when I got him on my finger, so I just ended up holding him and stroking his head. We ended up putting him in a separate cage, as he just seemed so sick, and he hopped on the floor not long after we put him in there. This is never a very good sign for a bird. About an hour later, he died."

Mum said he moved around the bottom of the cage from corner to corner, I guess trying to feel safe and like he was in a nest. He was pretty much lying on the floor, his wings out, breathing a struggle. Mum kept an eye on him, but tried not to disturb him. He died around 7pm, about 10 minutes before I got home from work. I held and patted him and cried, he'd already gone stiff.

Again from my sister:
"Woody was possibly one of the most loving, enthusiastic and weirdest budgies I've ever met. He loved everyone, fed everyone, and loved to play - nobody pulled the rings along the perch like he did. He had the weirdest body shape - not the streamlined shape of the normal budgie, but a bulk to his front that always reminded me of Rodney McKay, and this might be the reason that he died. He always had trouble keeping up with the others with flying and waddled like a duck as his legs just didn't seem to straighten properly."

He was my sister's bird, but we all adored him. He was everyone's bird. His personality was bigger than he was. He had this loud whistle that sounded like he was broken, never again will we yell "shut up, Woody". He particularly loved my hand, courting (with his little wings vibrating) and feeding it, and every so often trying to make love to it. As soon as I put my hand in the cage, he'd pounce. They'd be out for a fly, and as the others whizzed by, he'd be trying to feed my hand.

We're not sure what it was, hoping it wasn't contagious, but we don't think so. He was a weird body shape, didn't fly at all well, and got easily puffed. Maybe his heart and lungs weren't formed right.

( little birdy )

My sister has been reading Little Women and said that Woody was like Beth - loving and giving to all, and taken too soon.

(no subject)

CJ, Danny and Snoopy are a bit quieter this morning. Dad said they were very quiet for about an hour after they were uncovered. Also reminds us of what a big voice Woody had for such a little bird. Danny is sticking very close to the other two.

Taking them to the vet this arvo to get their nails clipped, I'd booked it yesterday morning (and after I booked it I had this bad feeling that I should've made the appointment for that night - I know rationally that it was already too late for Woody - birds deteriorate very quickly and are notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat). I'll mention Woody's symptoms to the vet, and get them checked over.

Two little videos, the first of Woody courting my hand (look at his little wings vibrating!), and the second of him and Danny.

(no subject)

CJ, Danny and Snoopy are a bit quieter this morning. Dad said they were very quiet for about an hour after they were uncovered. Also reminds us of what a big voice Woody had for such a little bird. Danny is sticking very close to the other two.

Taking them to the vet this arvo to get their nails clipped, I'd booked it yesterday morning (and after I booked it I had this bad feeling that I should've made the appointment for that night - I know rationally that it was already too late for Woody - birds deteriorate very quickly and are notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat). I'll mention Woody's symptoms to the vet, and get them checked over.

Two little videos, the first of Woody courting my hand (look at his little wings vibrating!), and the second of him and Danny.