Humbug

Unknown – 19/09/24

This little chap joined me August 2023. He was senior, unknown provenance, but thought to be at least 8yo then, maybe twice as old.

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Backstory

So in July ’21 I went into work one Saturday and found a cockatiel in cat ward. He (assumed by colour of cheek) was a stray. He was grumpy. So obviously I took him home. He had some kind of neuro deficit on left hand side. The left wing didn’t work and his left leg was weak. And he was cross.

But I got him home. A nice safe fall-proof home (because when he fell he grabbed the nearest things for support which meant he grabbed his own wings and shackled himself and had to be rescued).

His name choosing was perfect. Historical documents follow:

Thanks J.

Lucifer

So, the little neurological angry stray cockatiel (ring suggested 5yo) was Lucifer. Louie hated everything. Apart from my necklace. He liked that. He played with it. He died with no warning about a year after joining us.

His section is very short. This doesn’t reflect his impact on my life. He was a huge influence. The first cockatiel. The first psittacine. I took him to see my friend exotic vets to see if they could tell why he was lame and generally cross. They couldn’t without further investigation and I decided to ‘see how he goes’. He may have married one of the nurses during the exam though. She made an impression and male cockatiels are easily impressed.

He was a lovely bird. He liked me. He liked my necklace. He died suddenly with no fanfare.

I was birdless. And I’d discovered I’d liked having a cockatiel. Some time later a friend, Foxy, heard of a cockatiel at her old training collage that needed a retirement home. I applied, and I got it.

Humbug

Enter, Humbug.

This senior citizen of unknown age had been working at the animal care college but a) hated all other birds so was living with the chipmunks and b) hated the building works that were ongoing. So was looking for a retirement home. So July 2023 Humbug joined the clan.

He took a few weeks to gain confidence. First person he sang to was my Dad, even though the college had said he hates males, and even though I’d been trying to bond for all that time but whatever, I’m not bitter. We worked on and on, very gently, and got to the point where I could handle him very easily and with no stress. He’d ask to come out by sitting on a specific branch in the cage, I’d airlift him to the perch next to my computer, he’d greet the ghosts behind my monitor (I didn’t ask for details on this) and then he’d chirp along with whatever I was watching or playing. Sometimes he’d fly over to perch on my leg.

We had a great relationship. He’d do a cat call whistle at me sometimes and I’d thank him. I played him Disney Whistle Stop as he loved it. He also liked the Doctor Who theme tune. He came knowing the first line of When All the Saints but that faded. He flirted with Trip who frankly wanted to eat him. He flirted with my Dad and with Dingbat. He’d shout when he felt his food bowl was uninspiring and when I re-filled his bowl he’d do a chirp that sounded like ‘thank you’.

I have some videos somewhere of him singing nicely.

I appreciated and respected that he’d rather I didn’t maul him with my ape hands but in the last couple of weeks we’d just upgraded to him letting me scritch his head (I wasn’t allowed to actually scritch, I was allowed to tap his head if he bowed).

Then I went away for 5 nights. He was fine. Maybe he’d been less inclined to come out the last day I was home but he’s allowed to decide that so I didn’t think anything of it. My friend came in to feed him and he was appropriately shy but fine. Nothing suggesting he was squiffy. And then on the last day she was due to check, he was dead.

I feel terrible for her as it’s horrible to be on pet care when a pet buggers off. I wasn’t surprised though as for some reason I thought he would die this week. I had no reason to think this but I thought it. He showed no signs. So when she texted me (I was seeing a show so her calls to me failed) I was sad but not surprised.

I’m still away. I get home tomoz. She’s put him in my freezer as she knows me well.

Farewell sweet Humbug and Lucifer. I hope I gave you both a good last innings. I’ll see your kind again though planing a break, unless the universe dumps a cockatiel in my lap again.