I've told this story a handful of times and I still can't seem to use an opener that is not those two words. It happened awhile ago now, but I couldn't bring myself to talk about it for awhile. Then when I could I didn't know what to say or how to say it. I've now had a lot of time to think about it and this is probably the best I'll ever be able to do.
I had had two budgies before, but they had come from a pet store and seemed a bit jilted and disenchanted with human contact. I managed to train one of them decently, but there was never really an emotional connection. Ink was in this way the first pet that I ever owned and that was really my own; that was connected to me.
I was anxious while waiting for her flight date to arrive, I'd never shipped a bird before and was unsure what to expect. I got a little turned around finding the plane that she was supposed to be on and once I found it I was informed she'd be coming in late for whatever reason. When the plane came, she was of course one of the last things off. Then I saw that pink, zip tied crate and just became so excited to see her, meet her. I remember looking at her for the first time through the door and thinking how beautiful she was. Telling my friends that had come with me exactly that.
She was from my understanding neither hand fed, nor hand tamed. When I bought her I was told straight out that she would not allow touching and bit. This didn't bother me because I didn't know as much as I should have when getting a parrot and I thought no matter what, that I could have the relationship with her that I wanted. So, I did not worry about it in the beginning and I ended up never having to worry about it at all. I took her home and she proved to be one of the most amazing companions I've ever known. She never bit me and learned to step up, in a day or two. Target trained in four or so.
She was so smart and when I say amazing, I truly mean it. I had no reason to expect what I got from her. She went to anyone happily, would allow me to place her anywhere, loved to be cuddled without being clingy. I could lie her on her back in my hand and place her on any surface that way and she would remain so. She allowed me to manipulate her wings and rub her beak. I could clip and file her nails without covering her or holding her down in any way, without fear of being bit. Haha, when I felt I needed to be 100% sure of her sex, I lied her on her back in my hand and took a couple chest feathers with tweezers. Just like that, again without having to cover her or hold her down and she did not become upset or try to bite. The only problem I ever had with her behavior was when she saw my lip ring and tried to pull it out, but she was always very gentle and I could simply push her beak away to get her to stop. She learned so well, so quickly. Random tricks, flight suit training, harness training, foraging and simple taming measures I employed.
One day she got sick and then she got better. I thought, everyone around me thought, she would be fine. We were over worried and being ridiculous. She was well. Starting to chatter and sing again. She spent the night all over me, hopping around the back of chairs and onto my lap for cuddles. I went to put her in her cage to sleep and suddenly she was acting weird. She ended up dying in my hands shortly thereafter.
She was born 4/21/10 and died 12/10/10.
I manufactured her hatchdate using the month I knew was her's and the day she came to me.
She was only 7 Months 2 Weeks and 5 Days old.
This is her last video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoncO7LnQ7s
This is a scan (that I think is one of the reasons it looks so bad) of a memorial frame I have of a few of her feathers and a drawing I did. It has her dates of birth and death and name.
This is a detail shot.
It looks much better in the frame; but it's too reflective to get a good picture while it's in it.
My drawing also looks a lot better when it's not pressed right up against the glass in a scan. It's done with a metallic pen and looks as shiny as the frame.
