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Scroll back to 1995. I acquired a baby cockatiel, when a friend of the family, who also bred tiels (and has since retired, to my relief) told my aunt that she had a tiel I could have. I went to go visit, and the breeder tosses a little grey baby hen at me, and I realized that the bird basically has no feet. Rodents had eaten all her toes, and she couldn't perch. But she was sweet and obviously wanted to be with people, and I knew her fate if I left her. So Merlot came into my life.
Over the next couple of years, Merlot had two clutches of babies, before I decided I couldn't handle the stress of finding homes for them. She then retired with her mate, Beaujolais, and several of their babies, into an indoor aviary I had built for them.
In 1999, I was offered a job that required that I leave for Florida and train for almost six months. A good friend of mine offered to take Merlot and her brood in, and he had an outside aviary custom-built for them. When I returned, he had fallen in love with the sound of tiels outside his window, and I saw that she loved being outside, so I let her stay there.
Beaujolais eventually passed away, and Merlot didn't want to take on a new partner, so she became the matriarch of the flock, but never lost her affection for people.
Fast forward to about three months ago. My friend found Merlot on the floor of the aviary. He took her to my avian vet, who informed him that Merlot was an old bird who had some significant arthitis in her legs, partly due to age and partly due to Merlot having to bear weight on sections of her legs that weren't meant to be used that way (because of her foot damage). My friend built in a bunch of ramps, so Merlot could navigate, and all seemed well.
Until last week, while I was pet-sitting. Twice, I found Merlot on the floor of the aviary, unable to get back up to her food dishes. My friend found her there again upon his return, and we decided that Merlot needed more one-on-one attention and needed to be out of the cold.
So last night, Merlot, my 16 year old tiel, came back home at last. I have a large flight cage set up with towels on the floor and very low perches, (because she falls off), and already, she has perked up and is eating more. I am having my vet come out this week to prescribe arthritis meds (probably aspirin, but I don't know the dosage).
Over the next couple of years, Merlot had two clutches of babies, before I decided I couldn't handle the stress of finding homes for them. She then retired with her mate, Beaujolais, and several of their babies, into an indoor aviary I had built for them.
In 1999, I was offered a job that required that I leave for Florida and train for almost six months. A good friend of mine offered to take Merlot and her brood in, and he had an outside aviary custom-built for them. When I returned, he had fallen in love with the sound of tiels outside his window, and I saw that she loved being outside, so I let her stay there.
Beaujolais eventually passed away, and Merlot didn't want to take on a new partner, so she became the matriarch of the flock, but never lost her affection for people.
Fast forward to about three months ago. My friend found Merlot on the floor of the aviary. He took her to my avian vet, who informed him that Merlot was an old bird who had some significant arthitis in her legs, partly due to age and partly due to Merlot having to bear weight on sections of her legs that weren't meant to be used that way (because of her foot damage). My friend built in a bunch of ramps, so Merlot could navigate, and all seemed well.
Until last week, while I was pet-sitting. Twice, I found Merlot on the floor of the aviary, unable to get back up to her food dishes. My friend found her there again upon his return, and we decided that Merlot needed more one-on-one attention and needed to be out of the cold.
So last night, Merlot, my 16 year old tiel, came back home at last. I have a large flight cage set up with towels on the floor and very low perches, (because she falls off), and already, she has perked up and is eating more. I am having my vet come out this week to prescribe arthritis meds (probably aspirin, but I don't know the dosage).
