It seems strange to think that I've had Charlie in my life for as long as I have. When I checked the band on her leg to confirm her year of birth, I almost thought I was reading it wrong... 1981?? How time does fly.
I didn't know much about birds in general or cockatiels specifically when I bought her. I apparently stumbled upon a good bird shop and got a healthy young bird in Charlie. The shop is still in business and still well regarded, although I haven't been by there in a long time. I remember bringing her home in a heavy cardboard box with little holes punched in it... carefully strapped down to the luggage rack of my first very small Honda motorcycle.
I still don't know all that much about cockatiels. I don't know for sure if she is indeed a "she". We never had her surgically or chemically sexed as it wasn't very important to know for sure. I've always assumed she is a she because of her coloration. After the first molt, grey males would generally have bright yellow feathers on the face, as well as bright orange cheek patches, neither of which she has. I also know she is not show quality because her long flight feathers cross over her back, which I guess is conformationally incorrect.
She's a good bird but never did bond to me as well as I once hoped. She's been in very good health up until a couple of weeks ago, when my husband noticed that her eye appeared to be irritated. Because she's been a generally healthy bird, I didn't think it was anything very serious; certainly nothing that a quick trip to the avian vet for medications wouldn't take care of.
I failed to take into consideration that once a bird starts acting noticeably ill... it's usually very ill. I was shocked to hear she would benefit from hospitalization, as the eye irritation was only a part of what turned out to include nasal irritation and a possible respiratory infection. The hospital was shocked to hear she was 20 years old and that this was her first real illness of any sort. Apparently the usual lifespan of a cockatiel is somewhere from 15-17 years.
Being in the hospital would allow her to receive injectable antibiotics and treatments in a nebulizing cage, neither of which she could receive easily at home. Now her eye irritation is almost entirely cleared up and she is breathing and eating much better, so it's time for her to come home. I'm not sure yet what kind of extra home care she will be needing at first. I'm going to call the vet in a few minutes to confirm her pick up time for tomorrow, and I'll have an update here on Saturday once she's back home.
