In the avian world, we use the term “forever home” a great deal. To be very honest though this is usually an impossible statement. Most birds are going to outlive us, unless they are elderly when we get them, or they are ill and had a rough life before coming to us. Then there are the other reasons that happen, called life.
While loosing a bird to death is so very heartbreaking, there are times when we must give up our precious feathered ones for reasons beyond our control. The thought of giving up my babies is almost more than my heart can bear to think of. What if I give them to one person and they then have to give them up to someone else. Will my precious spoiled babies end up as just another bird in a rescue, wondering where I am and why I gave them away.
I knew from the beginning that most of my birds would outlive me and so I started making plans as soon as each bird joined my family. However even the very best laid plans can go astray. Again life happens and maybe the person you planned on taking your bird or birds is not able to when that time comes. I am facing that very issue now, and while I have to change the plans, I don’t want to. I want to stay with them forever to make sure they are loved and given all the care that they are use to.
I have to face the hard facts though that I will not be able to care for them eventually. I will need someone to do that for me. I am already having issues holding some of the larger birds due to the weakness in my hands and arms. I still give them loads of attention but when they ask to step up, I have to decline and distract them into something else but I can see that they don’t understand. For me having these precious angels isn’t just about food and vetting, its also about giving them a lot of personal one on one time.
I have some wonderful folks picked out to take some of my birds, others I thought were going to my daughter, but it isn’t fair of me to ask her to take so many. She has a full life already and while she is taking some, it is just more than she will be able to handle with my other babies.
This is why I have always said that you need back up plans just in case. What we hope to happen isn’t always the case. I never thought I would be so ill this early in my life. The strain of just cleaning cages and feeding the birds is a huge effort for me now. I will never be ready to say goodbye to my babies, but I know for their sake….that day is coming and it is my responsibility to make sure I have plans in order for them. This is part of being a good caregiver, and a parent for my feathered babies.
My Beautiful Babies
Deborah
Feathered Angels 