Conference 7.286::pet_birds

919.0. "Good-bye Lady Di" by SUBSYS::MISTOVICH () Wed Jun 12 1996 13:15

Yesterday morning, when I left for work, my canaries Caruso and Lady Di were
scarfing down breakfast after a morning of nooky and pecking at oyster shells.

When I got home last night, Lady Di was dead. Apparently, she didn't have enough
calcium in her system to make a good shell for her first egg. It ruptured and
leaked into her abdomen. According to my vet, they go very quickly when they
develop "egg yolk peritonitis."  She said there was no way I could have
anticipated this, especially since they get a very good diet and it was her
first egg.  The diamond doves that she shared her home with lay eggs by the
dozen.

I brought Lady Di home 19 months ago from a show. She didn't know how to take a
bath or to swing. She was a very shy little bird -- her gloucester crown hung so
low that it was hard for her to see well from under her bangs (hence the name).
Her feathers were so fluffly and curly that she didn't fly very well either,
which was a good thing since she would bump occasionally into things when she
was flying. She liked to swing, and occasionally slept right on her swing. She
started bathing herself last year. A couple months ago, one of my parrots
dropped a piece of mango into the canary cage, and I saw Lady Di pecking at it.
AFter that, I always made sure when I cut up some mango, to cut a couple pieces
for her. After months of courtship and intense wooing, she finally accepted
Caruso just 10 days ago. Last Saturday morning, I let Caruso and Di out for
exercise and for the first time, they ventured into the kitchen and explored
that room.

Poor Caruso called for Lady Di as I carried her body away, and hopped over
calling again when I returned from the vet.  He hopped from corner to corner of
his cage this morning, calling for her. First very quietly, then louder.

Lady Di will be very missed.