| Birds lay eggs; that's what they do. But did | | | | than you can replace your child.I couldn't |
| you know that this could be deadly for your | | | | think right so I had to call on a friend. As |
| pet?My beloved bird is a cockatiel. She's a | | | | we raced down the highway towards the |
| beautiful bird and a great companion. About | | | | veterinarian, I kept talking to my bird |
| twice a year she gets in a mood to respond to | | | | hoping to keep her awake and maybe get that |
| her God given natural activity of egg laying. | | | | little 'peep' to tell me she was going to be |
| The first time she ever did this it was | | | | okay.We rushed her into the emergency room |
| really cute.The problem was, the egg wasn't | | | | and the vet rushed her behind those swinging |
| fertilized, so it wouldn't hatch. So after a | | | | doors. Had I seen the last of my bird?They |
| while of the egg not hatching, she determined | | | | came out and asked me to step back into |
| the trick was to lay another egg, only to get | | | | another room, where I waited to hear the |
| the same results. This led to more eggs | | | | news. I was waiting for the 'bird nurse' to |
| until she had six or seven eggs she was | | | | come out and break it to me, when the door |
| watching over.When I first got her I did some | | | | opened and I only saw her back. She walked |
| research on the Internet about cockatiels and | | | | backwards through the door and as she cleared |
| bird care. So when this egg laying event was | | | | the door she turned around to reveal the |
| happening, I remembered reading something | | | | white cage I had brought my pet bird |
| about it depleting them of calcium. I went | | | | in.Inside that cage was a vibrant, confused |
| back and read more about it. Sure enough, | | | | and curious cockatiel who saw me and let out |
| laying eggs depletes them of calcium and that | | | | a loud chirp as if to ask, "What's up?" My |
| is deadly to them.I decided I had to take | | | | bird was going to make it and doing just |
| away her eggs. I didn't want to lose her | | | | fine!She had gone into a seizure because of |
| over this. So, away they went. I made sure | | | | calcium deficiency from laying the eggs. |
| she watched me do it so she would know it's | | | | They gave her a shot of calcium to revive |
| dangerous to lay eggs in her cage. They | | | | her. They also gave her a shot that was |
| won't lay them if they are not comfortable | | | | supposed to keep her from laying eggs. They |
| with the nesting area.That didn't stop her. | | | | said it might need to be done every |
| She started again and I took them away again. | | | | month.Sure enough, several weeks went by and |
| After a few rounds of this, I decided to | | | | she was back in the egg laying business. I |
| pull the bedding out of the cage, thinking it | | | | didn't know what to do. I couldn't keep |
| would make it less 'homey' for her and she | | | | taking her to the veterinarian every month |
| would knock of the egg laying. It did stop | | | | for expensive shots, but I couldn't go |
| for the season, but a season later she got | | | | through that again.I sat looking at her cage |
| the call to lay again and we resumed the | | | | one day thinking about how I could make it |
| battle.As the days and weeks went by, she | | | | less desirable for her to lay eggs. Finally, |
| insisted she was going to lay the eggs and I | | | | the light bulb went off.I jumped up, went to |
| insisted she wasn't. But, she was winning, | | | | the pet store and bought her a cage big |
| in spite of my removing them. Then it | | | | enough for a parrot (remember, she's only a |
| happened...One day I walked by her cage and | | | | cockatiel). The reason I wanted this was |
| there she was, in the bottom of her cage, | | | | because of the big grates on the bottom of |
| still and silent and her limbs and head were | | | | the cage. She can still walk around the |
| twisted into a nearly grotesque position and | | | | bottom of the cage, but she cannot nest an |
| I couldn't tell if she was even still alive. | | | | egg there because it falls through the |
| I was devastated; even to the point of not | | | | grate.Oh, she tried. She tried one time. |
| being able to react.The evidence seemed clear | | | | She laid that egg and stared at it for days |
| that I would lose her. This was not a | | | | as it lay underneath that grate and she |
| goldfish, but a friend. We talked and played | | | | couldn't get to it. That was the last egg |
| every day. We ate and went to sleep at the | | | | she ever laid. She doesn't need the shot |
| same time. She sat on my shoulder and | | | | either. She's in fine health and we're |
| cheered me on as I worked at my computer. | | | | enjoying each other more than ever.Isn't that |
| There would be no replacement bird; no more | | | | grate (uh, great)? |