Ares
Ares came into our lives on March 2005. He was such a tiny thing when he came to us and he didn't even know how to make any sounds. It took him almost a year to mature into an adult size parakeet and to utter his first chirps.
We always let the cage door open for our birds. Pete and Articuno (our son's birds before Ares) would take advantage of the open door and fly around the room from time to time, but Ares was different. He always stays in and on his cage. He climbs to the top of his cage and plays with the toys there and then hops back into his cage to play with those toys. But Ares does fly at least once a day and that is always about 10:15 p.m. I guess this is Ares bedtime. First he begins that parakeet chatter and then he will fly out of his cage and circle my son's head at least 3 times. Then he waits. If we don't respond quick enough, he shoots out of his cage and circles 3 more times and begins some very loud chatter. That usually works and someone will throw his cover over his cage and dim the lights for him.
But now Ares is sick and has been for at least 2 weeks. He no longer flies out of his cage, he has stopped most of the chirping and he has lost weight. He weighs .24 ounces and he should weigh at least 1 to 1 1/2 ounces. He received a shot at the Vet last Thursday to help boost his immunity and the Vet told us that she normally doesn't see a parakeet in the office over 6 years of age. Little Ares is probably getting close to 6 years and it breaks our heart to see him so quiet and listless.
But tonight when I went into my son's room to visit Ares, he wasn't hiding behind his mirror, sound asleep, but instead sitting in the middle of his perch, looking around the room. I took that to be a good sign and I hope this means he is on the road to regaining his weight and health. I grabbed my camera and had to take his photo.
It's pretty amazing that such a tiny creature could so capture our hearts, but he has. I hope Ares is not in pain and that he knows how much he is loved
We always let the cage door open for our birds. Pete and Articuno (our son's birds before Ares) would take advantage of the open door and fly around the room from time to time, but Ares was different. He always stays in and on his cage. He climbs to the top of his cage and plays with the toys there and then hops back into his cage to play with those toys. But Ares does fly at least once a day and that is always about 10:15 p.m. I guess this is Ares bedtime. First he begins that parakeet chatter and then he will fly out of his cage and circle my son's head at least 3 times. Then he waits. If we don't respond quick enough, he shoots out of his cage and circles 3 more times and begins some very loud chatter. That usually works and someone will throw his cover over his cage and dim the lights for him.
But now Ares is sick and has been for at least 2 weeks. He no longer flies out of his cage, he has stopped most of the chirping and he has lost weight. He weighs .24 ounces and he should weigh at least 1 to 1 1/2 ounces. He received a shot at the Vet last Thursday to help boost his immunity and the Vet told us that she normally doesn't see a parakeet in the office over 6 years of age. Little Ares is probably getting close to 6 years and it breaks our heart to see him so quiet and listless.
But tonight when I went into my son's room to visit Ares, he wasn't hiding behind his mirror, sound asleep, but instead sitting in the middle of his perch, looking around the room. I took that to be a good sign and I hope this means he is on the road to regaining his weight and health. I grabbed my camera and had to take his photo.
It's pretty amazing that such a tiny creature could so capture our hearts, but he has. I hope Ares is not in pain and that he knows how much he is loved
Comments