My Pet Conure, I lost my beloved bird Options

[Erik]

I've been devastated by the sudden death of my eight and half year old cinnamon green cheek conure named Chicken. He (or she...never had him sexed) was in perfect health early Sunday, and when I came in from shoveling the driveway, I was absolutely horrified to find him laying dead at the bottom of his cage. He had only been in his cage for an hour and a half, so I'm confused, angry, upset and just downright depressed about the whole situation. Everyone keeps telling me it wasn't my fault, but I still feel guilty like I might have been able to prevent it or do something. The little guy was bonded with me, and the feeling was mutual. Whenever I was home, he was with me most of the time and wanted little to do with anyone else (including my wife). I feel like I lost one of my best friends, and I've never been hit this hard by the loss of a pet.

I dropped Chicken off at the vet yesterday for a necropsy, because I'm beating myself up wondering how this could have happened. I often wonder if I made the right decision in doing this! He'll also be cremated and the leg band (he's a banded bird) will be returned to me.

I'll deeply miss my little pal, and I will always have fond memories of all the joy he brought me over the years.

[Erik]

I thank you both so much for your comforting words. What you do here on this site is simply amazing, and I really appreciate such kind-hearted people like you.

I'm getting along, though we had to take our almost 6 yr-old cat, Romeow, to the vet today for a bad UTI/urinary crystals he had. They put in a catheter and are keeping him overnight to monitor him, but they say he's doing much better (and that we brought him in in time). Tomorrow, they'll take out the catheter and if he pees on his own, he can come back home with us in the afternoon/evening. Apparently, it's something in his current food that caused it, so they put him on a prescription diet and that's what he'll be eating from now on. Geez, I still haven't even gotten over the loss of Chicken, and now we're hit with this. I just hope we get to pick him up tomorrow, cause leaving him in a strange place (to him, at least) where he's confused and angry is making me even sadder.

I'll post up some more photos of Chicken when I get a chance then...maybe Romeow too.
Talk to ya soon,
-Erik