When things fall too quiet

I got up late, having turned off the alarm and revelling in the peacefulness of the moment, so I went back to sleep.

I woke abruptly after a strange dream (I may post in abstractions about it later) and realized that I was hungry. Something else was strange, but I couldn't pin-point it.

I got up, checked some e-mail, and began making pancakes when wraptboy woke up. He went to the shower, I got a phone call from someone I didn't want to talk to at all, and then Chloe peed on the floor.

*sigh*

wraptboy left, and I finished pouring the Nature's Miracle shtuff on the carpet. I stood to go into the kitchen and realized what the problem was: Butthead has not sung all day.

I looked into his cage; his eyes were closed, and he was swaying on his perch, fluffed-up and crouching into his legs. I said hello, which would usually make him pop his eyes open in annoyance and make him peep at me. His eyes just slanted open, and he lost his balance, all but falling off his perch.

Not good, but maybe, I thought, maybe he's just having a sleepy moment.
I go get him fresh food, cause he likes fresh food and will usually jump on it the moment it is in his cage.

He blinked, and then closed his eyes again, wobbling. This concerned me a lot, but not nearly as much as when I reached into the cage to touch him and he just looked at me.

Anyone who knows Butthead knows that sometimes if you even get too close to the cage he hisses and strikes at you. My hand is allowed in the cage to give food and water offerings, and the occasional toy-thingy. But to touch him? No, never. I have had my flesh broken on more than a few occasions trying to hand-tame this guy.

Today I could pet him, calmly, and he didn't even blink an eye.

I got scared...call vet; they are closed. FUCK! Doesn't even matter...I have no money till thursday.

I pick him up, which razzles him a bit, but not much, and place him near his food/ water. He is not interested at first, but then reaches in and almost falls into his dish. ACK! He then steadied himself, and closed his eyes.

Ok, he's weak as hell...what to do????

I began cracking open some sunflower seeds for him...maybe he is too weak to do this...I dunno, but I have to try something.

I place the little seeds into his dish again. Still, nothing. Fucker...that's it! I started to force them into his mouth...he needs nourishment, I thought. His dish was pretty much still fresh when I got him new food...he hasn't been eating. Why???

I cracked open about forty sunflower and pumpkin seeds, his favorites, and crumbled them into small pieces, to make it easier for him to eat. After about the third one being shoved into his mouth, he began taking them from my palm.

YAY!!!

He began to eat from the dish about forty minutes ago, slowly and still very weakly, but he is eating. I found a good website on cockatiels, and it said that what I had done was exactly what needed to be done, and that the bird likely has the flu.

he is still weak, and quiet. It's soo quiet here, almost spooky. By 3PM, he is usually squawking full-force. But today, i am going to try to enjoy the sounds of his little nine year-old beak working on the seeds, and hopefuly, all will be better tomorrow.

Please send Butthead good ju-ju, if you have any to spare. I love him so much - he's been through so much with me, and was a friend when i felt I had none many years ago. I know he is kind of old, but he's my birdie, and the best listener there ever was...his songs lift my spirit when they ring through the house. I cannot imagine losing him.