# Happy 1st Birthday to Phoenix the Cockatiel



## SnowyShiloh (Jun 28, 2011)

As many of you know, last summer my cockatiels had babies. Twice. 6 little ones in all. I started this thread when the first eggs were laid, which eventually grew to 19 pages: http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=58476&forum_id=5&page=1

Unfortunately, the entire endeavor was a disaster. In spite of my best efforts, there was something wrong with the babies. The first clutch had 4 perfect, darling, sweet babies named Kieran, Teddy, Neeja and Phoenix. They did great for the first few days, but Kieran started getting sick at 10 days old and the other babies each got sick as they approached 10 days as well (they hatch every other day so they are all different ages). In spite of vet visits, tons of EXTREMELY nervewracking care on my part (emptying their crops, injecting sub q fluids, handfeeding, medicating.... I slept in 15 minute increments. Oh and this all happened in the last couple weeks before my wedding), my attempts to hand raise them failed miserably with all except the youngest. Little Phoenix. He was the one we actually thought might die because he was dehydrated when he hatched and much smaller than the other babies, but in the end, he was the only survivor. I watched Kieran, Teddy and Neeja fade away but Phoenix recovered from the illness! He went on our honeymoon with us and did great. When we came back from the honeymoon, two more eggs had hatched and we had high hopes but those two babies got sick too and both eventually died in spite of everything. Little Izzy's death was the hardest because she made it all the way to 14 weeks with me taking care of her constantly and she was such a wonderful little one. The experience of raising and losing the babies was devastating. They're so tiny and helpless but so full of personality even from a few days old and so utterly dependent on you.

All sadness aside, we are very happy to have our little Phoenix! We call him the Champion of Babies. He is a complete brat, completely fearless, and completely hilarious and endearing. He loves toys and my husband (even though I'm the one who raised him!), likes going places, and is the coolest little dude. I remember when the eggs first were laid I said I would just be happy if 1 baby made it, and that's what happened. It's been an amazing experience, I feel like I grew a bird. I remember seeing his tiny heartbeat in his egg just a couple days after it was laid (you can see inside with a flashlight), watching him develop, and then hearing him chirp and move around in the egg when he was ready to hatch. Then I watched him grow and nurtured him as he went from being a tiny little 5 gram naked alien baby to the beautiful, handsome, 90 gram bird he is today!

Here are some photos and videos of my little man. This is him in his egg, trying to hatch, turn up the volume to hear him chirp. The black spot is his eye and the video was a few hours before he hatched. It was such a relief when he hatched because I knew he was taking too long and I was really worried!:





With Mama, Daddy and siblings after he hatched (he's the little one who pops out from under Dad's wing). Video, click on it to watch:





Photos:

With his oldest brother, Kieran, the day he hatched. Look at the size difference, they were just 7 days apart in age:







Already fussing:





Picture taken to show his crop at 3 days old (he was having problems with dehydration):





Getting bigger, 6 days old:






After the 1st vet visit, poor Kieran was injured by the vet and died a few hours later. This is a video:





9 days old, recovered from earlier problems and before he got sick with what killed his siblings. Weighed 10 times his birth weight!:






12 days:






14 days:






BIG jump (the photos in between are on a different camera card and I'm not at home), by this time he was starting to recover from his illness and was 27 days old. Look at those feathers! He took his first flight shortly after:






Video of the sound baby birds make when they're hungry (which is always). Sorry it's sideways, my friend took it:





On our honeymoon in Valdez at 5 weeks old:











Out of the brooder and into the big boy cage at 7 weeks old, he had to get out of it so Nico and Izzy could move in:






With Nico and Izzy (he did not like them and hissed a lot):






Eating like a big boy at 7 weeks:






With Izzy before she died, he was 10 weeks. This is a video, click on it:





10 weeks again:






A more recent picture with his yellow face feathers coming in:






So, happy first birthday, Phoenix! I will always be sad around this time of year because of the loss of your sweet siblings Kieran, Teddy, Neeja, Nico and Izzy, but I love you and am so glad you're here. Even though you're a bratty brat brat 

Here is a collage I made featuring a few of my favorite baby pictures. It was so hard to pick which ones to use. The collage is in a big frame on the wall by my bed. Clockwise from top right is the picture of the whole family with Mom, Dad, Kieran, Teddy, Neeja in the egg next to the babies, and Phoenix in the egg under his parents. Next is sweet Teddy reaching for food (the pink bra was a failed attempt to get his crop to drain faster). Next is little Izzy, then Phoenix at 3 weeks old. The center has Nico and Izzy with Izzy being the smaller of the two.







I will post pictures tonight or tomorrow of his little birthday celebration. He's going to get as much millet as he can eat and a new toy!


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## Nela (Jun 28, 2011)

Awwwwwwwwwwwww Phoenix, happy birthday you sweet thing. It's so good to see him doing so well. He sure is a handsome one. You must be very proud, Shiloh! Give him a big smooch for me please.


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## JadeIcing (Jun 28, 2011)

Wow so many memories. So glad you posted this. Happy Birthday Sweetheart


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## Myia09 (Jun 28, 2011)

Wow has it already been a year???!!!! Happy Birthday!


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## Nancy McClelland (Jun 28, 2011)

arty::birthdayarty: Boy, does time fly!


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## I_heart_Fraggles (Jun 28, 2011)

I love cockatiels. I have hand raised them myself actually. It can be very rewarding. Happy birthday


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## mistyjr (Jun 28, 2011)

Happy Birthday!


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## hartleybun (Jun 29, 2011)

:adorable: Happy Birthday Phoenix! it really doesnt seem like a year. Thank you for posting such a lovely set of pics - its wonderful to seem him looking so handsome. He is a credit to you and your hubby who gave up so much to nurse him.

Give him a treat on my behalf please!


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## TinysMom (Jun 29, 2011)

It is so hard to believe its been a year already. WOW.

I remember the joys and the heartbreaks of your earlier thread and how your commitment to Phoenix was so strong that you took him on your honeymoon!

Happy Birthday big boy....may you have many more!


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## missyscove (Jun 30, 2011)

Happy birthday, Phoenix! 
I actually think about you and your tiels a lot because this summer I've been interning in the bird department at the San Antonio zoo, mostly in their brooder.


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## SOOOSKA (Jun 30, 2011)

Shiloh, sorry I missed the big day. Wow like everyone else said has it been a year already. I'm so happy your Beautiful Phoenix is a healthy "Bratty" (your words :biggrin2 comanion to you, hubby & bunnies.

He's beautiful and so loved, lucky little guy.

*HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY PHOENIX*

Susan:big kiss:


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