That's very sad! I could see that happening to my pets if I moved them to an out of the way spot in the house!
Three days without water: fatal? I wonder about that. Also, could there be just a little help from the rest of the family? Does the bird not behave differently when it's needs are not met? I have a Nile Monitor, and even she lets me know when something is not right just by being particularly restless.
Don't be too hard on yourself. I doubt this is entirely your fault.
I live in a loving family,
I live in a family where the people I live with love animals and enjoy pets very much. I on the other hand do not enjoy getting many pets for one main reason, I forget. When me and my wife was married, she insisted we pick up a parrot as a gift to each other. So we picked out, well an egg. A $ 1200 dollar egg. When the small parrot was hatched we fed it with an eye dropper and raised it. It was very hand friendly. I spent countless hours with this bird giving it love and affection, I taught it many words, and it rode on my shoulder allot. My wife and son became attached to the bird, the birds name was Sam.
Sam Loved us very much, he would take food from our hands and stretch his neck out real far for a cuddle. I moved him into the parlor near my computer so I could talk with him and out of the dinning room where he has been for 13 years, that was my biggest mistake. I did it because I thought off all rooms that is the room I spend the most time in and I could devote time to him. We never locked Sam up, Sams cage was always open. Sometimes if his food was low or water he would squak up a storm and I would go check and fix it. If I didn't come fast enough he would fly off his cage and come looking for me. THen I would realize I forgot again, and had this terrible fear I would forget sometime and he would starve because he was locked in his cage and could not fly down.
Well we lost Sam yesterday, my young son found him at the bottom of his cage, his food was there but there wasn't any water. I was horrified. I started to think back on the last three days. It was very busy at home as well as in work, lots and lots of stress. I have been running myself ragged trying to just keep up and was failing and feeling allot of stress. Not to mention I had not been feeling well, and had been going to bed early and not going into the parlor. Though I don't know why he didn't fly down or squak if water was the issue. He had always done that before. He doesn't shut up until you remedy the situation.
I tend to think he may have died from something else, not sure, but in my mind there will always be a lingering doubt. I am heartbroken and my son is devistated.
I took my son out to the pet store and replaced Sam with a small inexpensive but kind Lovebird. He is already hand trained and will ride your shoulder around.
I put him in the spot Sam used to have long ago in the dinning room, where I never missed a cleaning, or water or feeding once. Because it was in my line of sight everyday, and I would stop and pet him. I have learnt my lesson, my pets need to be in plain sight for me to care for them.
We are going up to the camp to burry sam this weekend under a special bush that has lots of memories and put a annual flower over his grave so each year we will see it and remember.
There are times I hate the parts of me that are ADD I want to carve them out with a knife. I hate myself for letting this happen and my heart is crushed. How I could ever have been that foggy brained and let that happen to something I loved so much, I will never know, It will be a long time before I forgive myself for this one.
Sometimes ADD is pain.
I'm very sorry about what happened to your bird. However, I think there may be a logic explaination beneath all of just what happened and it may not be your fault, like the first poster said. He sounded like he was a terrific parrot. At least try to remember the good times you and your family spent with him. ^_^dave, i'm sorry for your loss.. i know what its like to lose a beloved pet.. i blame myself for the loss too because i could of prevented it.. its been six years now, and i have very fond and warm memories.. it takes time though..