Not about this Parrot, but a interesting read.
Posted on 11/20/2008 6:41:31 PM PST by BGHater
A parrot is taking Prozac for depression following the death of its owner.
Fred, an African Grey parrot, was owned by George Dance, who had rasied him from a chick.
After Mr Dance died nine months ago, Fred became depressed and bit off all of his neck feathers. He also began to bob his head up and down all day as a result of his low mood.
The bird has now been prescribed a twice-daily liquid dose of a bird-friendly version of Prozac, called Clomicalm.
George's widow Helen, from Somerset, told The Sun: "He has been in quite a state since my husband died.
"Fred was very close to George and became depressed."
According to experts, tropical birds are extremely emotional and the number who require anti-depressants is growing.
Late last year, a collie-Labrador cross called Winnie was given Clomicalm after it began to cry and pace nervously.
An animal behaviourist diagnosed Winnie with canine separation anxiety, and the mood-altering drug now helps her to cope.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Not about this Parrot, but a interesting read.
Shhhhh!!!!!! Don't tell PETA.
LOL...though it is known that parrots are very attached to their owners.
Prozac? Wow.
Mr. Dance died and left the TV on.
The inconsiderate parrot hater.
I bet he left it on the CNN NEWS channel to boot.
That ba$t@rd.
The African Grey? Beautiful plumage!
He must be pinin' for the rainforests.
This behavior is not unusual in hand-raised parrots, who bond to one individual. We isolate them from others of their kind for their entire lives, and then we’re surprised when they feel grief after the only other living creature they’re attached to dies.
If bird brains weren’t the size of a birdbrain, they would be keeping us for pets.
Interesting somewhat off topic comment.
The birth control shot Depo-Provera has actually been given to captive penguins to promote their molting process.
Itis sad, though. Parrots are vey smart and do bond to their human. Many of them will just pick themselves to death, slowly and painfully.
Fjords. They pine for fjords.
Alas, the drugs just came too late. (sniff...sniff)
You're thinking of the Norwegian Blue. This was the African Grey.
I do agree. This is sad. They are so trusting.
At my previous position, we had a bird that was passed from zoo to zoo. When the animal people I worked with got Peaches, it took so much time and love. Peaches eventually felt secure and quit picking himself to near death.
When we were sold, Peaches went with the girl that brought him back from a near death.
Happy ending.
Look, matey, I know a dead parrot when I see one, and I’m looking at one right now. It’s not pinin’, it’s passed on! This parrot is no more! It has ceased to be! It’s expired and gone to meet its maker! This is a late parrot. It’s a stiff. Bereft of life, it rests in peace, if you hadn’t nailed it to the perch, it would be pushing up the daisies! It’s rung down the curtain and joined the choir invisible! This is an ex-parrot!
I am just too devoted to "Flipper" to be concerned with a bird. ; )
.....but how can it carry a coconut under its dorsal guiding feathers?
The supplier of Prozac to this parrot is one sick "MoFo"...
He is obviously in no way bonded to the widow or she would be able to comfort the bird. She should attempt to find someone the bird will respond to and give them the bird. He will grieve, but not as severely and will bond to the new owner.
My hubby has a real touch with birds, every one he has ever been around has made friends with him and the one we had bonded to him right away. We have been in pet stores with mean birds that they can’t sell because they are so mean- they will even interact with hubby and not bite him. Many times pet store owners have offered to sell him this kind of bird at a discount- but they are still out of our “bird budget” so we don’t buy them. I have no idea what happens to these problem birds- but if people or pet shops cared about them they would give them to people the bird “chooses” and it would be great.
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