PLEASE.... Erie, Pa. Lost African Gray Congo!Heartsick, and can't stop crying!

[Patty Rabbitt]

I am brand new to this site, and I want to pass along the biggest heartbreak I have ever experienced. My son, Sydney, flew away from home on 7/28/09. My husband and I adored him, and our lives revolved around him. I brought him home at 10 days old, (which is HIGHLY irregular) but, I had been wanting an African Gray Congo for 2 solid years, and did a ton of research. I went and met with a breeder in Largo-Clearwater Florida, (where we lived at the time) and she literally "grilled" me on my knowledge of Gray's, as she didn't want to send a baby home with someone that didn't know what they were doing. When she told me they had hatched on April 15th, and I was there on the 25th, and she said it would be several months before I could bring him home, I started to cry. Again, we went through the grilling process, and she allowed me to take him home that day. I had an incubator all set up, I got up every three hours for feedings, and I could not have loved this bird any more if I would have hatched him myself. We were blessed with him for 4 years. ( He turned 4 in April of 09)
I had back surgery in May, and at that time Syd was due for a wing clipping, and I always took him to the vet for that, because I couldn't bring myself to make him mad at me by doing it myself. Well, as I started to heal myself, I made an appointment for the clip on 8/3. On the 28th of July, I was taking him to his outside enclosure, (large enough for two grown men inside it, and my husband built it himself, and all of the perches...) I was walking the 5 steps from my back screen door to his cage on the deck, and my dog got my feet tangled in his chain. I had Syd on my finger, and always held on to his feet, (just in case) but I tripped, and fell. Syd got scared and flew off my finger. On that particular day, of ALL days, the wind was blowing about 30 miles an hour. He caught the updraft, and was about 30 feet in the air in seconds. He tried to come back down, and couldn't. The wind was blowing too hard. He turned around, and went with the wind, and we have not seen or heard from him since.
I have walked every square inch of a ten mile stretch in my rural community, and my husband and dog walk through the woods daily, calling, whistling.......nothing. Not even one time have we heard him scream for us. ( I KNOW he is looking for us too.)
I have posted over 100 flyers, (in sheet protectors to keep them dry), I have called every vet, shelter and pet store within 100 miles of our home, I have called radio and television stations and they have also done stories and blurbs on the radio, placed ads in the papers.......No Sydney.
Why am I telling you all of this?? Think about how you would feel if YOUR baby got out, and you didn't know if he was alive or dead, or if someone has him, or if a hawk got him, or if someone that has no idea how incredibly special he is got ahold of him, and could be mistreating him.....It is the most gut wrenching sick feeling I have ever experienced. I can't eat, I can't sleep, I cry all of the time. I have been with my husband for17 years, and I have seen him cry twice. Once when his mother died, and last week was the second time.
PLEASE..... I would not wish this absolute devastation on my worst enemy. GET YOUR CHILDRENS WINGS CLIPPED........AND KEEP THEM THAT WAY.......Whether they like it or not....whether it makes them mad or not.....JUST DO IT!!!!! I am begging all of you....Do it for your childrens sake, if not for your own. I am so sad, I can't breathe.
Patty

[Lisa B]

Patty, I am sorry to hear this and your pain is very apparent.
Have you also contacted the sites I list here?
http://www.africangreyforum.com/foru...st-parrot-753/

NEVER give up hope. repeat all you did, and repeat it again......keep it fresh in everyones mind, and remember to look LOW, and talk to the kids in the neighborhood.
contact a tree service just incase you spot him up high and cant reach, have one company ready to go.

[Patty Rabbitt]

I just yesterday went around and "refreshed" all of my flyers in the immediate area. Thank God I was contacted by Chris, one of your other moderators, that happened to see one of my flyers at her vets. She has very graciously introduced me to this forum and the Bird Board. I am going to get more ink for the printer again today, (third trip) and get more flyer up and around. This grief is simply all consuming. I remember when my first love Hagar, ( my german shepard) got cancer at 8 yrs old, and he passed away. I was so terribly sad I thought I would never get over it. But this is TOTALLY different. With Hagar, he was gone, and I knew he was gone. With my baby Syd, it is all of the variables that drive me absolutely nuts. I don't know if he is out there screaming for us, hungry, cold, alone....or if someone has him, or if he got hurt by a hawk, or God forbid even killed.
I just can NOT seem to get my head wrapped around the idea that he may not be back. I simply can't go there. Not now, and possibly ever. I feel guilty just taking the time away from my search to even check these boards. But, the logical part of my brain tells me it is just as important to my search as the rest of it.
Just please say a prayer for my baby. I am just sick from missing him. I want him home more than I have ever wanted anything in my entire life. And I am NO spring chicken. I have suffered alot of heartache in my life, but nothing compares to this. Nothing.

[stefan]

Patty,

You have probably considered this already, but just in case, from your description of the strong wind, your search for Syd should be most focused on the area downwind of your home. They don't move much once they have landed right after an escape unless they have to. So it would be good to increase your postering and physical searches in that downwind area especially the obvious shelters like clumps of bushes and low trees.

Good luck

[Lisa B]

we are doing our best to keep an eye on the net for ya as well. I'm glad Chris reached out to you. Its important to have a network to keep you sane, as hard as it is.
Keep faith...keep looking......we are with you in spirit.

[my-africangrey-echo]

Patty any and all people I work with are aware and on the look out for Sydney also. I wont give up either we will find him!!

[LuisC]

Hi Mrs Patty,

I know exactly how you feel. I lost my baby about 2 1/2months ago - I look for him everyday. I have put up flyers everywhere you can think of. I miss my baby Charlie so dearly. I still have not lost hope that he will come back to me one day. Just keep positive I know its very hard, but try.. My bf bought me another CAG her name is Ruby I have grown to love her with all my heart, but she will never replace Charlie. I will pray for your baby to come back.

Please post your information into parrott911.com
they give you update information on lost/found birds

Its heart breaking to see how many birds go missing everyday. I pray and hope your baby comes back home. Also keep in mind they stay within a mile radius of their home for at least a month. Good luck.

[JusPeachy]

Im sorry about your parrot ,I know what your going threw i lost my baby in june and i still havent been able to locate him .and i do know it hurts i still look for him to this day and i still cry over him ,his name was Monty and he was an Alexandrine Parrot . same thing happened the wind took him when he was scared out of my window. good luck on your search hun i hope you find him.

[magni1]

I am so sorry, don't lose hope.

[cedardave]

dont give up......best wishes on getting him home safe