kathleenbatlle

Thank you all again for your kind thoughts. I'm still very weepy, and can't look at Sebastian without becoming teary, but this morning I went to town to a reputable pet shop. I knew they had a grey there, just inside the door, and I knew I'd be upset, but just had to visit him. Well, as soon as I arrived at his cage he said 'hola' to me and came to where I was standing. I spoke to him and of course burst into tears again. The lady assistant came to see what was wrong so I told her about Jimmy and she said she thought it would be a good idea to get another one. This one is about a year old, but has been hand reared and is very tame. She opened the cage and he immediately stepped onto her hand and started chattering, in Spanish of course. I said I would talk to Sebastian about buying him and may be back. He's been in that shop for a few months now as of course he's expensive and people are trying to be careful nowadays, especially here where businesses are closing down every day and people are losing their jobs. I always spoke to him whenever I went to buy Jimmy's food, never thinking that one day I may bring him home. My friend Trish came to the nearby coffee bar to sit with me for a while and she suggested that, regardless of what Sebastian says, I wait a while before I plunge into buying the new grey. I think this is sensible too. When I arrived home I told Sebastian about the grey in the shop and he said that it was up to me if I wanted to buy him, but I must be totally away that, however nice he is, he's not Jimmy. Sebastian is wise and knows how impulsive I am, so I think i would be best to wait before I decide what to do. Thanks so much for listening to me, it has been a great comfort and I'm sure you'll be interested in my story.

Thank you very much for this. What a wonderful thought that our pets are all frolicking around waiting for us to join them. Yes, it does bring some comfort, thanks.

Thank you so much everyone who replied to my message about Jimmy who died yesterday. It's really nice to know that so many of you are sharing my grief. Sebastian and I have spent such a sad day today with no cheeky chatter from Jimmy although we don't need to talk about our feeling, we only have to look at each other to fee the pain. I'm not sure where I would be able to go here to get an examination to find out why Jimmy died. Although the Spanish people have improved their care of domestic animals over the years that I have lived here, and there are lots of Veterinary clinics around, very few of them specialise in exotic pets. Anyway, it's too late now as I put him in a very nice shoe box on a bed of scrunched up tissue paper and Sebastian buried him at the bottom of our garden along with Lucy and Nina, two much loved dogs who died a few years ago, several years apart. Lucy was a beautiful Bouvier de Flanders and Nina a Siberian Husky. They were both here with Jimmy and even though we lost them, Jimmy still kept calling them, so they stayed in our hearts and minds all the time. It does give me a certain amount of comfort to know that they are all together again here in our garden. My family and friends have been calling all day and offering comfort, which is nice, and most of them have suggested getting another african grey, but I need to wait a while until I'm really sure it's the best thing to do. Alba, my daughter, wasn't keen on Jimmy, but she knew that her Dad and I loved him and she even said we should get another one. I just think that perhaps it would be rather selfish as we are both aged 70 now and he may outlive us. Anyway, thanks so much, all of you, for your kind words of comfort. I really do appreciate it.

Hello everybody: I've just joined this forum so I hope I'm writing in the correct place. I'm actually suffering today, so need to be forgiven as my wonderful Jimmy died suddenly yesterday and I can think of nothing except him and am completely puzzled as to why he left us so suddenly. We bought him when he was 5 months old and he has given us constant pleasure and joy for over 18 years. He was well cared for, and looked in perfect condition as I picked him up from the bottom of his cage. I just couldn't believe that we had lost him and the house is just cold and empty without him. Sebastian, my husband, was distraught when he came home and found me holding him on my lap stroking him. We feel as though someone has turned the light out. The suddenness of his death has absolutely stunned us as he appeared to be in perfect health the day before, crunching away through his fruit and veg which I cut up for him each morning. He especially loved the grapes from the garden and of course the carrots and cucumber. I just can't believe he's gone. I'm wondering if anyone else has had this experience and can help me understand why it happened. I would also like to know if it's advisable to get another african grey now or to wait a while. I'm so confused and sad, I don't want to do anything irrationally. Thanks for listening.