Me & My Budgie

Joey
Hi budgie lovers!!
I have a beautiful lutino parakeet whose name is Joey, which I love very much. I have had him for about 11yrs now and he is very much part of my small family. He is very domisticated due to the fact that he is the only birdy in the house. When he was younger he would fly to the kitchen and land on the table and start pecking at our dinner. We would give him the salad and the rice so his tummy would not get an indigestion. Also when he saw that I was eating an apple and he fly and land on me and climbing all the way to shoulder. He would then find his way near my mouth and bite the apple.
We also give him baths and he even has his own special towel, after his bath. he then has his lamp on while he dries and gives himself a pedicure!!!!!
When it is time to go to bed, around 10:30PM he will start sneezing and start saying "cold...cold". This would mean he was ready for his 3 thick and comfty baby covers.
When he hears my mom in the kitchen ( always around the time she is making dinner) he starts whistling and singing and he stands in the door of his cage. He won't fly like he used to because he was diagnosed w/ a tumor. I had to take him to the vet already 2 times. The first time the vet told me Joey had one of his air bags swollen. Something which is common in budgies. 2 months later his whole bottom tummy was swollen and very puffy. My mom could not bare to see him like that and insisted we take him to another vet. Here is when the vet said he also had a tumor in his belly. She is certain what it could be, due to many possibilities. Nevertheless she said that after remaining alive for more than 4 months w/ this he is quite the trooper. She explained that these little creatures are very delicate and that they usually don't last that long after such a health ordeal.
I would like to dedicate this opportunity to have my very special friend "immortalized" before it is too late.
- Submitted by Johann