Oscar

Oscar is an approximately 30 year old gold capped conure. While it appears as though he was loved and well taken care of during the first part of his life, the past few years were not as kind to him.

From the story we were told, Oscar's owner developed health problems that prevented him from being allowed out of his cage for about 6 years. Then, after his owner died, he was left alone in the house for several months with someone coming by to feed him several times a week. For a social, flock animal, this kind of isolation is terrifying! (In the wild, a lone bird is usually soon a dead bird.)Oscar has a very sweet personality, and when he was surrendered to CARE, we placed him on a perch. Curious and exploring his new surroundings, he walked right off the end of the perch! Over the past few years, Oscar had gone blind and no one knew.

He received a thorough vet examination, and our wonderful vet said he is completely blind in one eye and can see only vague shadows out of the bottom of his other eye. His bloodwork showed nutritional deficiencies.

He didn't enjoy his time at the Center -- things were too chaotic for him. We found him a wonderful hospice home where things are much quieter. 30 is near the upper age limit for this kind of bird, so he probably doesn't have too much longer to live. But the last months or years of his life will be spent with people who love him, just like we think those first years were.