freak death while sitting
Just need to share this somewhere, it’s late and I’m freaked. I’m currently on the last night of my 6 day sit for a household I also work m-f in (I’m their primary house manager and have been for a year and a half). They have 4 dogs 2 cats and 4 birds. I was doing my evening check before bed and got to the parakeets’ cage and one of them was dead :(( I have no idea why or what or how. I’m so freaked out, I feel beyond awful. They won’t even be back for another week, our 2nd house manager is taking the next segment of sitting starting tomorrow.
Food was the same, water was fresh as of this morning, trays cleaned on usual days, no bugs in the cage or trays. No toxic airborne chemicals / scents of any kind. Everything has been the exact same while they’re gone as it is when they’re here.
I discovered this around midnight, texted bosses asking them to call me when they were able to, boss called me within a couple of minutes, I told him what happened, expressed that nothing within the routine had changed, it’s obviously heavy news he suggested maybe bird got bit, very clearly not blaming me immediately, and then he said he was going to call me in the morning.
I feel so so so sorry and like I am a horrible person. Sick to my stomachhhh. I am also absolutely terrified that I am going to lose my job. Terrified that my entire life will change because of this terrible terrible event. It’s hard for my mind to not run to the worst case scenario. Wow this is awful.
5/19 update: I never expected so many kind words and reassuring messages. Animal lovers really are the best types of people. So bosses did NOT call me the following morning and have NOT mentioned this parakeet to me once since I told him what happened. Since they’re not mentioning it— which imo is quite negligent on all fronts for both me and the other parakeet, im caught between feeling like things are totally fine or they just can’t even speak to me about it and are going to fire me immediately upon return. Will update next week.