Last December, I came across a photo on Instagram of an adorable little bird. She didn't have any feathers, so in place of them she was wearing a hand-knit red sweater to keep her warm. Curious to find out more, I clicked on the uploader's profile: @rhea_thenakedbirdie. And quickly, I fell in love with Rhea, a 2 ½ year old lovebird that was diagnosed with Psittacine Beak & Feather Disease (PBFD), a viral infection that caused all of her feathers to fall out. Despite her sickness, Rhea still remained happy and energetic, never failing to make my day.
Unfortunately, on September 26th, Rhea passed away. Although she's gone, she’ll continue to live on in our hearts. In order to celebrate the beautiful life she's lived, I've decided to list a few of the reasons why she’ll always be remembered and loved.
1. Her Modeling Career
Rhea’s owner, Isabella knew that Rhea would get cold very easily without any feathers to protect her. So she called on the Internet to send over some sweaters to keep her warm. One might assume that she'd only get two or three sweaters, but instead she received 100+ outfits! Rhea became a regular model, strutting her stuff to show off some of the cutest outfits! But whether she was wearing an outfit or not, she was a constant reminder that different is beautiful.
2. Her Love for Indi
When Rhea met Indi, she was instantly smitten. She started doing everything to win his love, whether it was doing a mating dance for him or sharing her beloved coconut house. They quickly became the cutest couple on the internet. Their videos together can make even the iciest heart melt and become a #Rhindi shipper!
3. Her "Si!" Lessons
Rhea had many lessons to learn the word “Si!” (Spanish for “Yes!”). It took some practice, but she got the hang of it! Who doesn't love a bilingual birdie?
4. Her Eggs
Rhea has laid a lot of eggs in her lifetime. With the exception of the last batch (which was laid after she mated with Indi, but shaken to ensure they wouldn't hatch) all of them were unfertilized. While this was admittedly a stressful time for Rhea, you couldn't help but smile at the pictures you saw of her being a proud yet protective mama to her babies.
5. Her Zest for Life
Even though her PBFD may have shortened her lifespan, she didn't let it stop her from living her life to the fullest. She was a queen, and she chose to live the life she knew she deserved: One filled with happiness, fun and lots of love. She's an inspiration to all of us and a reminder that no matter how bad things get, there's always joy to be found.
Rest In Peace, Angel, you'll always be cherished in our hearts. Thank you for bringing so much happiness in the lives of so many people