The attachment your surviving pet may have had to your bird is probably different than that of yourself or other members of your household. Many times it is based more on familiarity and comfort, than sadness. Simply put, your other pets become accustomed to having your bird around, and to have it missing can have an effect on their comfort level. There have been many stories about dogs and cats spending days searching their house for their lost feathered friend.

Changes in the bird owner’s emotions can also have an effect on your surviving pets, as many pets tend to be able to sense emotional changes in their owners.

Distraction is one of the best ways of helping survivor pets with bird loss is. Being able to provide activities, toys, and treats to draw your surviving pet’s attention from the fact that your bird is missing, will help in restoring your pet’s comfort level. Acquiring other birds can also help, but it is important to consider whether you are ready to begin forming another emotional bond.

The attachment of surviving birds to your lost bird may be stronger than those of other pets. Again, the only way to tell if this is the case is to know your birds habits, etc. As with other pets, distraction is also a good method of helping your surviving birds to cope.

There are also people who specialize in pet emotion and trauma. Though it is unclear what you should look for when trying to choose a pet “psychiatrist”, it is best to seek out people who have gone through the experience for advice.

Since surviving pets don’t generally have a way to vocalize their grief over the loss of your bird, helping survivor pets deal with bird loss is largely dependent upon your observance of the pet’s change in behavior, and trying to address those changes.