Need some help!

[Birdnut]

Hi tagurit! We just got through going through this recently with our Moussa. Our bird store also has new owners bring their babies back in 2-3 days to check their weight and be sure they're doing well. In our case, they know us and know we have a bird scale at home and would weigh daily, so we didn't have to do that this time.

 

Moussa was 12 weeks old and had not had any hand feedings for about a week when we brought him home. But he kind of reverted to being a baby when we got him home in his new surroundings. He was eating a little, but also begging like a baby. So we gave him a "baby meal" in the evening of some creamed brown rice with a little dab of almond butter mixed in, which we gave him from a spoon. We also gave him a little pureed sweet potato and pureed butternut squash in a spoon. At first he eagerly took these evening feedings from a spoon, and then became less and less interested. We don't offer it any more. I also offered him a meal each day of some of his pellets moistened with a little unsweetened apple juice. He really went for that. I did this along with his regular food. Not saying you need to do this, but it's something to pull out of your arsenal if your baby seems to need a little extra support.

 

It's been our experience with all our babies that it's normal for them to lose a little weight after weaning. Then they gradually pick weight back up over the following months.

 

I don't blame you for feeling anxious about your baby's weight. We always worry about our new babies, too. And these responsible stores that carry the baby birds will stress watching their weight, because they've had experiences with baby birds that really cratered in their new surroundings and know that it's possible for them to really go down fast. They just want to be sure the baby is successfully adapting to its new home. But sometimes, they can make you feel nervous about it with the way they stress it so much.

 

Gently feel of your baby's breast. You can feel the keel bone running down the middle of the breast. You should be able to feel that it's well muscled on either side of the keel bone. That is a good way to gauge if the bird is at a proper weight. A bird that is underweight will have a very prominent keel bone and feel almost concave on either side of the bone. I'm sure the folks at your bird store can also show you this.

 

Well, that's the best I have to offer from my limited experience. Others can probably offer a lot, also.

 

Good luck. Kodi is a real sweetie and worth a little parental fussing.

[tagurit]

Hi tagurit! We just got through going through this recently with our Moussa. Our bird store also has new owners bring their babies back in 2-3 days to check their weight and be sure they're doing well. In our case, they know us and know we have a bird scale at home and would weigh daily, so we didn't have to do that this time.

 

Moussa was 12 weeks old and had not had any hand feedings for about a week when we brought him home. But he kind of reverted to being a baby when we got him home in his new surroundings. He was eating a little, but also begging like a baby. So we gave him a "baby meal" in the evening of some creamed brown rice with a little dab of almond butter mixed in, which we gave him from a spoon. We also gave him a little pureed sweet potato and pureed butternut squash in a spoon. At first he eagerly took these evening feedings from a spoon, and then became less and less interested. We don't offer it any more. I also offered him a meal each day of some of his pellets moistened with a little unsweetened apple juice. He really went for that. I did this along with his regular food. Not saying you need to do this, but it's something to pull out of your arsenal if your baby seems to need a little extra support.

 

It's been our experience with all our babies that it's normal for them to lose a little weight after weaning. Then they gradually pick weight back up over the following months.

 

I don't blame you for feeling anxious about your baby's weight. We always worry about our new babies, too. And these responsible stores that carry the baby birds will stress watching their weight, because they've had experiences with baby birds that really cratered in their new surroundings and know that it's possible for them to really go down fast. They just want to be sure the baby is successfully adapting to its new home. But sometimes, they can make you feel nervous about it with the way they stress it so much.

 

Gently feel of your baby's breast. You can feel the keel bone running down the middle of the breast. You should be able to feel that it's well muscled on either side of the keel bone. That is a good way to gauge if the bird is at a proper weight. A bird that is underweight will have a very prominent keel bone and feel almost concave on either side of the bone. I'm sure the folks at your bird store can also show you this.

 

Well, that's the best I have to offer from my limited experience. Others can probably offer a lot, also.

 

Good luck. Kodi is a real sweetie and worth a little parental fussing.

 

 

WOW Birdnut you said a mouth full and I thank you for posting ,this was so informative!!! I also thank you cause this was everything I was feeling and you was able to understand my point and anxiety with bringing kodi home. to the point i just wanted to know what to do to avoid going back and being told that he had dropped in weight drastically and with your post I think i can aide in preventing this.

[Guest]

Just a little info on how my CAG acted when I first brought her home: My CAG was 3 years old when I brought her home 7 months ago. She was the most DAINTY eater I had ever seen! I've had parrots before and I have and have had many friends with parrots, so I've observed countless parrots eat. And this bird was eating these tiny little bites, and then stepping away from her food after only a few bites. A bit later, she would repeat it all. Oh, and having only eaten ZuPreem her whole life, she didn't even touch the veg, fruit, whole grains, and so on that I offered, seeming to not even recognize the items as foods.

 

As time went on and she observed me eating, and the same foods showing up all the time, she began trying new items and eating bigger meals. She now eats just about everything and anything, and PLOWS into her food every meal, and is filthy dirty at the end of every meal. As one of my friends who visits often said, she is now "an eating machine."

 

So be patient, go step by step, little by little, ask questions, read answers with an open heart and mind, and enjoy your little fellow (boy? girl? I think you said he's a he) because before you know it, you'll be wiping mashed sweet potato and scrambled egg/kale off the wall as I am about to do. :-)

[tagurit]

Just a little info on how my CAG acted when I first brought her home: My CAG was 3 years old when I brought her home 7 months ago. She was the most DAINTY eater I had ever seen! I've had parrots before and I have and have had many friends with parrots' date=' so I've observed countless parrots eat. And this bird was eating these tiny little bites, and then stepping away from her food after only a few bites. A bit later, she would repeat it all. Oh, and having only eaten ZuPreem her whole life, she didn't even touch the veg, fruit, whole grains, and so on that I offered, seeming to not even recognize the items as foods.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As time went on and she observed me eating, and the same foods showing up all the time, she began trying new items and eating bigger meals. She now eats just about everything and anything, and PLOWS into her food every meal, and is filthy dirty at the end of every meal. As one of my friends who visits often said, she is now "an eating machine."

 

So be patient, go step by step, little by little, ask questions, read answers with an open heart and mind, and enjoy your little fellow (boy? girl? I think you said he's a he) because before you know it, you'll be wiping mashed sweet potato and scrambled egg/kale off the wall as I am about to do. :-)[/quote']

 

lol thanks so much!

[Loki'sMinion]

Tagurit,

I just wanted to mention that birds in the wild usually eat their main meals when they rise in the morning and then again before they settle down for the night. That is why a lot of people feed two main meals to their birds around those times as well as leaving pellets and such in the cage at all times. When I mentioned my schedule I should have added this little tid bit of info along with it..... So because of that, I have added some approximate times to the schedule I gave you earlier. Please remember though that this is what works for me and everyone and their birds are different.

 

Pellets available at all times.

Morning feed they get their mash. - 8 am (Loki doesn't seem to stir until around 7:30 or else this would be earlier)

Afternoon feed they get their veggies - 4 pm (Most would feed this 2nd meal later than I do)

Evening I add a few seeds to their pellets as a treat. - 6 pm

Edited July 27, 2010 by Loki'sMinion

[tagurit]

Tagurit' date='

I just wanted to mention that birds in the wild usually eat their main meals when they rise in the morning and then again before they settle down for the night. That is why a lot of people feed two main meals to their birds around those times as well as leaving pellets and such in the cage at all times. When I mentioned my schedule I should have added this little tid bit of info along with it..... So because of that, I have added some approximate times to the schedule I gave you earlier. Please remember though that this is what works for me and everyone and their birds are different.

 

Pellets available at all times.

Morning feed they get their mash. - 8 am (Loki doesn't seem to stir until around 7:30 or else this would be earlier)

Afternoon feed they get their veggies - 4 pm (Most would feed this 2nd meal later than I do)

Evening I add a few seeds to their pellets as a treat. - 6 pm[/quote']

 

 

Thanks Lisa I am trying but he has no interest in eating yet!!