Doug Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 I've seen other people mention this, but I worry... Frequently, Ellie will crouch down, wings out a bit, head outstretched and upward, with her mouth open and acting like a baby chick begging for food from mama. If I put my finger out, she will try to swallow it with bobbing (gulping) motions. All the while making little chick noises. She is ten months old. When she does it while on my shoulder, she sometimes sticks her upper beak in my ear and does the swallowing thing. (Which is distinctly freaky, in case you were wondering...) She is especially insistent that she is a baby when I first take her out of her cage in the morning. I assume that is because she wasn't raised by her bird parents. How much of this activity is too much? Cause for concern? How long does this typically go on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pikachu Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 I wouldn't be too worried about it. Maui still acts like that a little. They still ARE babies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted April 7, 2012 Author Share Posted April 7, 2012 Yeah, but she does it SO MUCH... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray P Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 Corky is eleven years old and from time to time still likes to be spoon fed with warm oatmeal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimijean Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 Did you hand feed her at all? Or was she weaned? Just wondering. Kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted April 7, 2012 Author Share Posted April 7, 2012 She was fully weaned when I got her almost seven months ago. She only does this with me, not Kel or the kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave007 Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 A parrot shouldn't be in unnatural areas where feeding is concerned. That includes actual feeding or the motion of feeding. The ear is unnatural and contains bacteria, germs and wax which is there 24/7. Going through the act of feeding even though there's no food there means that the bird is inhaling and the bird could inhale bacteria. How long it will do this is a question that can't be answered but a bird could decide that it likes doing that and won't stop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted April 7, 2012 Author Share Posted April 7, 2012 Well, Dave, naturally I try to prevent her from sticking her beak in my ear. It's not like I am putting food in my ear and having her dig it out!! Ellie is on my shoulder a lot throughout the day and I can't always anticipate that she will try to stick her beak in my ear. I'm sure you're not trying to tell me to never have her on my shoulder... Obviously, if she is going through a prolonged "feed me, I'm a baby" episode, I don't keep her on my shoulder... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimijean Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 The reason I asked if you had hand fed her is because I was wondering if she could be asking her "mate" to feed her, but I'm sure she'a way young for this anyway. Kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted April 8, 2012 Author Share Posted April 8, 2012 The reason I asked if you had hand fed her is because I was wondering if she could be asking her "mate" to feed her, but I'm sure she'a way young for this anyway. Kim I've never feed her oatmeal or something like baby food, from a spoon or something. Of course, I've give her food by hand every day, but that is veggies, nuts & fruit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 She's a baby. They sometimes desire a syringe feeding. I always gave one, if needed. No big deal. Satisfy the oral stage. Sticking the beak in the ear, is also normal. Sophie LOVES to stick her beak, in my right eye. Ten years later! Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted April 8, 2012 Author Share Posted April 8, 2012 She's a baby. They sometimes desire a syringe feeding. I always gave one, if needed. No big deal. Satisfy the oral stage. Sticking the beak in the ear, is also normal. Sophie LOVES to stick her beak, in my right eye. Ten years later! Nancy If I feed her with a syringe, what do I put in it? Is that something that you are still doing, Nancy? How often? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 I feed Josey some oatmeal by spoon every morning, its a good way to get some red palm oil in her diet, she will eat it right off the spoon, I sort of hold it up and she rakes it off with her beak, you can vary it by adding other things to it, she seems to enjoy this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted April 9, 2012 Author Share Posted April 9, 2012 Judy, Do you make oatmeal just for your birds? Or do you give them some you are making for yourself? I ask because I'd rather eat mustard greens for breakfast (which I was part of my breakfast this morning) than eat oatmeal... I'm a savory kind of guy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 Doug, I make just a little for the birds, mainly Josey, I put a little in a small glass dish and add some water, microwave for about a minute and then add the palm oil, stir and make sure it is not too hot before offering it on the spoon. I do this first thing in the morning after uncovering them and Josey will usually do her big dump after I have brought her out to the kitchen and put her on a small stand with newspaper underneath it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted April 9, 2012 Author Share Posted April 9, 2012 I gave her some heated, mashed, cooked carrot this morning. She did the gulping bit, but realized that she had to scrape it off of the spoon - and then went back to the gulping motion... She seemed to enjoy it. I am just worried that I might baby her too much. (Especially given her multiple-times-daily demands to be babied...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 (edited) She's a baby. They sometimes desire a syringe feeding. I always gave one, if needed. No big deal. Satisfy the oral stage. Sticking the beak in the ear, is also normal. Sophie LOVES to stick her beak, in my right eye. Ten years later! Nancy No Syringe...Do you know how easy it is to aspirate a Parrot, even an adult????? If the food or liquid goes into their lungs, if it doesn't kill them immediately, it can cause other problems in their now shortened life. There is nothing better nor a better way to continue a bond or just as a special treat for any Grey, no matter how old, is a spoon of warm food. When you use a spoon (not a shaped one) even though they are lapping or gulping it down, they are doing it at their own rhythm. It is still dangerous so if you are not extremely confident and know to look for the signs of them breaking their rhythm or being startled by some outside influence, then leave the warm mushy food in a bowl. Oatmeal- as Dave told me, get a variety pack of instant flavored oatmeal. They eat so little that it won't hurt them. Give them a bite every other day or so. Each evening, we feed all our fids what we call "Sweet Water". This is organic apple cider vinegar, we use Bragg's, we heat a cup of water to 110 degrees (Never any higher) and we add two tablespoons of the organic vinegar and one to two tablespoons of organic honey and stir until blended. Let them drink it out of a tablespoon or they can drink it out of the cup as long as the cup itself is not too hot. What they leave, you can drink because it is very good for your body. Vinegar is one of the most beneficial things for you and your fids and can be given on a daily basis. Jayd Side Note: Don't forget....A Grey does not become mature until around 4 years old. Their first eye color change is not until around a year old plus. The same goes for their true red tail or full maroon as a TAG goes. So, yes, they are babies for a long time. Edited April 9, 2012 by Jayd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Life is Greyt Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 Chickie does the same motion, multiple times a day, just like Ellie. What I'm still unclear about is if this is an ok motion to allow, or is it something that could, later in life, lead to problems (i.e. hormonal frustration). I dont mean to sound dumb, but I'm just not sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 Chickie does the same motion, multiple times a day, just like Ellie. What I'm still unclear about is if this is an ok motion to allow, or is it something that could, later in life, lead to problems (i.e. hormonal frustration). I dont mean to sound dumb, but I'm just not sure. Thanks, this is not only ok, but is practiced by most all parrots. There's nothing to be discourage or worry about..No one is dumb on the Grey Forums...I was fledgling Salsa and her 3 siblings, they were about 8mo's and I was weaning them, six clock each night they would all land on me, wings out, squawking and begging me. Salsa's ot in this photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 When we got Kiki at sixteen weeks, she required additional syringe feedings that graduated to spoon feedings. There was no chance of her aspirating, as I knew what to do as I am a medical person ( my medical experience helped!). Sophie required additional spoon feeding which I did. Mostly, oatmeal. Whatever they needed, I provided. I believe in providing the oral stage. I did it for both Sophie and Kiki until they were no longer interested. If a bird resorts back to baby stage, I believe in satisfying that need. This is where trust is established, and they are able to move on. They realize you will always be there for them. I satisfied the oral stage for both Kiki and Sophie. It progressed to two birds that LOVE fresh fruits and veggies. Diet hasn't been an issue for many years. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Life is Greyt Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 Thanks Nancy and Jayd!! LOVE the pic Jayd! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 (edited) When we got Kiki at sixteen weeks, she required additional syringe feedings that graduated to spoon feedings. There was no chance of her aspirating, as I knew what to do as I am a medical person ( my medical experience helped!). Sophie required additional spoon feeding which I did. Mostly, oatmeal. Whatever they needed, I provided. I believe in providing the oral stage. I did it for both Sophie and Kiki until they were no longer interested. If a bird resorts back to baby stage, I believe in satisfying that need. This is where trust is established, and they are able to move on. They realize you will always be there for them. I satisfied the oral stage for both Kiki and Sophie. It progressed to two birds that LOVE fresh fruits and veggies. Diet hasn't been an issue for many years. Nancy Please forgive me. From your post, I'll assume you've "Hand feed a number of baby birds, I will also assume you had a number of training sessions with a "CAS" OR Vet or Breeder. With all your experience I'm sure you've familiar with a Gavage tube? Please read me correctly "It doesn't matter "What" age a parrot is, they a can asperate as easy as trying to take a breath!!! Being you were so sure of yourself there was even a greater chance of you making a mistake! The biggest fear any experienced is to have a baby die in there hand! I didn't renew my CAS License this or last year due to illness, Besides breeding 'Tiels, We were "Surrogate Parronts" do you know what that is? For years we would take in 21+ days old baby's or rehomes/rescues for nothing but the cost of their food and needs, we would hand raise them till they were fledged,[flying and weaned in case you didn't know.] Our re-homes and rescues we would give away for free except for their expenses. [if the Rescue was stable] Up until approx 2yr's ago, we cared for 42 fid's, at our expense... Can you tell us how a parrot aspirate? Can you please tell us what can cause a parrot to aspirate etc, please do...[not from a book but from them dying in your hand, a book is not experience... I realize I don't have the experience you do, and I'm glad your so confident. I was wondering? What kind of " medical person" you are, Avian or Human? Sincerely Jay d Edited April 17, 2012 by Dave007 spelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 jayd. I don't have to prove my experience with you. I felt sad, that you wanted it. I have already done CPR on my Amazon. Brought her back. I( have recently had to do CPR on my pup, Zoey. Brought her back as well. I am struggling with her new diagnosis of seizures, hypothyroid disease. I am not proud of any heroic measures I've taken with my animal kingdom. We've always been a team, and act like one. I can say, I am proud of my animal kingdom, that they all care about each other. When one is ill, they all care about the one is ill. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 If you want to talk about a " GAVAGE" tube, that is very "old" termin0ology. Get up to date! Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 Please see "Forum Feedback" Thanks Jayd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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