New Grey owner here and I could really use some help PLEASE :)

[missy702]

HI! I just got my new baby grey about a week ago. The place told me that he was still hand feeing twice a day. So I bought all the stuff I needed and when I got him home he didnt want to eat the formula. So I kept trying for 4 days to get him to eat. He wouldnt take the formula from me at all. I took him to the vet for his well check and everything looks good except he lost about 30-40 grams. As of right now hes eating lots of fruits and veggies, especially blueberries, apples, grapes, butternut squash, and sweet potato. He eats all kinds of nuts but not too many seeds. I also am trying to get him to eat his pellets but thats a hit or miss. The other thing I don't see him doing is drinking water too much. Im worried because he was taking the formula from the lady at the store but doesnt want it from me, so I stopped trying and am just letting him eat what he wants. Hes 4 months old I was told. Am I doing things right?

[Dave007]

Hi

 

It's very possible that the days of constant formula feeding is dwindling. The normal way that happens is that the bird starts refusing every formula feeding and replacing it with solid food. I say this because of the age of your bird. If it was 9-10-11 weeks old, there might be a problem. Your bird is much older. Another sign is that he's now continuing to eat solid items. As baby birds get older they start to lose their original weight. The heaviest grey is one that's very very young . Yours isn't in that catagory anymore. BUT, there is one major thing that you need to correct---stop giving all those fruits. They're acidic, doesn't give nourishment to the bird. Fruit should be given sparingly. You should now start giving many different green veggies. It's a hit and miss thing. You'll nee to do this until your bird shows you what he likes. A grey needs calcium. Veggies give that especially dark ones. Also give pieces of carrot. Along with all of these things, give 1 formula feeding a day. When he refuses that, formula time is finished. You should also have a small portion of parrot mix available to him. Don't give morning, noon, supper feedings. Parrots eat all day long. As far as water, they're drinking but you can't see it and what they do drink is small amounts. All parrots do that. Ask any questions. Good luck

 

PS---also buy a small package of parrot pellets and have them available in a separate bowl.He may or may not eat them but they are good.

 

PS--I see that you already have pellets.

Edited June 23, 2012 by Dave007

[Luvparrots]

Hi Missy, you are in good hands with Dave007 when it comes to baby/young greys as he is the excellent Moderator of our Nursery Room. Looking forward to hearing more about your grey (what's his name?) and seeing your sweet grey's picture (hint, hint lol) Welcome to the Grey Family!

[Spock]

Hi, Dave's Greyt. Has you baby flown? If he hasn't, they will cut down on their eating to keep their weight down. If you bought "Kaytee" formula, please don't feed it to you baby, it has a recall and can possibly harm or kill your GREY....... Don't stop posting....Maggie

[Ray P]

Master Dave has spoken. No better advice will you find.

We all look to Dave for the little birdie advice.

[missy702]

Thank you so much for all the helpful advice Dave. I will defiantly do as you say considering all the folks saying how wonderful your advice is.

My baby's name is Kokino it means red in Greek. No I'm not Greek I just like the word for a name

Anyways, the place that I got the bird from was feeding him the KayTee Exact formula and thats what I bought from them to continue to feed him. But he wont take it. From the very first day I got him he wouldn't take it from me. So with the veggies should I cook them? Do I just give them to him cut up or should i mass it up maybe?

At this point Im trying to get him to like the shower or a bath and he doesn't like it very much he always flies away. Im also trying to get him to stop biting me. He steps up and wants to be with me and makes all these little noises but he bites sometimes its just a nibble other times its a bite bite.

[judygram]

Hello Missy and welcome to our family, so glad you could join us.

I would offer the vegetables in different ways, raw, cooked, mashed, chopped or other ways to see which way he prefers them, he may like his carrots raw, his sweet potatoes mashed and so forth, sometimes they will eat a particular one a certain way and not the other so experiment to find out.

About the biting, he is young, just a baby and they use their beak as a human baby child would use their hands, they explore and he is testing you also so when he bites tell him firmly "No, no bite" and put him back on the stand and turn your back on him for a few minutes then try again. It also helps to be able to read his body language and there is a thread about that in the training room, it will prove to be very helpful in the coming days, weeks, months and years.