Cabelltech Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 I've had my new baby, Mayzie, for a couple of weeks now. When I brought her home she was being handfed twice a day and eating some pellets during the day while I'm at work. Two days ago she stopped eating solid food. She's still eating with a healthy appetite during her handfeedings. My other baby Grey, Gabby, has been mothering her. It has reached the point that she's OCD about it. Always prying her mouth open (as if to feed), preening her feathers and grooming her feet. It's aggravating the hell out of Mayzie and I try to push her away when she becomes too intense. Today when I got home, Mayzie had not touched her pellets. I let her out of her cage to interact and give her the opportunity to eat while on her play stand. Nothing. After a while, Gabby began her "mothering" routine. About an hour ago, I placed a few pellets, seed and nuts on my hand for Mayzie to eat and she ate it with no problem. Soon after Gabby flew over to sit next to her on my arm. After that she refused to eat and they started going thru the "feeding" motions with their beaks. What do you think I should do? Continue to handfeed her, as is, or drop one of the feedings in hopes her appetite will get her back to eating solid food? I'm just wondering if this mothering that Gabby enjoys is causing Mayzie to regress. What's your thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 When we were getting our first baby grey, his breeder told us she wanted to keep the clutch together until all three fledged and weaned. She explained that a change during this time would cause the last baby to regress and take much longer to wean. I don't have any hand feeding or weaning experience just years of other persons' advice which in general is all about abundance weaning. If it were my choice, I wouldn't push Mayzie to go to her pellets, but give her more formula and she will wean when she is ready. The general idea as I understand it is to push her too fast might get results today but could come back in anxious behaviors later. It's complex due to Gabby's experience of being away, then returned to you. Maybe Gabby needs the reassurance and she is "worrying" over Mayzie. What if you made some warm oatmeal at bedtime and offer it to both of them from a spoon. Gilbert is 10 to 12 years old and gets through anxious times with that small reassurance. I make steel cut, unprocessed oatmeal, then add a little almond milk to make it soupy. It could be a shared experience with both of them and you would be assured neither of them are going to bed hungry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cabelltech Posted September 12, 2014 Author Share Posted September 12, 2014 Thanks. I'll give it a try. She still hasn't eaten anything but formula. She also scares very easily. She'll yell with just a touch. The only time she seems secure is when she's nestled snuggly under my neck and having a soft rubdown. She is nothing like Gabby. She's always been rambunctious and into everything. That part of her personality probably helped her survive while lost at such a young age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 I happened to have had two from the same clutch. Juno was like Gabby. From the time they were six weeks old he was unscrewing the top off a water bottle and jumping out of the brooder with both feet. He came home and never skipped a beat he integrated into our life without a glance back. His brother Kopi was cautious and not nearly as precocious. He was every bit as bright as his brother but a direct opposite in personality. Have you tried moistening Mayzies pellets and giving her cooked mushy vegetables like sweet potato? Sometimes it's about familiarity and mouth feel. Getting her started on food may be trial and error and what she chooses on one day may be rejected the next. Another thing our babies liked was corn on the cob. We cut it into short chunks, then quartered that piece. Mayzie will look to big girl foods before you know it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cabelltech Posted September 13, 2014 Author Share Posted September 13, 2014 She was eating a small amount from her bowl last night when I got home from my nephew's football game. We are having corn on the cob today, so will definitely give it a try. I just hate how fearful she is and I hope it doesn't lead to a biting problem down the road. I tried to give her a head scratch this morning and she kept pulling away and yelping even though she's enjoyed it several times in the past. I didn't force it but she's definitely a challenge now that I'm used to Gabby whose head is nearly always bent in an upside down position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Did Mayzie seem timid prior to Gabby coming home? You may try taking her out of sight of Gabby, to your bedroom with the door close for instance. It may take a few attempts to see if that helps her be a little more calm and accepting of your touch. If she has been this way from the beginning it could be that she has to take longer to build trust. She is still so young and as yet unweaned so it's hard to tell how much is her innate personality, how much is natural adjustment to her new home and what part is the introduction to Gabby. Follow your instincts, try to find time to give each one special time with you and find your balance. I can understand your fears about developing a biting habit, but by respecting and going at Mayzie's pace, I don't think it will come to that. Talk reassuringly to Mayzie, let her know before you touch her, come up with a word that gives her a chance to accept your touch. You have a big dose of adjustment going on with a baby and the return of Gabby. I think it will take some time to sort through. My thoughts are with you during the transition and adjustment time. I wish I could be there to give you a big hug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave007 Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 I've had my new baby, Mayzie, for a couple of weeks now. When I brought her home she was being handfed twice a day and eating some pellets during the day while I'm at work. Two days ago she stopped eating solid food. She's still eating with a healthy appetite during her handfeedings. My other baby Grey, Gabby, has been mothering her. It has reached the point that she's OCD about it. Always prying her mouth open (as if to feed), preening her feathers and grooming her feet. It's aggravating the hell out of Mayzie and I try to push her away when she becomes too intense. Today when I got home, Mayzie had not touched her pellets. I let her out of her cage to interact and give her the opportunity to eat while on her play stand. Nothing. After a while, Gabby began her "mothering" routine. About an hour ago, I placed a few pellets, seed and nuts on my hand for Mayzie to eat and she ate it with no problem. Soon after Gabby flew over to sit next to her on my arm. After that she refused to eat and they started going thru the "feeding" motions with their beaks. What do you think I should do? Continue to handfeed her, as is, or drop one of the feedings in hopes her appetite will get her back to eating solid food? I'm just wondering if this mothering that Gabby enjoys is causing Mayzie to regress. What's your thoughts? Never stop feeding formula until the bird doesn't want it anymore and your bird WILL TELL WHEN to do that. Abundance formula feeding is important to any bird that wants it. I have no idea how old your baby is but it doesn't wanna stop. Have solid food around but don't expect another bird to change it's likes and dislikes. Also, greys don't get OCD. Extra attention by one bird to another is a *nature* thing. Other greys don't do it. That's also *nature*. drop one of the feedings -------Listen, you're not doing your birds any favors by lessening feedings----you give 2 feedings a day???? Well, start giving 3 feedings a day!! Obvious you decided to lessen the feedings. That's no good. It's not important for the bird to start eating solid food when you think it should start eating solid food----Bad, Bad, Bad. Your bird will start eating solid food when it wants to. Don't decide for him. Your grey is a wild bird and nature tells him/ they what to do concerning food. This subject has been talked about on this board for years. The only thin g you need to do is have solid food around. Nature tells the grey when the appeal of solid arises.. Don't worry about what your other bird is doing. Maybe your bird wasn't handfed for as long as it should have been. Many breeders do that and that's No good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 When I brought my CAG home, he was still eating evening formula and was a good food eater. My TAG, the leader of the pack, would sit on my shoulder will I fed formula to my new CAG and when Sterling Gris as finished, Ana Grey would eat the remainder of the formula. She was very patience. One evening Sterling Gris just refused the evening formula and stopped. I learned real fast that Dave knows what he is talking about and has been my sounding board for my greys. My CAG and TAG do not interact. But once Sterling Gris stopped his formula Ana Grey, TAG, is always first, their choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brat Birds Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 Do Gabby and Mazie share the same cage?? If so, I am thinking that maybe Gabby is too overbearing and is stopping Gabby from some things she may want to try. You say they are both babies, but are they different ages? How much older is Gabby? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 As Dave said, ALWAYS satisfy the oral stage. If they need extra formula, give it to them.Make sure if you are giving a " syringe " feeding, you know how to do it. Many babies, are good with just getting an extra feeding off a spoon. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffNOK Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Enjoy offering formula as long as your bird wants it. One thing that greys need is the security of abundance weaning as Dave mentioned. It is also a nice way to bond. Greys tend to wean later than most parrots, so don't worry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywings Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Part of building trust with such a young is being able to give her those comfort feedings when she wants them. She will let you know when she is ready to move on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 My Amazon took an additional nine months to get off syringe and spoon feedings. A little slow, but became the best eater! Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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