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Bathing and cleaning baby greys


EZFrag

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Hi there,

 

Is it safe to bath baby greys? I have a 6 week old baby grey that arrived from the breeder beginning this week. Also, after feeding her, her chest area and beak is messy with formula. The intermediary said I should use a wet cloth instead of paper towels, but the paper towels clean her much more easily. The wet cloth just smears everything everywhere. Is there a reason for his statement?

 

Kind Regards

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Hi EZFrag,

Congratulations on you baby grey. 6 weeks is really toooo early to get form the breeder. If I was you I would give the baby back till he is 12-15 weeks old and fully weaned. Here in Europe, the breeder cannot hand over any baby parrot before the age of 13 weeks up to 16 weeks.

Taking care of a baby is a huge responsibility and the risks are too high. Their immunity system is not developed yet and contamination might easily happen. Just like a human baby you need to keep everything sterile.

Feeding them also is not easy and you have to make sure their crop emptys completely before another feed in order for food not to ferment and cause crop issues.

Another concern is the food temperature and making sure its not to warm to cause a crop burn.

I used to cut a paper towel and insert their head in it, making it like a bib in order to keep baby clean.

 

It is NOT recommended to bathe the baby at this age at all. Use a towel wet with warm water and clean the food off making sure not to rub too much and cause friction to the skin.

If still the food doesnt come out use a very soft tooth brush, hold the wet towel close and the brush the feathers on top of the towel (so the brush rubs feathers on the towel and not on the baby's skin).

 

Again If I were you I would seriously consider giving the baby back to the breeder till he gets completely weaned.

All the best and keep us updated.

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Thanks for your response. I think I have the feeding sortout out now. I'll definitely will try doing what you suggested about the bip and toothbrush cleaning. I happen to have a very soft bristle one right here. I sterilise by boiling, I'm scared the microwave might melt some things. I check her crop, and if I can't comfortably keep my pinky in her food, I wait for it to cool more. Right now, 1 hour before her feeding time, I can see her crop is empty, It looks like a dent right below her throat area. I feel too, but try not to push too hard.

 

She eats easily though. The two days she wouldn't eat at all or very little.

 

But no, I cannot give her back. The lady puts them in deep 3 litre ice cream buckets with wood chips and keeps them there day in and day out, only taking them out to feed them. I got Clara on Tuesday and she seemed extremely distressed. The sight of people scared her so much, she fell back kicking and screaming. The sound she made, made my back hair come to end. And she also couldn't walk. If I trusted the breeder, I might have considered it. But Clara has been with me for four days now, and she is enjoying the toiletrol/plastic straw toy I made for her :)

 

:eek: I just looked back now and she is sitting on her perch thingy

 

No. I can't. I just can't let her go back to that icecream bucket prison. Am I in the wrong by feeling this way?

 

Kind Regards

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It just makes my blood boil to hear of a breeder who seems obviously to be in the business purely for the money and not the welfare of the birds. I think you're right that Clara (what a pretty name) is better off with you. It sounds as if you're being as careful as you can with her and you're obviously already in love. As for the bathing, I'd just make sure you clean her gently as you go before the formula can harden and get stuck to her.

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