bird coming home at 9 weeks?

[snoopdoggydon]

Hi, recently purchased a baby african grey of a private breeder. The breeder has told me the bird is ready to go at 9 weeks? is this old enough? thanks x

[Toni]

Its young but not unusual. Alcazar didnt come home until he was 4 months old. Alcazar was eating ok at first then the following week he wouldnt. Ask them if you have a warranty just in case.

[BMustee]

Yeah, like Toni said I have heard of greys weaning around 9 weeks but it is not the norm. What kind is it, TAG or CAG? Also, where is the breeder? Will the bird need to be shipped to you or is it driving distance? At that age he could have been force weaned if he's a CAG.

[snoopdoggydon]

hey thanks for the reply, it is a CAG. It is only about an hour drive away.They said the bird has weaned for quickly and that they are very suprised. i just dont want to talk a bird home that hasnt been corectly weaned.?x

[BMustee]

Well, if the breeder sounded surprised then I wouldn't be worried about them force weaning...breeders that force wean would be acting like it was the norm. I would ask them if they could keep him till he was 12 weeks just to be sure he is eating OK and won't want to go back to being hand fed...that's the average age for weaning. Sometimes greys will regress to needed a feeding after they go to their new homes and at 9 weeks I would be a little worried about that. One clutch of CAGs I had at my work weaned at different times...the one weaned way before the others and just did not want anything to do with the bottle...I can't remember it's age at the time but it goes to show that some greys like to be independent faster than others.

[Tari]

I would not go get it till it has been eating on its own a few days. Make sure you are shown how to feed just in case it reverts when you get it home.

Also get some oatmeal for him. They like comfort food when young.

Good Luck

[judygram]

I go along with BMustee, and wait a few more weeks before taking it home, you don't want to set it back any. I know you are anxious to bring it home but a few more weeks will make a difference I think. But whatever you do decide to do let us know.

 

Why don't you introduce yourself in the welcome room and tell us a little about you and this grey.

[lovemyGreys]

As the others have said 9 weeks is very young for a grey to be weaned,if it was me i would leave your grey for a few more weeks to make sure everything is ok.

[spookyhurst]

Tari wrote:

Also get some oatmeal for him. They like comfort food when young.

 

My TAG is 6 or 7 and she still wants her oatmeal every morning .

 

There was a woman on another grey board who had a bird that was around a year old and it still wasn't weaned. She thought it was normal, and would have gone on handfeeding it forever if it weren't for an unfortunate accident. She fed the bird formula that was too hot and it burned its crop (the bird recovered just fine ). The vet was shocked that the bird hadn't weaned and informed the woman that this was not the norm. What a lazy little bird :silly:. Has anyone else heard of a grey refusing to wean?

[BMustee]

Yeah, there was a lady that came on the forum that got a CAG and was still giving it 3 feedings a day at 14 weeks!!! I was like "You need to drop a feeding...it's not good for them to NOT wean!" She was all like, "I don't want to stress him..." GEESH!

[snoopdoggydon]

The breeder told me the bird is taking seeds and veg during the day and that the grey only needs a feeding once at night. she also showed me how to do it and is very helpfull.

[snoopdoggydon]

They grey also has a small bald patch on its breast is this normal for a young parrot?x

[loviechick]

Well it could still be growing in, their plumage can be thin as a baby, or it could be plucking or being plucked by a clutch mate. I'd ask the breeder about it.

 

As far as weaning I think it could be a bit young, but then again, not uncommon. I would just keep an eye out, and have some handfeeding formula, and ask the breeder how to handfeed just in case something goes awry!

[chapala]

9 weeks sounds so young to be truly weaned. I have heard of some breeders force weaning their Greys at 10 weeks, and that a high percentage of their Greys end up feather plucking (this is a breeder in Texas). It doesn't sound like this breeder has done that, but still if he's on a night feeding, he is not weaned yet. I would insist on waiting until he is eating completely on his own and is no longer having the night feeding.

Reta

[BMustee]

yeah...wait till he no longer needs the night feeding. One thing going wrong with hand feeding can kill the baby in a second. Other mishaps can cause massive damage to the crop.