Baby Timneh, need advice

[LisainSA]

Hi, I was hoping for a little info. I have a 7 week old Timneh and have been hand/syringe feeding it special food. Do I need to introduce anything else soon, or wait until it's weened at approx 14 weeks? Should I introduce bathing by misting or any other way anytime soon? How about ANY advice? Thanks much! Lisa

[Kaedyn]

I wouldn't try bathing your bird until it's a little older. There really isn't a need to do so right now. If there is food stuck on his/her face, just wipe it off with a wet cloth.

 

You should make available a variety of solid foods, yet continue to hand feed. When your bird is ready, they'll start nibbling at the solid stuff. Continue to hand feed baby food until the day your baby refuses it.

 

I'm going to defer to others for a more specific timetable on feeding.

[BMustee]

Offer him weaning pellets, seeds, veggies...anything you want it to eat as an adult. A baby bird won't wean unless it is eating on it's own. At 7 weeks he should start picking at food. I like to have baby birds on a towel and spread the food out on the towel. Little birds don't seem to know how to eat out of a bowl. Just be sure that anything that can do bad is removed within an hour or so. Don't bath him yet, just use a damp cloth to clean his face, feet, and butt if needed.

[lovemyGreys]

Hi Lisa,this link will give you some good information on hand feeding & introducing solid foods

 

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/the-nursery/73409-handfeeding-a-baby-grey.html

[judygram]

Lisa, why don't you introduce yourself in the welcome room and tell us a little more about you and your baby grey.

[LisainSA]

Thanks everybody for your advice, I will take you all up on it! Including adding stuff about Jojo and I in the welcome room. I am on a different timetable (I live in South Africa for the moment as of two months ago!), so I will be posting and then waiting until tomorrow to see/hear from you!

 

Any particular tidbits (although I will check out the website that lovemyGreys provided) to give him/her - have to go to the vet for that! I have seen cheese, corn on the cob, .... but do your greys have favorites? And if I give carrot should it be raw or cooked? Thanks to all - I will definitely add more about the two of us later. I have a million appointments today and also have to fight time on the computer with my kids and we don't have all our stuff and are sharing one laptop! Cheers, Lisa

[Suzzique]

The more things you can introduce to him the better. For veggies that can be eatten raw or cooked try both. I had a pionus that LOVED cooked carrots. But she wouldn't touch a raw carrot. Just like people there is no one thing that they all go nuts for. I am still trying to find something that Alex will do anything for (other than cheese).

[cdelatorrejr]

I agree with the advise others have posted. I found the 7 week old age a great time to explore what your bird will and will not eat. At that age they are so inquisitive and will try food with different texture and color. My grey is 5 months now and he loves peas, carrots, broccoli and corn. He prefers his veggies steamed. Enjoy your TAG (Timneh African Grey)!