How to wean an Orange Wing Amazon

Tikazoo

New member
Nov 17, 2011
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Parrots
Orange Wing Amazon
Hi everyone
I recently adopted an unweaned Orange Wing Amazon. She is 12 weeks old. I am currently handfeeding her and she seems to be doing well. I am new to the idea of Abundance feeding and want to try this method. My breeder told me to only give her 10 ccs at am and noon feedings. She has been getting 25ccs as she is just too hungry - and I feel sorry for her. I think she would take more - she was getting 35ccs when I got her at 8 weeks. Nonetheless she is eating oatmeal with apples and some formula mixed in and is eating this at the 25cc cutback so I think she's fine with it. She is somewhat explorative about food. My question as a newbie is with abundance feeding is do I just keep giving her as much as she wants at each feeding of formula? My breeder said she should be down to two feedings by now and I need to be a bit tougher on her, not starving her but to encourage her to eat more on her own.
Sorry I have hundreds of questions, a lifetime of bird experience but honestly feel like a complete newbie here as I am lacking confidence about all of this and want to be doing the right thing by her. Any help appreciated.
Thanks - Tikazoo:green:
 

henpecked

Active member
Dec 12, 2010
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Jake YNA 1970,Kia Panama amazon1975, both i removed from nest and left siblings, Forever Home to,Stacie (YN hen),Mickie (RLA male),Blinkie (YNA hen),Kong (Panama hen),Rescue Zons;Nitro,Echo,Rocky,Rub
Buy a set of digital kitchen scales and start weighing every AM before feeding.Abundance feeding is letting them have all they want when handfeeding and them learning to eat at their pace.It all depends on how fast you want the bird to wean and which method you use .In the wild they are forced to wean because the parents are usually raising all the babies they can and the parents can't supply enough food for all the babies to survive.Raising a companion bird you can extend the length of time it takes to wean and help bond better and help get over natural fear of hands/people. At 12 weeks of age a OWA should be about weaned but there's no harm in streching it out some. We are usually spoon feeding zons at this time which lets you give thicker formula and helps teach them to drink water on their own. Of course they learn to eat out of the bowl when you don't give it to them fast enough. The next course is damp pellets ,softened with water of fruit juice. We always keep dry pellets in the cage so they can eat them at anytime. Just remember not to leave wet pellets or formula out for very long or it will spoil. Hope i covered most of it.Hey, welcome to the forum, hope to see you around, lots of zon owners here.
 
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Tikazoo

Tikazoo

New member
Nov 17, 2011
76
0
Parrots
Orange Wing Amazon
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Wow thanks for all the info, totally what I need - confidence support. Soifeel bad she's not really close to weaning, will I miss my window? She does eat oatmeal with fruit in the am, and loves veges on a skewer but isn't big about picking out of a bowl. Visual thing I think, it's just right there in front of her and she can't miss it. She takes dry pellets too, I just never feel she takes enough in. She is hungry - or cries three times each day - habit? I offer food before each feeding and again after - which she takes better if I limit her feeding amount and then show her other options...
Thanks for the welcome and the support :)
 

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