7 Weeks old Green Winged Macaw

Question: Body Temp of 7 Weeks old Green Winged Macaw

Hi,

We just bought a 6 weeks old Green Winged Macaw (she is 7weeks old now). I just wanted to find out what would be the correct body temperature for a 7weeks old GWM? Also, what is the ideal way to take a baby bird's temperature?

Also, I am feeding her Zupreem Embrace Plus between 107F - 108F. I noticed that today her stomach is contracting a bit more then usual (almost looks like she is constipated and it might be painful but she has been pooping normally). The formula was a bit thicker today... do you think feeding thicker formula may have caused any problems?

I dont smell any sour smell and baby is not throwing up either. I just want to make sure I am not doing anything wrong.

Also, my breeder said that her body temperature was 112F a day before she was shipped to us. Is the baby suppose to keep that 112F temperature or should it start going down gradually?

I would appreciate all the advise/help I can get!!

thanks!
Robert

Room temp. is fine for a baby that age... Also the thicker the formula the longer it takes the bird to digest the food. Food Temp should be between 100-105 degrees I recommend a little more water than just the 1part formula with 2 part water... Last thing is whatever your keeping the baby in i would have a lamp or heat pad on side with 90% of the tank covered. They will keep their temp up pretty good on their own. Best of Luck!

So you bought a baby macaw with little experience on hand feeding.
It really should be illegal for the sell of unweaned chicks.
Hand Feeding baby birds is not the same as bottle feeding a baby dog.
It's so delicate and sour crop can occurs so fast and threaten your babies life.
And if you burn the crop bad. Be sure to watch you love die a slow and extremely painful death. And say your a breeder and a very experienced hand feeder. Your causeing phycological and emotional damage by changing feeders. One feeder and one feeder only. Once weaned and fledged then take em home. It's plain lazy on the breeder.
Excuse me if I come a bit harsh. I'm not trying to. I just hope you don't go about buying another un weaned chick. It's a horriable experience for the baby.
And if you truly care about the emotions and feelings of a bird you won't put them through this.

And FYI. Your doing fine and so is your bird. Continue What your doing. Just be careful to not over feed or food to hot. Look up tons of stuff on google or yahoo. Just search for everything you can find on hand feeding macaws.

Thank you so much!

I have yet to determine the right body temp. Any idea what that might be? There is info on the internet for B&G macaw but couldn't find any for GW

I would think the body temp would be pretty much the same. I am no expert, but often people handfeed more then one type of parrot at a time, and house them together.

I have a b&g 5 weeks and as I said Room temp is fine for a chick 5 weeks and UP. Just cover 90% of the tank you have him in. If his skin is LIGHT pink he is fine.. If he is too cold he will shiver if he is too hot he will be redish... It's very simple.
I agree with conurekidd if you have never handfed or housed a baby bird so young the baby should be with an experienced handler. All this info your looking for is found online. Your baby should be eating around 50-60 cc's of formula if i'm not mistaken. feed from LEFT of his mouth to right at a 90 degree angle. You should be able to feel by "touch" if he is too cold.

TAKE IT TO THE VET ASAP.

Please don't ask us to diagnose you baby. That should be left up to an experienced vet. You have quite an investment not to mention an attachment here so DON'T WAIT DO IT NOW! PLEASE!

Conurekidd said:

So you bought a baby macaw with little experience on hand feeding.
It really should be illegal for the sell of unweaned chicks.
Hand Feeding baby birds is not the same as bottle feeding a baby dog.
It's so delicate and sour crop can occurs so fast and threaten your babies life.
And if you burn the crop bad. Be sure to watch you love die a slow and extremely painful death. And say your a breeder and a very experienced hand feeder. Your causeing phycological and emotional damage by changing feeders. One feeder and one feeder only. Once weaned and fledged then take em home. It's plain lazy on the breeder.
Excuse me if I come a bit harsh. I'm not trying to. I just hope you don't go about buying another un weaned chick. It's a horriable experience for the baby.
And if you truly care about the emotions and feelings of a bird you won't put them through this.

And FYI. Your doing fine and so is your bird. Continue What your doing. Just be careful to not over feed or food to hot. Look up tons of stuff on google or yahoo. Just search for everything you can find on hand feeding macaws.

Click to expand...

In my opinion, it's not only lazy on the part of the breeder, but you also have to realize, it's easier to sell an unweaned bird than a weaned bird. It's because some if not most breeders charge an extra $300.00-$400.00 for a weaned bird. Believe me, I can't understand folks wanting to cheap out on buying an unweaned bird. If you can afford to buy a macaw, buy a weaned bird, if an extra $300.00-$400.00 makes that much of a difference then maybe a person can't afford to buy a bird like a macaw much less take care of one.

But again, this is just the opinion of an old overly opinionated at times retired guy, who has nothing better to do than type my opinions on a computer.

Old retired guy knows more than the breeder of this Macaw!! If you suspect your bird is having problems get the bird to an avain vet asap. As said by MtD.

Hey hey now.. LOL I bought a b&g with the last bit of money i had.... =( BUT i know how to hand feed.... does that count? lol

Doesn change the fact that this is emotionally and phycologily damaging to the baby from one feeder to another. Who cares if your a good feeder (no offense)
Buying unweaned birds should be illegal. There's no easy way out of bird breeding. If you choose to breed you do it in favor of the birds. Not yourself.

And it's not just me. It's our entire rescue/club that Lecures this to us when a vet or big Avian philosopher comes to talk. I can't tell anyone what to do. Not yet at least haha
But I can speak the dangers and warn you about the consequences of purchasing un weaned birds. Just be carful I love birds and all birds and would hate for anyone to be put in a position of losing there love. So just inform yourself as much as possible. This is an extremely delicate situation and many many problems can occur essp when your inexperienced in the field.

I honestly do not believe that if your a well experienced person in hand feeding and you show the baby LOVE as well when feeding that the bird will be fine. Just bc it's being lectured doesn't mean it's "correct". It's an OPINION, not everyone believes that it's bad to rehome a baby when unweaned. That's like saying it's bad to rehome any pet while a baby who still needs to be hand fed. ALL anyone of them need is to be showed LOVE while being fed IE talk to it pet it show it that it is loved and all will be fine. Yes idiots who do not know what they are doing can cause the bird psychological and emotional distress.

Key word :
Philosopher - a person who offers views or theories on profound questions in ethics, metaphysics, logic, and other related fields.

Wow a lot of opinions ... just one thing to add ... even the most "experienced" feeder was an amateur some day ... give me a break you have to start somewhere or do you think, in your opinion, one is suppose to born with hand feeding "talent"?

If you have kids you can use your paternal instincts too ... common sense is a wonderful thing.

I had a few very specific questions that doesn't mean I did not do my homework before committing a lifetime my baby bird

On a lighter note, she acted just fine today. Was active, exercised her wings several times, even tried to imitate me saying "haha" lol

I don't believe the members here mean anything towards you but to a Breeder out there to sell an unweaned baby. In most states, a person cannot sell a Cat or Dog until 8 weeks of age. Both dogs and cats take less time to develope then a GW Macaw. My boy was 9 months old until he weaned. Once i brought him home, he regressed backwards and after 1 week of taking him everyday to my Aviary Vet and after $800..00 later, I insist that my breeder take him back. Once I drove from Md to Va where i purchsed my GW, and after 2 more additional weeks, My boy was finally weaned again and I was able to bring him home again.
I have no experience with hand feeding and really think it should be left to the pros and breeders who know what their doing.
I agree that you have to start somewhere, If I wanted to learn this, I would go to a rescue, bird club, breeders and learn first hand and only after learning would I try to hand feed.
I so blame your Breeder on this issue as they should have known better. These types of Breeders are only in this for the money, most breeders out there treat their babies as one of their own and is very hard to watch them go to new homes.
Heck, i had to show my breeder my Will to show that my boys will be taken care of before i could purchase them. Best of luck to you. Joe