HELP!!! Baby Severe Macaw!! First time baby owner!!

I need help! I've never taken care of a 4.5 week old baby bird! I need to know EVERYTHING!! Give me any and all advice, feeding, how often, how to keep him safe and warm, what not to do, what to do!

I did our first feeding with Exact formula at 10mL luke warm followed by 5mL of distilled water luke warm. I was told he was only being fed 3 times a day but I feel it should be more like every 5 hours?

PLEASE HELP!

Try contacting a local breeder in your area. But what made you want a unweaned baby?

If you know nothing PLEASE return the bird to the breeder and pay them to feed and wean it for you.

Yeah I agree with Shellyborg, you should return the bird to the breeder. Once the baby is weaned then you could bring the bird home. It would be best for you and the bird.

Mini macaws take a long time to be weaned. My Hahns macaw Ms. Fiona was hatched this past April and she was not fully weaned til late July. Peace be to you.

not a choice! i didnt buy him can i have advice please?

I would try to find an avian vet in your area. Get him checked ASAP they will tell you what you need to do. Tonight I would probably feed him every 4to 5 hours. When I got my umbrella cockatoo she was not weaned she took 30cc twice a day. She was 3 months old and a bigger bird. The formula should give you an idea of how much to feed and how warm. DO NOT make it to hot. Get a thermometer and measure the temp. It will tell you how hot on the back of the formula bag. I think 99 deg is best but DOUBLE CHECK for his age. Meat therm works not human. Will you be home with him tomorrow to keep feeding him?

Where did you get this bird?

Definately look up breeders in your area. Hand weaning birds is very difficult and dangerous if you are not experienced, and you really shouldn't try it unless you know how. Even if you didn't buy him, you can still look up a breeder and ask for advise, and they will probably be able to help you. I'm sorry to say I don't know much about weaning other than that it's very difficult, so I can't help you too much. This link might help you, but I'm not sure exactly what information you need. Weaning Chicks

PLEASE, do lots and lots of research, because keeping a parrot is not an easy or trivial thing to do. It's a long commitment filled with disappointments and frustrations as well as the joy of a wonderful companion. There are many, many things you need to know about and be prepared for, so please looks some stuff up. Here are a few links to webpages you could read:
Severe Macaws As Pets | Birdtricks.com
Severe Macaw
Severe Macaw Birds
Wildré: Severe Macaw
Severe or Chestnut-fronted Macaws

Welcome to the forum and good luck!

Also if no one has showed you how to feed your little guy it's very easy to aspirated him. As you put the syringe in make sure he is making his mommy sounds and starts bucking his head then start pushing SLOWLY. I always gave it 10 cc at a time. If you can't find a breeder to help your avian vet should. Mine has been great at helping me wean mine. Best of luck we are here to help. I'm sure your worried.

Thank you so much!

Syd I wanted to tell you not to use distilled water. Use spring water. Distilled is dead water and not good for animals. Hope you found and avian vet or at least a vet that agrees to see birds till you can find an avian vet. You don't need to follow formula with water. They are getting water in their formula.

You've received some outstanding information already.

Here are 2 links for you:

Hand Feeding Baby Birds

Hand Feeding Baby Birds

Macaws take months to wean properly. Read up on everything you can and contact your local vet and/or Macaw breeder in your area for immediate care needs.

How did you acquire him?

I was wondering too how you got you little guy? I'm hoping he wasn't stolen by someone then passed off to you. If this is the case I'm not passing judgment just don't let the idiot have him back. If you rescued him from a bad situation same thing that may try to take him back after all the difficulty is behind. Not that that happens. Having a parrot is like having an ADD 2 year old that is severely bipolar. But with training reading reading reading... Ok u get the idea lol. You will enjoy him so much. May I ask what kind of cage he is in right now too?
Also it too me 6 months to ween my U2. She was suppose to be weaned but wasn't.

He was found in a foreclosure. The owners left and when we went to clear the house I found him. I won't give him to anyone else, he's already been abandon and I won't let anyone else do it to him again. SO here I am with a 5 week old trying to figure everything out. My friend owns a pet store so it's not to bad, but she's used to conures not macaws. I haven't given Buddy any distilled water and I am feeding him 30 ML of formula per feeding 3 times daily luke warm. At the moment he stays in a tank due to being so young I don't feel comfortable leaving him in a cage just yet maybe in a week or more I will let him get into the cage.
As of right now I can feed him in about 2-3 minutes and he has no problem with a very strong feeding response so I don't think there is any problems, more my nerves than anything.

Create a makeshift nest using a towel of some sort and keep him warm. They like confined spaces at this time.

I commend you for what you're doing. My nerves would be fried as well! Sounds like he's strong and healthy.

Sid. Where are you located? Perhaps there is an experienced member near you that can mentor you or hand feed him or her with you? I am in NJ, long shot but if you are in my area I would be willing to,help you. PLEASE POST WHERE YOU ARE LOCATE, ANYONE THAT MAY BE CLOSE BY WILLNG TO HELP.?

Royal Palm Beach, Florida

Syd said:

I haven't given Buddy any distilled water and I am feeding him 30 ML of formula per feeding 3 times daily luke warm. At the moment he stays in a tank due to being so young I don't feel comfortable leaving him in a cage just yet maybe in a week or more I will let him get into the cage.
As of right now I can feed him in about 2-3 minutes and he has no problem with a very strong feeding response so I don't think there is any problems, more my nerves than anything.

Click to expand...

Please have a look at the links I posted for you earlier. "Luke warm" doesn't cut it. The temperature of the formula must be right for your baby to digest it properly. You will need a thermometer AND a digital scale to keep track on how your baby is progressing.

Luke warm is not going to do. Too cool and he can get yeast or a number of problems like slow crop. Too hot and you can burn the crop. As mentioned, care must be taken not to aspirate the baby. As you look at the face of the bird, you enter with syringe from the right side crossing over towards the left. The type of syringe is important. Some push too quickly. You need a thermometer, and the formula{what kind do you have? it should be Zupreem embrace plus-it has extra fat for baby macaws} needs to be the consistency of applesauce. Use the thermometer and warm the formula to 108-109 degrees F. Keep it at this temp by putting the formula in a bowl, and that bowl in another bowl with warm water under it. Keep stirring it and test with the thermometer.Do not heat in a microwave. Clean up the baby by wiping him off of any formula afterward. Do not give straight water. Do not add anything to this formula, except water. You need a gram scale, and weigh him daily. He needs to get 10% of his body weight at each feeding. Is he fully feathered?Can you post a photo so we can help determine how old he is. He needs to be kept warm, about 85F if not. He should be in a brooder, or a makeshift one can be made with an aquarium, with a heating pad under on ONE SIDE if he is not feathered yet.
He really should be seen by an avian vet, to make sure he is ok.I sent a PM with my ph number if you need more support I am here for you. Thanks for caring for him.