Hi I'm new to the site and I need a little help

Hi everyone! My name is Niky and I purchased a baby umbrella cockatoo recently. He was 7 weeks old when I got him and now he is 10 weeks old today. I know everyone says never to buy an weaned bird but the breeder showed me very well how to handfeed him and I have had experience before, and I have all day to be home so I have time to be with him and feed him whenever he needs to and etc. I was getting kind of worried yesterday because he started to refuse hos third syringe feed at night just before bed, he wouldn't take it! I have read that when they fledge they eat less but then this morning I tried to feed him but he didn't eat all of it he ate more than half and just left around 15 mm out of 45 mm. Is he in the process of fledging or should I be worried? Thanks!

Sorry i meant an unweaned bird

I don't know the answer to your question but welcome to the forum.

I don't have the experience to say whether of not your bird is fledging at this time or not. I do know that most of the larger birds fledge later than smaller species.

I am more concerned that you have a bird with a sour crop. My reasoning, which is all I'm going on, is that given he didn't eat his normal amount last night, he should have been very hungry this morning. If the temperature of this food is too cool when he eats it, it can cause sour crop, and if too warm can cause crop burn and it doesn't take much of a variation in feeding temperature to cause either one.

Hi and welcome. I too, don't have experience with babies but I'd suggest you hurry on over to the vet, just to make sure all is in order. Your baby is still very young and I'd hate for him to be ill while we are guessing here what the problem could be. Good luck!

Thank you so much for all your responces he's also started eating just a little bit of solid food like little peices of apple and such, i was also wondering what would happen if he had a sour crop or a burned cropthanks!

I don't have any experiences.

But here is probably what's wrong! And it is probably 100% true.

As the babies grow more and more, their crop gets more and more stronger with stronger digestion. once a baby reaches some weeks old (for little species, 4-8 weeks probably, and for bigger species 7-13 weeks) the baby should start eating adult food for adult parrots. You are on the right track, Note: For now, do NOT feed the child big seeds, such as sunflower seeds, peanuts and also do not feed the child fruits/vegetables that are indigestible or not small enough.

niky said:

but then this morning I tried to feed him but he didn't eat all of it he ate more than half and just left around 15 mm out of 45 mm.

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Welcome!!

Is the crop completely empty in the morning?

Joe

His crop has been empty at every feeding, i feed him every seven hours and on weekends i feed him a little bit later on the mornings. Yesterday i fed him at eleven in the morning and his crop was empty he ateall his food, then i fed him seven hours later at 6 in the afternoon then i woke up again at one in the morning to feed him but he rejected the food completely and this morning at 6 he ate 30 mm instead of his usual 45 mm and his crop was empty at all his feeding times

I am not an "expert" but an empty crop is one of the most important things to look for so at least that's one less worry, lets see if anyone else here can comment

No changes in poop?

Joe

Also have you been keeping a record of the birds weight?, if not start weighing the bird everyday and make sure he is not losing weight

EDIT : I know they lose some weight at fledgling time, so you have to factor his breed and how much that breed loses

If he is, it is an emergency to solve his problem

Joe

Yea there hasn't had any changes in poop he looks fine besides the change in eating last night he ate a very little peice of apple abd a few sunflower seeds like maybe 2 or 3 and he has been flapping his wings alot and preening his feathers alot so maybe its because hes fledging

Niky, Try feeding your bird very little seeds. If he keeps on eating them don't stick to the formula.
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"We get Partnership from Parrots, and that makes us understand what life is." -Parro

Regardless of how the breeder shows you on how to hand feed, things can happen! Thus the reason why we don't suggest in getting an unweaned baby. There's been countless postings within the forum about the dangers on getting an unweaned baby. It can look easy and simple, but when something does happen, your unsure of what's going on.

Now let's try to figure out the issue here, how old is the baby?? Has he flew yet?? During fledging time they will cut back on food and loose some weight to take flight. IF that's the case, then cut back to two feedings right now, once in the morning and once in the evening and keep on offer food for him to eat. They will eat regardless if fledging or not as they still get hungry. If the baby still doesn't accept food tomorrow, then you have an issue. You would need to bring the baby to a avian vet for a examination to be sure everything is ok. As they will sometimes refuse a feeding due to something wrong.

He hasn't flied yet, thats why i think it's that he is fledging umbrella cockatoos start fledging around this age, i called the breeder and she told me not to worry because he was going through that process now im feeding him twice a day and hes eating dine thanks for all your responces you were all really helpful