Calvin isn't eating

Matt_95 · Sep 30, 2014

Hi guys, I've had Calvin 4 days now, when I got him in Sunday, he did eat a little bit of the chop I gave him so I was pretty happy with that. However since then I haven't seen him eat since. I've tried giving him the food he had at the breeder and he won't touch that, he won't touch seed and he won't touch vegetables, all of these things he was eating at the breeders. The one thing he eats with delight is pineapple, but only if it is fed to him by hand.
I've tried pineapple mashed up with some grains, seeds and vegetables. Pineapple juice squeezed over his pellets. I've been sick today so I have been home all day and I have a view of him, not once has be approached his food or water bowl. Other days when I have been at work there has been some food dropped on the ground and it looks like he has picked over the food, however I have never seen him eat since Sunday and neither has my mother who has taken the week off work and is keeping an eye on him as he settles in. Does anyone have any advice for me? I am starting to become worried.

Pinkbirdy · Sep 30, 2014

Is he having droppings everyday? {then hes eating some} . Im sure hes just nervous and things will be fine. I had a RB2 so nervous I swear she wasn't eating for 5 days after I got her.

Kiwibird · Sep 30, 2014

I would call the breeder or AV. Not eating is serious. I'm not super knowledgeable on baby birds, but I know eating problems can occur if they are weaned before they are ready. You've done so much prep for Calvin's arrival and research into proper diet, I'm sure you'll get this quickly resolved

I'm betting it's a baby thing, and he isn't quite sure yet what is and isn't food. The breeder may be able to give better advice on what to do.

Matt_95 · Sep 30, 2014

He has made lots of droppings. A few of them have only had the white part. But for the most part they are all consistent and have a green bit and a white bit.

I'll send the breeder a text now, I don't think it would be a weaning problem because he is now 6 months old, do you know if that's something that could still be affecting him?

I forgot to mention as well that he hasn't really been moving around much in his cage, he's spent almost all of today on his swing and he climbed around on the bars for about 10 minutes but he hasn't approached his food bowl at all today. When he's out side of the cage with me he is very active and playful thoug.

Pinkbirdy · Sep 30, 2014

I think hes just nervous [im sure he will relax]. When I brought my zon Lexi into the bird room. In her cage she hung on one side [and didn't move around much.} I later found out she was afraid of the macaw next to her. I moved her and things were fine . He might be afraid of something.

Allee · Sep 30, 2014

Four days is not very long to adjust to a whole new environment. Quakers tend to be a little slower to accept anything new. Definitely watch him closely and if he gets lethargic or shows other signs of illness I would make an appointment for him. Always better to be safe. Good luck, I hope it's just the move making Calvin nervous.

Matt_95 · Oct 1, 2014

I hope it is just nerves. He is very comfortable around me now. When I'm in the room, he will constantly jump off of his play top, walk across the floor and then climb up the bed to be with me. I like playing and cuddling with him but I do not want him to be on me whenever I am around. I don't think it is healthy for either of us. He seems to love preening me as well.

Edit: he ate some corn and some split peas that I offered him, both yellow. Maybe he has a thing for yellow food?
I think he may have eaten some food from his dish this afternoon but I can't be sure.

Matt_95 · Oct 1, 2014

Another update, he is now eating corn off of the cob from his food bowl. He seems very very hungry.

Kiwibird · Oct 1, 2014

Glad he's eating. I bet he's hungry after several days of not eating much!

Dinosrawr · Oct 1, 2014

I could definitely see it being nerves. My baby boy Shiko wouldn't eat when I went on a two week vacation, and he must have sensed something was up because a few days before he was also all nerves. My boyfriend's father was watching over him, and he often had to just sit with him and feed him piece by piece of what he should've been eating until he was full.

I was incredibly stressed the entire time, and when I got home he still wasn't eating well. Then one day I made a special little mix of rice, veggies, some grains, some seed, and he ate with such gusto! After that he was fine. Nerves do a lot to my birds when it comes to food (there's a physiological reason, too!), so it wouldn't surprise me if that was the case for Calvin.

I'm happy he's eating though! It's actually rather satisfying see your bird eat voraciously. Reminds you that they're healthy

Birdman666 · Oct 1, 2014

Start monitoring the bird's weight as well. If the weight is remaining the same, and he has droppings, and they look fine, he's probably eating when you're not aware of it.

If his weight drops, then something needs to be done.

Warm oatmeal fed on a spoon on your lap usually works! Just make sure it isn't too hot. We don't want burned crops!

Matt_95 · Oct 2, 2014

Thanks guys, I'm a lot lot more at ease now. I have ordered a new set of scales because when I went to try weigh him on our gram scales they wouldn't turn on!

I do have a new concern now. He's been eating lots of corn and pineapple today and now that I have finished work he has done a lot more poos. However, these new ones are very different. It looks like little bits of yellow in water, the liquid part of his poo is completely clear and is pretty much like water. Is this just because he is eating food that is full of lots of water or is this a problem?

He has also been trying to talk but I can't understand what he's trying to say.

MikeyTN · Oct 2, 2014

When they eat something that have a lot of water content they're gonna poop out more liquid. Are you trying to feed other veggies and fruits other then just pineapple and corn? They can be quite finicky about trying new things or eat stuffs directly from their bowls unless offered to them by hand first. Eat it in front of them and make happy noises like ummm, yummy, etc. Then offer it to him. I hand fed the Quaker I used to have, he was the same way....

Matt_95 · Oct 2, 2014

I am giving him other foods with his corn but he hasn't touched that. He also eats the yellow split peas that are in his chop mix but he doesn't eat much of those before dropping the rest on the floor. If all he wants to eat is the corn I think I might have to do a conversion to more diverse food with the method that is suggested from converting birds from seed to pellet.
He really does seem to be a much happier bird now he is eating. He's exploring all of his cage and he is using perches he wouldn't before. I think I am going to make him a bigger play space.

Matt_95 · Oct 9, 2014

Calvin is now eating his base chop mixture everyday with delight, I will be adding new things to that to get him to try more foods while he is young. I've just started adding in blue berries and raw peas. Thanks for all of the help!

Kiwibird · Oct 9, 2014

Glad Calvin has a heathy appetite now! He may just have been nervous his first few days. I bet he;ll be eating all kinds of things in no time at all

TravNat · Oct 16, 2014

I don't think you have anything to worry about. You said his droppings were consistent and he's not having problems moving around when he wants to. I say definitely nerves our Ozzy (almost 5 month old Quaker) gave me the same scare when we brought him home for a few days.

SoCalWendy · Oct 17, 2014

Good to hear. Now when they eat blueberries their poop turns the same color so don't freak out.

Kiwibird · Oct 17, 2014

How's Calvin doing now?

Calvin isn't eating

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I got Calvin today!

price to get bird sexed

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