hi to everybody

[hagi]

hi guys,

my name is irfan and i am new to the forum. i will have alexandrine parakeet in a couple of days. his/her feathers aren't completly green yet. i was told he is one month old. hopefully i can arrange a nice place for him to live. i am still trying to figure that out like what to put in the cage, what kind of toys i should put around etc.

i am little anxious about how to feed since my bird is not ready for pellet feed ( i am not sure if i mention it correctly, since i don't know exact word for that). i am sure i will get a lot information from here we can manage to build a good relationship with her.

again, glad to be here.

 

[noodles123]

Welcome and so happy to have you here.

Please, please wait for the bird to be fully weaned before bringing him home. There is absolutely NO reason to bring home a bird that isn't eating solid foods on its own. This will not help you bond and there is a very high likelihood of sickness etc due to inexperience in hand-weaning a new bird.

Please read this thread for detail-- seriously, things will be so much better if you just wait for the breeder to finish weaning the bird fully...
http://www.parrotforums.com/breeding-raising-parrots/74363-so-you-bought-unweaned-baby.html

^see above

 

[noodles123]

May I ask where you are located?
Also- here is another really important post that all new bird owners should read:
Since you are a first-time owner, I am also posting this (because it's stuff you may or may not know, but definitely need to know). If you already know it, disregard.

I am going to write a ton here because it sounds like you are very new to this and there is a lot to learn. I don't mean to overwhelm you!

One really important thing when keeping a pet bird in the house is that you cannot use scented products or chemicals/fumes in your home (even things that smell nice to us(---things like smoke, perfumes, air freshener, standard cleaners, vaping, burning food, incense, cigarettes, glue, paint, window sealing kits, polishes, aerosol sprays etc can harm your bird's sensitive respiratory system (which is not the same as mammals'). Using products that heat or are heated which contain Teflon/PTFE/PFCs = very very dangerous. These products off-gas and can kill a bird in under 5 minutes. Teflon/PTFE/PFOA/PFCs are most commonly found in the kitchen (pots, pans, cookie sheets, drip trays, air fryers, popcorn poppers, baking mats, crock pots, toasters, toaster ovens, popcorn poppers, waffle irons, electric skillets etc. They can also be found in space-heaters, curling irons, blow-dryers, straighteners, heat lamps, heat guns, irons, ironing board covers etc. These fumes have killed birds through closed doors and on separate floors of a home, so you should replace your cookware with stainless steel, cast iron or ceramic. You may be thinking-- well, I have used them before and my bird is fine, but they kill very inconsistently and it depends on what you are cooking, the age of the pot/pan, the specific bird etc. There was a member who lost many of her birds from a pan she had literally used for years...then one day, her husband cooked an egg (without burning or overheating) and many of them died, while the rest showed signs of respiratory distress.

You will need an avian-safe cleaner to use within your home (both on the bird cage, but also, around the house). Again, chemical cleaners cannot be used in the home unless avian safe. F10 SC (the yellow/clear concentrate) is a great, avian-safe disinfectant. Other (less effective) options include products such as "poop-off", white vinegar + water, grapefruit seed extract + water, baking soda etc. Peroxide is also fairly safe for disinfecting places like your bathroom, but you do not want your bird to come into contact with it.

Some foods are toxic to them--avocado, coffee (even decaf), caffeine, rhubarb, alcohol, onions/garlic/leeks/chives, mushrooms etc. Salt is also very bad for them, as is most human food. They love it, but it's not healthy.

They should not just eat seed--you will want to feed lots of washed fresh vegetables. Fruit is fine in moderation, but too much can lead to obesity and behavioral issues due to sugar. I feed my bird a mix of high-quality seed (no sunflowers, no peanuts) and pellets (in addition to fruit/veg). Fruit pits are toxic, as are apple seeds. Corn cob and certain nut shells (if swallowed in big pieces) can cause blockages, so you should be very cautious if you give your bird nuts in the shell. Peanuts can harbor aspergillosis, and should be avoided altogether (even they you often see them marketed towards parrots).

It is important to make sure that your bird's toys and cage are made of safe metals. Stainless steel is safest. They can get metal poisoning from playing with or mouthing objects made of unsafe metals.

They need a set amount of sleep each night (at least 10 hours) and the largest cage you can manage with lots of different perches. You want to avoid the totally smooth/round ones as they can lead to a condition called bumblefoot. Never place a cage near drafts and never allow cool air to blow on a bird. They are sensitive to drafts and any temperature shift greater than 10 degrees can cause a shock to their system.

They need lots of safe toys and safe wood to chew. Not all wood is safe, so don't just assume you can give them any kind you want.

They hide illness and so you have to watch them to make sure they are eating normally and pooping normally etc. You should try to find an avian vet (certified avian) if at all possible and take your bird AT LEAST 1 x yearly for an exam. An avian vet is NOT the same as an exotics vet who sees birds--- so if a certified avian vet is available within a few hours of where you live, you will want to set up care.

All parrots can easily confuse the relationship with their human for a sexual one. You don't want this to happen, even though it seems sweet at first. Stick to petting on the head and neck only (the rest is sexual) and do not allow your bird to play in shadowy places, like boxes or under furniture, as these spaces are similar nesting sites and are hormonal triggers. NO SNUGGLE HUTS/TENTS!

Food and water should be replaced daily--- wash the containers daily. Never leave wet food out for more than a few hours (as it can lead to bacterial growth). Never try to medicate a bird via drinking water and never add vitamins to water. Vitamins can be over-dosed easily and harm a bird. Plus, when you add things to water, it makes it impossible to know how much they have gotten and it also encourages bacterial growth. Sometimes it can prevent them from drinking adequately if they don't like the flavor of whatever it is you added.

These birds have the intelligence of a 4-year-old human, but they are wild animals (not domesticated like dogs). This means that they see the world (and humans) in a very unique way and so you must learn about their behavior in order to prevent problems (screaming, plucking etc). They need lots of time out of their cage daily and a lot of interaction (at least a few hours). At the same time, you don't want to spend TOO much time with a bird of they will become overly dependent and not know what to do with themselves when you go to work etc.

Finally, baby birds are ALWAYS sweet compared to adult birds. When your bird hits puberty, expect that it will exhibit some annoying and problematic behaviors (much like a teen). A through knowledge of behavior and setting expectations at an early age will make your life easier when that time comes, but do prepare yourself and expect that things will not always be so smooth-sailing. Think about a baby human compared to a teen...

I am sure there is more...but that is a basic overview of caring for birds.

Here is an excerpt from another post (which you may want to reference when shopping/ calling about Teflon:
The most insidious is the Teflon/ptfe/pfoa/pfcs because you have to call the company to verify that anything that heats or is intended to be heated does not contain these substances ("PTFE free" doesn't mean PFC free and so there are a lot of marketing gimmicks out there to make people buy what seems like healthier cook-ware, even though it still contains a version of the same chemicals). Also-- these chemicals can be woven into fabric, mixed into metal during the moulding process, applied as a powder, applied as a clear-coat, or mixed with a colored coating. You cannot assume that you will be able to identify them visually, so, when you call, you must provide all abbreviations and full names + spellings of each chemical compound (and then they usually give you "the run around" for a week or so IF they ever answer your questions at all---because sometimes it's a "trade secret"). It's all very sketchy and DuPont (manufacturer of Teflon) claims that off-gassing only occurs at really high temperatures, but there have been numerous documented/scientific and anecdotal reports of birds passing away at temperatures in the 300 F range (and again, it kills through closed doors and on different floors).
FYI- Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
A perfluorinated compound (PFC)
Teflon (a common brand-name of non-stick cookware containing these chemicals)

10- 12 hours nightly for sleep, so if you get up at 6 and make a bunch of noise, you will wake the bird up (even if they are still covered). If they wake up at 6, bed should be between 6-8. You want to keep it around the same time if possible (because that's how it is in nature).

Food- I leave a high quality mix of pellets and some seed in my bird's cage (no peanuts, no sunflowers, avoid fillers like corn etc)..Fruit/veg daily (more veg than fruit if at all possible--and not too much fruit). Citrus and fruits high in vitamin C should be given in extreme moderation because they can cause "Iron Storage Disease" (for a cockatoo, 1 small tangerine slice 1-2 times a week was okay, according to my vet). She gets something interesting/ cooked (no salt or sugar or unsafe spaces-- like a grain) 2x daily as well but she is picky as heck, so you have to watch it because some birds will fill up on one thing and not get proper nutrients or they will eat too much and become obese.


OH-- something I didn't mention in my last post-- stainless steel is really one of the only safe metals for them. Research the heck out of your cage and make sure that if it uses a powder-coating it is truly non-toxic. Birds can get metal poisoning from playing with sketchy toys (many made in China do not adhere to best practices) and just mouthing things like money, bolts, locks etc can cause toxic impacts...A man I know allowed his bird to play with un-used toothbrushes and (unbeknownst to him) there were small copper bits that held the bristles in place-- this nearly killed his bird even though the bird didn't actually swallow the pieces

 

[Flboy]

Welcome to you both!

 

[hagi]

Welcome and so happy to have you here.

Please, please wait for the bird to be fully weaned before bringing him home. There is absolutely NO reason to bring home a bird that isn't eating solid foods on its own. This will not help you bond and there is a very high likelihood of sickness etc due to inexperience in hand-weaning a new bird.

Please read this thread for detail-- seriously, things will be so much better if you just wait for the breeder to finish weaning the bird fully...
http://www.parrotforums.com/breeding-raising-parrots/74363-so-you-bought-unweaned-baby.html

^see above

thank you for the reply. i think i didn't fully explained my situation. the baby bird, lets call him hagi from now on, is already seperated from his parents and is being hand feeded by his owners who sells those as baby parrots. sperated from me having hagi, he is already hand weaning hagi. i was told the bond between the bird and his owner would be deeper if you'd be the one who hand weaning.

again i didn't ask/want him to seperate hagi from his parents but he was already is being hand weaning by the guy who is selling the parrot to me. if it was up to me, i'd wait till he is done with weaning started to eat solid foods.

thanks again for the links which i will sure read asap.

 

[noodles123]

I know- your bond won't be better whether you do the weaning or he does it. That is a myth. It often SEEMS that way temporarily (when they are babies, they do seem more attached to the person who feeds them, but it is temporary) and it all changes when they mature anyway. Often, a baby that is bonded to the person who fed them will actually PUSH AWAY at maturity....so you should let him finish the job of weaning. You can actually harm your long-term relationship by trying to wean a bird yourself when you plan to be the long-term care-taker...especially if you haven't had a ton of experience with hand-feeding.

 

[noodles123]

Think of this- a wild parrot doesn't spend its whole life with its parents. It leaves them to find another bird once it is old enough (even if it remains in the same flock).
Breeders often tell people birds bond better if you hand-feed them yourself, and this is just a lie. I am not saying that they are intentionally lying, but it is false and it is also very dangerous...early on, they DO appear more attached to their hand-feeder --as they would be to their parent (but that is because they are babies) and they will only be a baby for a very short time...once they are older, that bond doesn't usually remain as strong and sometimes actually goes away due to them "pushing" away..they want to find another bird...not mom or dad...
That is why I urge you to wait to bring the bird home until it is funny weaned and eating without hand-feeding. Too much can go wrong, it won't help your relationship and it can actually make things worse for you long-term (assuming the bird survives, which sadly, is not the case).

Let someone who knows what they are doing finish the hand-weaning. I promise, it will not harm your relationship if you are not the one to do it yourself.
Parrots ALL move in slow-motion as they get older, so a baby is going to be super easy to touch etc, whereas an adult bird (6 m to 1-year for a parakeet) is going to require much more patience and trust building, but this would be a necessity even if you hand-fed the bird.

Here is a quote from the first link I posted:
":The bird will NOT bond to you better, in fact it often DAMAGES THE BONDING PROCESS." <---http://www.parrotforums.com/breeding-raising-parrots/74363-so-you-bought-unweaned-baby.html

 

[Scott]

Welcome Irfan and Hagi, thanks for joining!

If I understand, the seller is currently hand-feeding Hagi but you will receive him in a few days. Your instinct is correct, allowing the seller to continue until weaning is best. Is there any way you can delay transfer until fully weaned? If you cannot, the link to "unweaned baby" thread is extremely important and may save his life.

 

[Ira7]

Welcome Irfan and Hagi, thanks for joining!

If I understand, the seller is currently hand-feeding Hagi but you will receive him in a few days. Your instinct is correct, allowing the seller to continue until weaning is best. Is there any way you can delay transfer until fully weaned? If you cannot, the link to "unweaned baby" thread is extremely important and may save his life.

The bird is already weaned. It’s just that the breeders are doing the hand-feeding now.

 

[noodles123]

Am I missing something? What I meant to say was, wait until the bird no longer requires hand-feeding of any kind..If the bird requires any feeding other than a OP putting food/veg/pellets/water in a dish, it is not ready to leave the breeder.

 

[Scott]

Welcome Irfan and Hagi, thanks for joining!

If I understand, the seller is currently hand-feeding Hagi but you will receive him in a few days. Your instinct is correct, allowing the seller to continue until weaning is best. Is there any way you can delay transfer until fully weaned? If you cannot, the link to "unweaned baby" thread is extremely important and may save his life.

The bird is already weaned. It’s just that the breeders are doing the hand-feeding now.

Hmm, I didn't get that impression from post #5.

 

[LaManuka]

Please please please, and we cannot stress this enough, do not bring home this baby bird until he has been fully weaned by the breeder and has been eating solid adult food independently for at least 2 full weeks, so ideally this would be around the age of 16 weeks and no less. It is a myth that the bird will bond more strongly with you if you finish off the hand-feeding. The period before being able to eat independently is a very precarious one for a young bird and there are so many things that can go wrong which will endanger his life. We see so many very sad stories here from owners who lose babies when they thought they were doing everything right, until suddenly something goes unexpectedly wrong, and I would hate for this to happen to you and your birdie.

 

[GaleriaGila]

I agree with our worried members, and I hope you can somehow wait until the bird is feeding completely independently. I *AM* glad that you're reaching out...

Good luck!

 

[Scott]

"noodles123" already posted, but once again respectfully for emphasis: http://www.parrotforums.com/breeding-raising-parrots/74363-so-you-bought-unweaned-baby.html

 

[hagi]

"noodles123" already posted, but once again respectfully for emphasis: http://www.parrotforums.com/breeding-raising-parrots/74363-so-you-bought-unweaned-baby.html

hi again,

if i read this post before , definiltely i wouldn't buy it. it is for sure. there is no forum like that in my country to inform you very detailedly.

so far we have the bird and he is and we are very happy to have each other. we are hand feeding hagi once in a 4-5 hours. we let him to decide the amount of food. if he gives up we eventually stop feeding. we boil water and let it cold. then prepare his food and give him with syringe.

he is basically on the floor all the time; pooping and trying to figure out everything in the room. he loves walking around. thank you again for your warnings, i will spread it to everywhere i can reach to prevent people to buy too young parrots here. at least i will canalize them to join this forum where they can learn a lot.

so far everything is fine, he is sleeping on our chests, he is always with us and my only pray is to stay like that.

 

[Scott]

"noodles123" already posted, but once again respectfully for emphasis: http://www.parrotforums.com/breeding-raising-parrots/74363-so-you-bought-unweaned-baby.html

hi again,

if i read this post before , definiltely i wouldn't buy it. it is for sure. there is no forum like that in my country to inform you very detailedly.

so far we have the bird and he is and we are very happy to have each other. we are hand feeding hagi once in a 4-5 hours. we let him to decide the amount of food. if he gives up we eventually stop feeding. we boil water and let it cold. then prepare his food and give him with syringe.

he is basically on the floor all the time; pooping and trying to figure out everything in the room. he loves walking around. thank you again for your warnings, i will spread it to everywhere i can reach to prevent people to buy too young parrots here. at least i will canalize them to join this forum where they can learn a lot.

so far everything is fine, he is sleeping on our chests, he is always with us and my only pray is to stay like that.

Thank you for understanding the challenges of raising an unweaned parrot. The linked thread should be of great help so Hagi has the best possible chance. Do you have a thermometer to ensure the formula is between 40C and 43C?