CAG keeps asking for food

[threat2society]

i have a 5 month old CAG and everytime i give her breakfast or dinner she doesn't eat it all and comes flying to me begging for food. i try taking her back to her bowl, but she just comes to me again. I'll attach a video.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

i have a 5 month old CAG and everytime i give her breakfast or dinner she doesn't eat it all and comes flying to me begging for food. i try taking her back to her bowl, but she just comes to me again. I'll attach a video.

How cute! She thinks she's still a baby and you're her mama. My hand raised budgie Rocky still comes over at mealtime wanting to eat off our plates instead of her food dish, which is kinda strange for a budgie because they aren't known for being social eaters with their owners.
I don't know if this "arrested development" in a CAG at five months is a problem that should be resolved or whether CAGs in the wild still practice parental care and feeding when their chicks are this old. I know that in some larger wild birds such as pileated woodpeckers, the chicks remain with their parents for most of the summer the year they hatched while their parents teach them how and where to find food, and I watch them feeding their fully grown chicks for quite a while. At the end of the breeding season the juvenile woodpeckers either leave or a driven off to establish their own territories.
Do wild CAG parrots (and other large parrots) have a similar long relationship with their chicks? That would seem to be a question for experts in wild parrot breeding behavior. Should your baby's behavior be discouraged? My gut tells me it's normal, he will eventually grow out of it, and that discouraging it may harm your relationship but I could be wrong.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I d

How cute! She thinks she's still a baby and you're her mama. My hand raised budgie Rocky still comes over at mealtime wanting to eat off our plates instead of her food dish, which is kinda strange for a budgie because they aren't known for being social eaters with their owners.
I don't know if this "arrested development" in a CAG at five months is a problem that should be resolved or whether CAGs in the wild still practice parental care and feeding when their chicks are this old. I know that in some larger wild birds such as pileated woodpeckers, the chicks remain with their parents for most of the summer the year they hatched while their parents teach them how and where to find food, and I watch them feeding their fully grown chicks for quite a while. At the end of the breeding season the juvenile woodpeckers either leave or a driven off to establish their own territories.
Do wild CAG parrots (and other large parrots) have a similar long relationship with their chicks? That would seem to be a question for experts in wild parrot breeding behavior. Should your baby's behavior be discouraged? My gut tells me it's normal, he will eventually grow out of it, and that discouraging it may harm your relationship but I could be wrong.

I did some more reading about CAG and Amazon parrot breeding and weaning behavior in the wild and not a whole lot is known, especially for African Greys, but it they say chicks stay with their parents for several months while learning independence. During this period the parents still feed the chicks when they beg but they also teach them to forage for their own food. Based this, as long as your baby is feeding himself too I think he's developing normally. You should be monitoring his weight every few days before his morning meal and if he starts losing weight you should take him to a certified avian vet for evaluation and professional guidance.

 

[Botsari]

I'd say the issue is whether she is eating enough. If so, then don't sweat it. Begging for food, and NOT getting it after a certain point is a process all young birds go through. This kind of behavior can still intermittently appear for YEARS after they have been fully weened. I would say show attention, but just put her back next to the food bowl. As I think was mentioned above, you can speed the process up by giving treats, but ONLY ones placed in the bowl that she has to get herself. Begging like this also plays a roll in bonding, so even a well fed bird may do it, and have their own formula for asking for attention. I'd say at 5 months she is perhaps slightly behind the average (psychological) weening curve, but nothing to worry about. Just make sure she is eating enough. She should probably be getting some pellets (available 24/7) for complete nutrition as well as chop at specific times for variety. If she is always hungry because she is not getting offered the complete nutritional deal, than that is a different problem - that would be something for you to fix. The breeder should have weened the bird ONTO something specific first, usually a high quality pellet, and exactly that is what she should be getting (at a minimum) for a while. Any responsible one would have made sure you knew what this was before handing her over. Make sure you know exactly what the bird eats when you are NOT around to beg from.

Also, nearly all the baby Greys I have had experience with did a LOT of dipping of pellets in their water for the first 6 months after weening. When you think about it this is the logical thing for them to do getting off of formula. Mine had all continued this (a little) as a life long habit, but my just weened birds did it a lot! I needed to change their water out 3 or 4 times a day. LOL So make sure the water is close by.

 

[LeaKP]

Yes to everything above. Greys are notorious for slow weaning. You’re on the right track.

 

[threat2society]

I'd say the issue is whether she is eating enough. If so, then don't sweat it. Begging for food, and NOT getting it after a certain point is a process all young birds go through. This kind of behavior can still intermittently appear for YEARS after they have been fully weened. I would say show attention, but just put her back next to the food bowl. As I think was mentioned above, you can speed the process up by giving treats, but ONLY ones placed in the bowl that she has to get herself. Begging like this also plays a roll in bonding, so even a well fed bird may do it, and have their own formula for asking for attention. I'd say at 5 months she is perhaps slightly behind the average (psychological) weening curve, but nothing to worry about. Just make sure she is eating enough. She should probably be getting some pellets (available 24/7) for complete nutrition as well as chop at specific times for variety. If she is always hungry because she is not getting offered the complete nutritional deal, than that is a different problem - that would be something for you to fix. The breeder should have weened the bird ONTO something specific first, usually a high quality pellet, and exactly that is what she should be getting (at a minimum) for a while. Any responsible one would have made sure you knew what this was before handing her over. Make sure you know exactly what the bird eats when you are NOT around to beg from.

Also, nearly all the baby Greys I have had experience with did a LOT of dipping of pellets in their water for the first 6 months after weening. When you think about it this is the logical thing for them to do getting off of formula. Mine had all continued this (a little) as a life long habit, but my just weened birds did it a lot! I needed to change their water out 3 or 4 times a day. LOL So make sure the water is close by.

thank you so much ☺️ it's been a week or two and she has stopped doing it . not completely , but definetly a lot less