Decision- Bring My Baby Sun Home or Not?
- Thread starter Ketikat
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Ketikat
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Skittles- Jenday Conure
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So, this is the update. It appears they were feeding him larger feedings to try to wean him off the middle feeding. So his crop slowed down & they decided to stop doing that & are back to 3 smaller feedings a day. When I saw him, his crop was fairly empty and there was no foul smell by his beak. He has gained some weight, and he is more active- moving around his cage & screeching. Of course, I got the "You know, if he were home, he'd be weened by now, because they wean so much faster at home." I 've been practicing my stink eye for my parrot when he misbehaves, so I quickly flashed one and he responds..."of course, we won't send him home till he's ready."
Question- of course, my baby is getting older & is now beaking...not biting, just beaking, which I know is normal parrot behavior. The thing is, some people say- don't let the parrot beak you at all, discourage it from the get-go to avoid problems later. Other say- beaking is normal and as long as it doesn't hurt, it's OK. Thoughts??
Question- of course, my baby is getting older & is now beaking...not biting, just beaking, which I know is normal parrot behavior. The thing is, some people say- don't let the parrot beak you at all, discourage it from the get-go to avoid problems later. Other say- beaking is normal and as long as it doesn't hurt, it's OK. Thoughts??
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Grraarrgghh
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- "Albert" - Female Red Bellied Parrot - 1y3m (Oct 8th, 2014), "Martha" - Unknown Yellow-Sided GCC - 11m (Feb 13th 2015)
You'll never stop total beaking.
Anyway, my two cents from recently weaning a bird that took extra time:
I got Albert at 9.5 weeks. He was still on 3 feedings a day. It took 15 weeks (total) for him to be completely weaned. This included a gradual reduction in formula being fed, (never more than 12% of his total body weight) and constant (and I mean CONSTANT) pushing of new foods, pellets, and treats.
For a long time, the only thing he would eat was millet, but eventually started eating others. His progression went Millet > Carrots > Some Harrison's > Broccoli > Some Zupreem Fruit (stopped feeding it because it made his poop colored) > Nutriberries. I credit Nutriberries as the catalyst. Literally bird crack. I also started grinding Harrison's pellets in a 50/50 mix with his formula, which I think gave him a taste because he started eating a lot more pellets after that.
Why are they weaning him onto seed instead of pellets? Seed is awful for parrots (unsprouted) and then you'll just have your hands full switching him over to pellets later on.
Also force-weaning parrots is a massive no-no. I would not purchase a bird that has been force-weaned, for a myriad of mental issues this can cause in the bird (then again, I was cocky enough to buy an unweaned parrot). Abundance weaning has been the method amongst reputable breeders for years.
The first thing I would do once you take is get a fecalgram done by the vet. It will tell you if he has viral, fungal or bacterial complications related/leading to crop stasis.
Anyway, my two cents from recently weaning a bird that took extra time:
I got Albert at 9.5 weeks. He was still on 3 feedings a day. It took 15 weeks (total) for him to be completely weaned. This included a gradual reduction in formula being fed, (never more than 12% of his total body weight) and constant (and I mean CONSTANT) pushing of new foods, pellets, and treats.
For a long time, the only thing he would eat was millet, but eventually started eating others. His progression went Millet > Carrots > Some Harrison's > Broccoli > Some Zupreem Fruit (stopped feeding it because it made his poop colored) > Nutriberries. I credit Nutriberries as the catalyst. Literally bird crack. I also started grinding Harrison's pellets in a 50/50 mix with his formula, which I think gave him a taste because he started eating a lot more pellets after that.
Why are they weaning him onto seed instead of pellets? Seed is awful for parrots (unsprouted) and then you'll just have your hands full switching him over to pellets later on.
Also force-weaning parrots is a massive no-no. I would not purchase a bird that has been force-weaned, for a myriad of mental issues this can cause in the bird (then again, I was cocky enough to buy an unweaned parrot). Abundance weaning has been the method amongst reputable breeders for years.
The first thing I would do once you take is get a fecalgram done by the vet. It will tell you if he has viral, fungal or bacterial complications related/leading to crop stasis.
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Ketikat
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Skittles- Jenday Conure
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Saw my baby and he is now down to 2 feedings a day. Still not eating as much fruit/pellets/seeds to be weaned. Of course, the owner throws in a quarter of a whole apple instead of slicing/dicing it, which may be a contributing factor. Luckily, the sun seems to like pellets more than seeds. Grraarrgghh, maybe I'll buy some Nutriberries and take them to the store. I agree that force weaning should never happen (I just draw parallels from human children). I feel so bad for the little fellow, which is why I was considering bringing him home, doing a vet check & try to wean him myself, slowly with love and care for the bird instead of trying to get him out of the store.. Now that he's down to 2 formula feedings, and he's 13 weeks old, should I consider bringing him home? I'm concerned about his long-term, emotional well-being. I've already seen a bug change in his personality, and I know some of it has to do with getting older, but some of it might come from the anxiety caused by not having his needs met. 
Grraarrgghh
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If you are even half-serious about weaning as a newbie, please read this page multiple times before you do. It is what got me ready for, and helped me through hand feeding Albert.
Hand feeding can be very dangerous if you are not fully prepared for it, do not have the right equipment, and are not watching for the correct things.
https://theparrotuniversity.com/arthandfeeding1
Hand feeding can be very dangerous if you are not fully prepared for it, do not have the right equipment, and are not watching for the correct things.
https://theparrotuniversity.com/arthandfeeding1
Personally, i would take him home. You love him, they dont. You care sbout his welfare, they dont seem to.
I think he is at the age now where you are pretty much out of danger with most things. Just make sure you have read up, are familiar with hand feeding and, you know what problems to look for.
Last week i had two 10 week old GCCs thrust upon me in an emergency situation. I had only ever hand reared a bird once over 20yrs ago, but, i am very proud of myself. I have managed to get one of them totally off formula (he just refused it. Had no choice) the second one only has formula for breakfast. So, it can be done.
Good luck whatever you decide.
I think he is at the age now where you are pretty much out of danger with most things. Just make sure you have read up, are familiar with hand feeding and, you know what problems to look for.
Last week i had two 10 week old GCCs thrust upon me in an emergency situation. I had only ever hand reared a bird once over 20yrs ago, but, i am very proud of myself. I have managed to get one of them totally off formula (he just refused it. Had no choice) the second one only has formula for breakfast. So, it can be done.
Good luck whatever you decide.
JerseyWendy
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I'd only recommend you bring him home if they properly show you how to handfeed - and more than just once. 
Then, if you feel comfortable with it, then yes, bring your baby home!
Then, if you feel comfortable with it, then yes, bring your baby home!Ketikat
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Skittles- Jenday Conure
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Sorry, it's been a while. So, the store called me & said he was weaned & ready to go. It was a bit of a fib, wheat they meant was, they refused to feed him, and he hadn't died yet.
I brought him home and he was not eating anything, he was chirping & wing flipping. The only thing he knew how to eat were sunflower seeds. So I bought some Zupreem natural pellets in the cockatiel size and started to hand feed him...pellet-by-pellet, literally for 1/2 hour at a time. He would open his beak & I would place the pellet in his lower mandible and it fit in perfectly. He dropped them at first, but with patience & persistence, he finally started eating them on his own! So now, he is successfully off seeds & formula and is eating his pellets. HURRAY!!! What a difference it has made, his feathers look better, he is more active & has definitely become my "velcro" bird. LOL Now if I can only get him to eat fresh fruit & veggies, but I guess one thing at a time, eh?
I brought him home and he was not eating anything, he was chirping & wing flipping. The only thing he knew how to eat were sunflower seeds. So I bought some Zupreem natural pellets in the cockatiel size and started to hand feed him...pellet-by-pellet, literally for 1/2 hour at a time. He would open his beak & I would place the pellet in his lower mandible and it fit in perfectly. He dropped them at first, but with patience & persistence, he finally started eating them on his own! So now, he is successfully off seeds & formula and is eating his pellets. HURRAY!!! What a difference it has made, his feathers look better, he is more active & has definitely become my "velcro" bird. LOL Now if I can only get him to eat fresh fruit & veggies, but I guess one thing at a time, eh?
JerseyWendy
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YAYYYY!!!
You know you can't do that right? You can't just make such an update without showing us any pictures....pleeeeaaseeee.....with baby on top???
Don't know if you've ever seen this link, but it has a lot of awesome info on how to get your bird to eat a variety of things:
http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-...7-converting-parrots-healthier-diet-tips.html
You know you can't do that right? You can't just make such an update without showing us any pictures....pleeeeaaseeee.....with baby on top???
Don't know if you've ever seen this link, but it has a lot of awesome info on how to get your bird to eat a variety of things:
http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-...7-converting-parrots-healthier-diet-tips.html
Ketikat
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- Feb 20, 2015
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- Chicken- Red Sun Conure
Skittles- Jenday Conure
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Yep,1k for a Red Sun...I know it's overpriced, most breeders sell them for $600-$800 + shipping. I didn't buy him for the color though, I bought him because I fell in love with the little fellow. Besides, I'm making a 20 year investment, right? 
thekarens
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Yep,1k for a Red Sun...I know it's overpriced, most breeders sell them for $600-$800 + shipping. I didn't buy him for the color though, I bought him because I fell in love with the little fellow. Besides, I'm making a 20 year investment, right?
I don't see anything with picking a color if that's the species you want [emoji5]
Ketikat
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Skittles- Jenday Conure
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YAYYYY!!!
You know you can't do that right? You can't just make such an update without showing us any pictures....pleeeeaaseeee.....with baby on top???
Don't know if you've ever seen this link, but it has a lot of awesome info on how to get your bird to eat a variety of things:
http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-...7-converting-parrots-healthier-diet-tips.html
Thanks for the link! and without further delay.....here he is.....CHICKEN! LOL I call him that because he doesn't really screech much, instead, he does this low-pitched, squawking like a chicken.
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JerseyWendy
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Oh he's GORGEOUS! No doubt - you are over the moon with him! :smile015: Worth the wait??? (just kidding, I know it was worth every single second )
(just kidding, I know it was worth every single second )
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