What am I doing right? and wrong?

[mercedes98]

I have had my baby Senegal home 5 days. I know it is early but I don't know if I am doing things right or wrong. I hold him off and on for short periods throughout the evening putting him back in his cage or on a perch to rest drink or eat if wanted. The last couple days I have noticed he seems like he is trying to get me to "feed" him like I am mom. He bobs his head and opens and shuts his mouth rapidly while trying to reach for me. He has been weaned for 3 weeks. When I obviously don't feed him he seems to get frustrated and kind of tries to bit but not really hard or anything. I tell him no but he seems to get flustered and try even harder. I try to distract him with treats but he is not even a little interested in any treats. I have tried all different kinds. He doesn't even really care if I pet him or scratch his head or neck. There have been 3 times when he snuggled into my elbow and my shirt and buried his head and kind of cuddled and seemed content. Now it seems like he doesn't ever want me to pet him or scratch him. He constantly tries to fly off if I don't let him on my shoulder. Any ideas on what to do? he just doesn't seem happy.

[marie83]

You say he has been weaned for 3 weeks but may I ask how old he is? Its just that he may have been forced weaned before he was ready.

[Pajarita]

Freshly weaned babies ALWAYS regress when they go to their new home so you need to handfeed him. Very few breeders wean abundantly and following each baby's personal schedule...

[mercedes98]

He is 14 1/2 weeks. I don't think he was force weaned. I went to see him several times while he was at the breeder. She seemed to be doing everything right. She won't sell a bird to someone she hasn't met and from day one she wouldn't ever give me a date of when he would be weaned or when I would be able to bring him home because she told me that she doesn't force her birds to be weaned before the were ready.
I worry that I am not doing something right or that I am doing something wrong.

[marie83]

No your not doing anything wrong. I don't believe all birds regress as none of the young I had ever did but it is common. Plus parents quite often give their young supplementary occasional feeds after weaning in the wild. I wouldn't feed your bird every time it begs (unless he isn't eating unaided at all which certainly shouldn't be the case) but its good to do it sometimes, you can start off more frequently and then decrease feedings.