New Senegal Baby

[LindiS]

Hi all, I've just had a lovely little Senegal join my family... Will be doing dna sexing at the earliest so I can name the poor thing Any advice and guidance from other Senegal owners would be welcome... Can't believe the character and tenacity this little bundle of feathers is already showing...I'm completely and utterly in love!

[Harpmaker]

Welcome to the forum, LindiS! Tell us more about your baby. How old is he/she? We love pictures, especially of babies.

Advice at for young ones tends to be similar for all the youngest parrots, regardless of subspecies. Don't overwhelm them. If they avoid you when you approach the cage, back-off. Consider giving them a place to "hide", like a cover on one side of the cage. Be aware that many babies regress on their weaning when moved to a strange place and may need soft food several times a day (think warm--not hot! oatmeal or baby food).

I assume you've got the advice on cage size(biggest you can afford), and the other stuff will wait until after you have bonded with your new buddy.

Enjoy the forum and your bird!

[LindiS]

Hi there... Gizmo is 5 weeks old and currently being hand reared by my mom who has experience raising parrots from this early age. And don't worry, our avian vet is also supervising and overseeing the whole process... I know many people freak out at the thought of an unweaned baby
He / she has already grown leaps and bounds in the week he's been with us... We are all amazed! He's already decided baby mush is so "yesterday" and is enjoying a much thicker consistency than the breeder recommended. He's also figured out how to climb out of the snug little box we have him in and gone for a somewhat unsteady walk about! Lol! Already his legs are working better than they were yesterday.
I can't wait for my little one to come home... Once he's eating on his own, I will feel confident enough to look after him myself ... I can't wait!!!
Trying to upload pics but keep getting an "invalid" error message

[LindiS]

Gizmo was introduced to his temporary budgie cage today... he's still too little to put into his actual cage... he'd get LOST in there Already trying to figure out how to get out!! haha!!

[Pajarita]

Congratulations on your new baby. He is beautiful but that cage is not good, my dear. It's too small even for a baby and he can't climb the sides. He needs a larger cage with horizontal bars and perches of adequate diameter (toes should go around but claws should not meet) low to the ground so he can start learning how to perch in safety. Also, at 5 weeks, he needs to be kept in the dark most of the time or his vision will not develop correctly (there are studies done about this and this is the reason why parrots raise their babies in dark cavities). You don't need to DNA, as he grows his adult plumage, you will be able to tell the gender.

[LindiS]

Hi there, yes the cage is just a temporary measure while he is at my mom's this week... we actually have a lovely big cage waiting for him at our place, with horizontal bars He currently spends most of his time out of the cage at Mom's.
Thank you for the advice on keeping things dark for him... we have noticed he likes to "hide" ... will put a box in the bigger cage for him when he comes home this weekend so that he can hide in there.

Can you elaborate on the info re his plumage? I was led to believe there is no difference between the male and female senegals...

[Wolf]

You must look closely but there is a difference in the vest, there is a difference in the head size and shape, there is a difference in the way that they perch.
The v shape of the vest is higher on the males thereby showing more yellow than the female, the male has a larger and flatter head and the male perches standing up while the female perches sitting down. These differences are easier to see in you can see a male and female side by side and they may not be seen until the parrot has become an adult.