Help please. Baby Alexandrine is retarded

[marie83]

I would try syringe feeding (or off a spoon) rather than crop feeding. Crop feeding is very invasive and generally should only be done if a bird isn't eating.

[Wolf]

Crop feeding is very invasive and is dangerous as well. I would check with your vet about syringe feeding as it is not as dangerous and is not as invasive, it will also help to stimulate the feeding reflex in the bird . Crop feeding will not stimulate the feeding reflex.
The least invasive is to spoon feed the bird, but the bird needs to want to eat for it to work, You would also want to bend the sides of the spoon up just a bit to better control the flow of the formula. The spoon feeding is the messiest but is by far the better way to go if the bird will eat from the spoon.
I would talk to your vet about these alternative ways of feeding the bird and get instructions on how to do it correctly as well.

[Ashleigh253]

Hi Liz,
So I stopped crop feeding him from last night. Cries in the morning and when I got home like crazy. I weighted him. He put on 13gr in10 days. Will see how he goes without the baby formula. His wings are clipped but he can fly so super well much better than the ringneck. He hit his head to the door a few times and im kinda worried. What can I do to discourage him from flying towardz the doors?

[liz]

There is not much that a normal person can do about a birdy flying into the door. I am not normal. I would hang something bright colored onto the door to create a more visual wall. It would be like putting tape on a window to show the wild birds that it is not open for them to fly through.

If it was me I would continue hand feeding until he just plane refused it. It is a comfort that his parents would give him.

[marie83]

I agree with liz keep hand feeding him from a spoon or syringe until it is refused. Your parrot sounds like he is improving no end so it would go some way to preventing any set backs

[Wolf]

I would also continue to hand feed him, just not crop feeding him, try either using a syringe where you can place a little bit in his beak and allow him to eat that and continue in that manner, or try using a spoon so he can just eat out of it by himself. I would continue with twice a day feedings until he refuses to eat one of them and just drop to one time a day until he refuses that as well.

While they are designed to withstand crashing into some objects when first learning to fly, I don't think that it was doors that nature had in mind for them to crash into, so perhaps just hanging a blanket or a sheet in front of the places that he crashes would help to prevent any injury. I would also consider placing perches near these places to give him other options to flying into the door or whatever, he will figure these things out quickly , it is just a matter of him learning to control his own body while flying.

I am very glad that he is improving so much.

[Ashleigh253]

Hi and thanks soo much everyone for trying to help.me out,

He has been eating alright on his own yesterday. Stayed at 193gr this morning when I woke him up for breakfast so he has been eating alright. Ive been putting all seeds and nuts and pellets in the cage for him in both bowls and dish to make it easier for him to eat.

We did tried syringe and spoon at the vet but he refused to eat thats why Adrian had to teach me crop feeding but need not to worry, he was really thorough .

We will see in 2 days how he goes. Fingers crossed he will eat on his own from now on cause I dont like crop feeding at all .

[marie83]

If he is feeling better now he probably will eat from a syringe or spoon now. I would keep trying because besides it being a comfort to him now it is good training for the future in case he ever needs medication.
Of course it is up to you but the easy route isn't always the best one.

[Chantilly]

It is great that all is good.
Here is a good video on spoonfeeding a baby bird, an you see, eventually the baby gets a hang of it and tries to get as much as possible by shaking the spoon and just gulping it all up.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-p-rw32KhHk

[liz]

The reason we are pushing you to feed him is not so much that he does not eat enough. It is the comfort of being fed. Even if he only takes one mouthful he will know that you gave him that act of love that his parents and even other flock members give to their babies.

Story: Friskies, a baby Starling was one I hand fed to rehab after taking him from the cat. When he was big enough to set free I put him out the window to be with the flock in my back yard. He begged and they all took turns feeding him until he came back to the window. When I put him out without the other birds he begged from my chicken. Chick Chick, who taught him to peck for food. He had the need to be comforted even though I fed him well and he was eating on his own. Even my chicken knew this.

Another long story: Jasmine, a newborn Chihuahua, had to be bottle fed even though her mother was in the same house. I thought she was retarded and had to keep her since no one else would put up with a 1 year old who could not be house broken until she was 1. She did not learn to climb up and down steps until she was 2 and followed how the chicken went up and down the steps instead of how the dogs did it. I sometimes hated her for causing me so much extra work. I have not kept track of her age. I always have to go back to Vet records to total age but I think she is about 5. I have had many exceptional pets but this girl is almost not for real. She is so loving that she wants to be with me a lot but plays well with dogs and cats. She listens to what I say unlike the others who really try to ignore me. If I give her a treat then tell her "no more" she will be happy with the one I gave her. The others just keep begging. She follows directions and really listens and tries to follow my instructions. The newest thing is "go around". She has never been able to jump up so I stacked things on the other side of my bed to climb on. When she comes and wants picked up I tell her "go around" and she caught on when some of the smarter dogs have not. She now seems to me to be the perfect little dog. I have loved all my critters but this one softened a spot in my heart.