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Did I wean too early?

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Did I wean too early?

Postby ashclayy » Wed Oct 03, 2018 9:59 am

Hi All,

I recently purchased my baby Senegal from a breeder a couple of months ago. She will be 5 months old on the 15th of the month. I had been hand feeding regularly for a month and a half per the breeder's instructions. I was feeding twice a day for a month and then began to only do nightly feedings. Moved to every other day nightly feedings for a couple weeks until I pulled her off of the formula completely a couple of weeks ago. When I would feed every other night, she would take approx. 3ccs- sometimes more, sometimes less.

She is all about fresh foods, pellets and the occasional seeds. She is always in her bowl eating. I weigh her everyday and she sits around 115-117 grams. (Which seems to be a tad less than average)

I don't know if its her baby antics that she still has or what; but every morning when I get her out of her cage she head bobs with her mouth open like she is begging for formula. When I feed her her morning veggies (I warm them) she takes the produce in her mouth and bobs like she would on a syringe.

My question is- did I wean her too soon? I think she would still have interest in the formula if I presented it to her (a few ccs at least). I've read some conflicting articles online, some say handfeed until the bird shows absolutely no interest, and then the breeder I purchased her from gave me instructions on how I am to wean. (Feeding twice a day for 2 weeks, then nightly feedings and every other morning feeding for a week, to then every night feeding for a week, to then every other night feeding for a week)

Bottom line is I just want a healthy, happy baby bird and I want to make sure I do everything in my power to see that happen.

Thank you!
ashclayy
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 5
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal Parrot
Flight: No

Re: Did I wean too early?

Postby Pajarita » Wed Oct 03, 2018 10:18 am

Hi and welcome to the forum! Personally, I would not follow any breeder's instructions. Not because I think they would lie to me or even tell me something they know it's bad for the bird but because they don't regard birds the same way we do. I mean, to us, a baby bird is like a child with feathers we got so we can love but, to them, a baby bird is merchandise to be sold and the parents are breeding stock. Nobody who knows about parrots and loves them would even consider breeding them for the pet trade selling the babies to whoever has the money to pay for them so...

Personally, I would hand-feed the bird for as long as the bird asks for it. It's the way the parents would do it and nature always knows best. When my mother had my older brother, she was told to feed him every three hours - period. Even if he was crying after two hours, she was to wait. When I was born a few years later, my mother was told by the doctors at the hospital and my own pediatrician not to feed me at night at all so I would "learn" to sleep all night long. But now all doctors tell new mothers to feed the baby whenever the baby asks for it because not all babies are the same. So, if I had to handfeed, I would never follow a pre-determined schedule as the breeder told you, I would feed whenever the baby asks for it. And she asks for it early in the mornin because that's when birds eat the most and when parents would feed their babies in the wild.

What you can do also is put out two different kinds of soft food, served fresh and warm twice a day. This will not only help wean the baby correctly [it's called 'abundance weaning method], it will also teach her to eat a better diet [pellets and/or seeds should not be free-fed].
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes


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