need weaning advice (abundance)

[jaja87]

Just a little background information: We have a 10 week old African grey who was still on 3 feedings a day. He had his first vet visit yesterday to check up on him but wanted to ask others about the info I got from her regarding weaning.

the one thing the vet recommended was dropping him down to two feedings a day rather than the 3 we have been giving him. It just concerns me a little because I was planning to let him really control when his feedings would decrease in number. When I got home, he was wanting to be fed as per usual but I didn't give in today. I just want to make sure that I fully support him and from the readings and research that I've done, I felt that I should feed him until he decides that he doesn't want it anymore. Does anyone else have any experience with abundance weaning that could give me any advice?

 

[JLcribber]

I was planning to let him really control when his feedings would decrease in number.

That is the meaning of abundance.

It's also the meaning of slowly introducing "real" healthy food which they need to be taught to eat.

 

[CheekyBeaks]

It is important to let him tell you when he is ready to give up feeds but for an inexperienced eye stages in development can be easily missed and if windows of development are missed it can effect normal development.
I would recommend giving his normal morning feed and then immediately give him some grown up food to eat, a bowl of pellets and a bowl of fresh foods cut into manageable pieces. Sit with him and offer small pieces from your hand. Most babies that start off with a handfeed will then go off and eat on their own independently afterwards. Once you know he is ingesting food on his own and you can feel it in his crop you can cut back the 2nd feed a little if you need to and see how he goes. Make sure there is always a bowl of pellets available and I would be offering fresh food 2-3 times per day and give a full normal handfeed going to bed.
I will say that babies being raised on their own without siblings or parents are at a disadvantage and are usually slower to reach developmental stages, babies raised in groups tend to develop faster and more confidently.

 

[jaja87]

Thanks for the responses. I'm definitely not gonna cut back his feeds. I'm not in a rush to wean him. I just want him to grow with confidence and become an amazing companion

 

[jaja87]

When I look at the age people are selling weaned greys around where I am(12-13 weeks), it seems way too early and I'm guessing most of these fids are deprivation weaned which I'm really not comfortable with. I wonder what's worse. Selling a deprivation weaned baby, or selling a baby to someone and letting them take over the hand feeding. I'm super comfortable handfeeding my fid but to someone who isn't, I can definitely see the challenge. There are a lot of people against selling unweaned or semi weaned birds, but I believe a responsible breeder should definitely teach the skill of hand feeding. It is so important to know in case of regressive behavior, having to give medications, etc. There are so many bird owners who never learn the skill. My partner and I eventually want to become breeders. My policy will be education before a family adopts a baby. The potential owner will come in multiple times during the baby's growth and learn everything they need to know about care and maintenance as well as be a part of the handfeeding process so that they learn this skill.

 

[JLcribber]

I wonder what's worse. Selling a deprivation weaned baby, or selling a baby to someone and letting them take over the hand feeding.

Two wrongs don't make a right. They're both terribly wrong.

 

[CheekyBeaks]

When I look at the age people are selling weaned greys around where I am(12-13 weeks), it seems way too early and I'm guessing most of these fids are deprivation weaned which I'm really not comfortable with. I wonder what's worse. Selling a deprivation weaned baby, or selling a baby to someone and letting them take over the hand feeding. I'm super comfortable handfeeding my fid but to someone who isn't, I can definitely see the challenge. There are a lot of people against selling unweaned or semi weaned birds, but I believe a responsible breeder should definitely teach the skill of hand feeding. It is so important to know in case of regressive behavior, having to give medications, etc. There are so many bird owners who never learn the skill. My partner and I eventually want to become breeders. My policy will be education before a family adopts a baby. The potential owner will come in multiple times during the baby's growth and learn everything they need to know about care and maintenance as well as be a part of the handfeeding process so that they learn this skill.

Both are very wrong, babies should not be sold unweaned or sold force-weaned, both ways will eventually lead to behavioural issues later in life. For a baby to be raised well in captivity it needs to be flock weaned and raised in it's own time, A baby raised on it's own even with an experienced handraiser will be at a disadvantage and may never fully develop physiologically .
I'm not experienced raising greys but from what I understand 18 weeks old age is a more realistic age to a baby to be independent.