Baby's Poo and how to help wean.

[Ameer]

Hello Friends, my baby african grey named Koko is now 54 days old. I would like to know how do I start the weaning process? I hand feed him cerelac like 47ml 3 times a day. but what kind of soft food shall I introduce in his cage?
And from past two days, I think his poop is a bit more liquid form and he has become difficult for hand feed as he tried to run away when feeding him. I tried putting in a small piece of banana, orange, sweet melon and sweet potato in this cage which he did not even touch it.

can anyone shed some info on this. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks guys.

 

[NirAntae]

From my understanding, babies go through a period of refusing feedings just before they fledge, an instinct to help reduce the weight for the first flight. (A lot of more inexperienced folks think that is when they are weaned, which is frequently not the case and the cause of a lot of 'reversion'.) Not sure where you fall on that timeline though, I don't know the 'proper' times for Greys offhand.

I know for weaning, a lot of people offer a few pellets soaked in some warm water, in addition to cooked grains and/or soft/cooked fruits and veggies or various sorts. Basically, just keep offering! Eventually he'll figure it out. If you show him what to do (eat some yourself) all the better!

 

[Birdbabe]

Cerelac? Is that a baby bird food?I dont think so, but, can you get some EXACT, or some KAYTEE,,those are baby bird foods..
@Greycloud
@greys4u
@Hankmacaw

 

[Birdbabe]

Bump!

 

[iamwhoiam]

Isn't that a bit young to start working on weaning for an African Grey? Isn't Cerelac baby food? Are there hand feeding formulas for birds where you are located?
I used softened pellets, Cheerios, millet, cooked veggies, and fruit as weaning foods for my red-bellied parrots. Hopefully someone who has experience with hand feeding and weaning African Greys will post some info for you.

 

[NirAntae]

Isn't that a bit young to start working on weaning for an African Grey? Isn't Cerelac baby food? Are there hand feeding formulas for birds where you are located?
I used softened pellets, Cheerios, millet, cooked veggies, and fruit as weaning foods for my red-bellied parrots. Hopefully someone who has experience with hand feeding and weaning African Greys will post some info for you.

Certainly too young to expect them to be done weaning, but I don't think it's too early to begin offering tidbits to try and tempt their interest and get them used to the idea.

 

[TikiMyn]

@melissasparrots your expertise could be used again I think Maybe @Laurie can offer Some insight too

 

[iamwhoiam]

BTW, are you weighing him daily? It's good to keep records of how much the baby weighs along with how much he is eating at each feeding. How long have you had him?

 

[Laurie]

I don't know much about greys but in general you can start offering weaning food as soon as babies are picking things up. First they will ignore it, then play with it then eat it eventually. It is a process. Just keep handfeeding and offering weaning food at the same tume. They will naturally start eating more of the weaning food and less handfeeding formula. He will wean long after he starts flying not before.

 

[Ameer]

Hey guys, just to clear the doubt, with cerelac i mean bird baby food. I give them Psittacus baby hand feeding formula AKA cerelac for babies. Sorry my bad. But yes, now he is 57 days old and weighs 525 grams. i am giving him Psittacus 47ml almost 3 times a day but i keep gap of 8-9 hours or until his crop is empty. Please shed some light, i am trying my best to offer him mashed potatos, egg, sweet potatos, bananas but all to vain..he just swings his head and all comes out. then i end up giving him his baby food.I read on some website that he should be least interested in the baby food and i have to offer him soft foods so that he starts to wean...but i am failing to make him like soft food. thats why i am worried. is their a website which can guide on the number of days it takes and what sort of food quantity in ml i have to give. and what should be his ideal weight now.
I hope i have told you the exact scenario much clearly.
Thanks for all your efforts guys.

 

[Ameer]

Also, do i have to keep him really hungry, like usually i keep him hungry for 8-9 hours and then offer him soft food, but should i keep him hungry for like 10-11 hours so that he will eventually be interested in eat the soft food and after he consumes little, i can then offer him his baby food in order to suffice.

 

[NirAntae]

If he is picking it up/beaking it and then flinging it away, he's fine. He's still young enough that you wouldn't really expect him to actually be consuming much, if any. Being interested in it and not running away in fear is really your only goal right now. Don't make him hungry; that's just asking for psychological issues that can stick with him his whole life. Abundance weaning is definitely the way to go. He'll get there in his own time, don't worry. Just keep offering lots of good soft foods. All the ones you listed are great; you can also try well-cooked beans, broccoli, carrots, etc. as well as a couple of pellets soaked in water so they're soft.

 

[Laurie]

Also, do i have to keep him really hungry, like usually i keep him hungry for 8-9 hours and then offer him soft food, but should i keep him hungry for like 10-11 hours so that he will eventually be interested in eat the soft food and after he consumes little, i can then offer him his baby food in order to suffice.

I formation that I found says he will start weaning at 12 weeks so you have a ways to go. You should keep feeding the handfeeding formula along with offering the additional food in his cage for him to explore.

He will eventually start eating the other food on his own but in the meantime he will continue to each the formula as his source of nutrition.

It is normal for him to eat less and less formula over time but I would keep him on three feedings for now. Basically, when he is not inteintere in his midday feeding but is not losing any weight then you can try going to two feedings a day.

I have baby caiques and they are older than your grey and they are still on three feedings. They eat other foods but not enough to sustain themselves.

Keep up the good work, patience is key. You still have a couple months of handfeeding. Also single chicks sometimes take.longer to wean.