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Pictures Help needed with baby lovebirds

BirdLover000

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Hi, im new and i really need help and advice. Two days ago i got two bany lovebirds from a breeder in my area, we estimate they are about 2 and a half to 3 weeks old, i have had cockatiels and bidgies before but never lovebirds or baby birds, i am currently feeding them 4 times a day but it seems that there crops arent hetting very full. and they just want to hide all the time im worried about them as the one is not eating good out of the syringe i tried mouth feeding it and it seemed to woek better like that. They are currently staying in a shoe box with a towel in it and a warm water bottle under the towel as it is winter and is cold any advice is apriciated and please tell me if im doing something wrong
Thanks Sam
 

Hankmacaw

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echobird

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Keeping them warm is very important. A water bottle will get cold eventually and do more harm than good so it's best to get a heat pad. Or you could buy those hand warmers and leave them in their box. Is the food warm enough? And how much are you feeding?
I had a baby fischers lovebird who I handfed. He wouldn't eat unless the food was really warm. From what I read Fischers tend to do that.

Weigh them regularly and if they don't improve a vet should look at them.
 

BirdLover000

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We are going to town today and i will look for a heat pad because now i have to change to water all the time through the night to keep it warm, they are each getting about 3mls each feeding session i have also noticed the one (his name is Crunchie) only eats when the food is realy warm but the other (Peanut) dosent seem to mind as much, i think they are lutino peach faced lovebirds but im not sure. The first picture is crunchie with Peanut behind him/her and the second one is just crunchie. I also wanted to know how much they should be handles at this stage?? Thanks sam
 

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echobird

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They have an eye ring which peach faced lovebirds do not have. Definitely fischer lovebirds, possibly the Lutino mutation. I'm not good with lovie mutations.

Since they are fischers they prefer the food warmer. The breeder I spoke to told me that the formula should be around 103f and no more than 108f. I kept the formula at 105f.

Your babies look around 4 weeks. They are adorable!

You should handle them 4-5 times a day for at least 15 minutes.
Maybe start off with only ten minutes and increase the time as they get more comfortable with you.
 

BirdLover000

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Thanks for your advice echobird, i will try to make there food a little warmer and see if they are more eager to eat then. Can i use any thermometer to test the heat of the formula or does it have to be a special animal one?? And also they seem to just want to hide and crawl into things at this stage is that normal? Can it be caused by the cold because it is winter here so our house can get quite chillily
 

expressmailtome

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If the eyes are red, then it is a lutino Fischer's Lovebird. If not, then it is a dark-eyed clear yellow Fischer's Lovebird.
 

BirdLover000

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The eyes are not red so then they must be dark eyed yellow Fischer lovebirds
 

BirdLover000

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It is going very well with the babies, they are eating well and started pecking at the millit and some quava i put out for them :)
I am getting seed mix today and will put that out as well.
 

echobird

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Good to hear! Make sure to offer soft food(steamed yams, peas, carrots, corn,Etc) as well to get them started on fresh food. They won't eat it at first. But eventually they will try it
It's good to start early.

Keep us updated!
 

Mockinbirdiva

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Please… if you are going to use a heating pad to keep these babies warm you will need to have a folded towel ( or thick fabric like towel) between the heating pad and the bottom of the "outside" of the box. Do not place the heating pad inside the box. The lowest setting and only heat one half of the box in the event the temp is too warm for them they can move over to the cooler side. You can use a regular digital thermometer to test the temp of the formula. It cools quickly so you can always place your container with mixed formula in a bowl of same temperature water to keep the temp of the formula consistent from chick to chick. Feeding formula too cold can cause crop stasis and is a medical emergency so take precautions on your formula temp. It is normal for the babies to hide…. You've only had them two days…
 

BirdLover000

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I will try the steamed foods, and i am not using a heat pad as i live in a small town and couldn't find one so im still using the warm watter bottle but they are getting more frathers now so i dont think it will be necessary for much longer.
 

fidsmom

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A good thing to have on hand , when you have small chicks is a Snugglesafe disk, you microwave it, and it last hours staying toasty warm, I wrap a towel around the pink disk, so it does not burn the chicks. i paid around $ 45.00, but its so worth it, great also if you have sick birds too.
 
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