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Someone help please?

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Kimba

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at this point you need to monitor his weight! He could be sick, or he could be need comfort, and/or he is really hungry. If he is losing a significant amount of weight you need to the vet ASAP, but if he is eating and trying to regress, then a tiny amount of formula IN THE EVENING would be fine. Evening because, it would be more about comfort than hunger. I would also do the warm mashes and I would eat my meals with him to encourage him to eat. But weights are very important right now.
 

Angelicarboreals

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Okay guys, I have the new video of the behavior, this is what he has been doing almost nonstop since last night.

YouTube - Checkers
 

Kimba

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that is classic begging behavior, I would say he is regressing, in which case you might need to provide some formula in the evening, and do the warm mashes during the day, along with millet, fruits and veggies, sprouts.......

and if he has been bagging like that since last night that is a problem, he needs to eat. Mashes or formula.......he needs something
 

Nikki

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Where is Avery when Checkers does this? If Augie & Aubrey are not in seeing distance from one another they act very agitated and will call back and forth nonstop.
 

thejoie

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Have you tried offering him some soft warm foods?
That is definitely begging!!
 

piercesdesigns

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He needs some formula (with veggies or fruit pureed, IMO). He is hungry and that is definite begging.
 

Angelicarboreals

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I don't have formula, and do not have a way to get any until tomorrow. I have tried oatmeal, warm mashed vegetables, and he won't take them. To be honest, if I would have known I would have to deal with this I would have never got him. Maybe he should have stayed at the breeders longer? I feel awful because the rest of my flock is getting no attention at all through all of this because I have never dealt with raising baby birds.

However, we finally did get him to eat something tonight- my worst enemy, SEEDS. :( :( :( :(

I am freaking out guys, we are leaving for the mountains tomorrow afternoon and my boyfriend is NOT HAPPY at all about this, because we have already been having problems lately. This trip this weekend was meant to be a way for us to get away and work on our relationship and it is non refundable. My boyfriend has already spent $700 on this trip, and I have not done anything tonight to get ready for it at all. No packing, nothing. I have to be up at 4:30 in the morning to get the dog to the kennel and then to school, and I still have homework due tomorrow that I have not even touched yet. I am crying as I type this, what am I supposed to do? I am wondering now if I can't take him to the vet tomorrow and let them keep him (and feed him) until I get back. I have not fed baby birds in years and even then it was with someone experienced watching me, so I don't have help if he doesn't continue to eat something.
 

thejoie

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what about a puree?
I make puree for Summer all the time and handfeed her that.. usually some squash or pumpkin or even some fruit puree..
warm it up.. that's an important part..
He might want it a little bit more watery.
Some birds regress... Mia did for a few days. As soon as I figured out what it was and she knew that I knew what she wanted... she stopped!

If you're leaving for a weekend it might be a good idea to let the vet care for him. He'd be able to get formula into him.

How old is Checkers?
 

piercesdesigns

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I would definitely get the vet to care for him. Load off YOUR mind and then you can enjoy.
 

Angelicarboreals

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Checkers was hatched 8/9. His estimated weaning date was 11/10, he got here 11/14 and has been absolutely fine up until last night.
 

Kimba

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thats a tough situation, do you have baby cereal? you can mix that with warm water as well (temporary formula), and let him eat the seeds! it's ok, you can change that later, food is what is important right now. Some babies regress...that is always the chance you take. but it's ok.

load his cage up with food! what every you have, use a lot of it. apple sauce with cooked rice, mash, cherrioes, sprouts.....whatever you have. Baby food, oatmeal......

give him nothing else to do but play with food, hang it, put it in dishes.....go crazy. use enough for 4 birds, it will be wasted but that is ok, it will make him explore it, and hopefully eat something.
If you have some sort of hut that can go on the bottom of the cage that will help, when I raised caiques I found that they were very comforted by having the ability to retreat into a hut. They ate better and ultimately became more confidant birds. you might want to try that. You can use a small cardboard box, or a plastic guinea pig hut, both work well.

Cover the cage half way, fussy babies often lose the focus and forget to eat.

leave him be when you give him his meals, you will only distract him from eating, and provoke his begging behavior.

I don't know what to tell you about going away, but the above needs to be done
 

bookworm

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maybe taking him to the vet and having them watch him is a good idea. he is a very cute and sweet little guy. sorry you are going thru all this stress.
 

M-Nature

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I agree that boarding sweet little Checkers at the avian vet is the best solution. He is an adorable bird, but you are under a lot of pressure right now and baby could be picking up on your tension. Leave him in the hands of an expert and come back refreshed. :hug8:
 

rockoko

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:eek: I'm just seeing this now Angela. I agree he can't be left alone for a long period of time. You will also be more at ease and can relax on your trip if the avian vet takes care of Checkers.
I wish you the best :hug8:
 

Thugluvgrl187

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:hug8:
 

Angelicarboreals

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Okay, here is the deal. :) I was not able to get Checkers to my vet this morning due to school issues (they do not open until after I had to be at school), and if they do board him it would cost me over $100 as I will not be back in time to pick him up on Saturday, so he would have to stay until Monday.

This morning Checkers ate seeds again :( At least he is eating something I guess. I also gave him about four different kind of pellets and vegetables. I gave him a little bit of time (about 30 minutes with me not there) and came back and he was still at the food bowl eating. I can tell he is eating the seeds much better than the pellets because the pellets of course crumble and it is hard to gauge how much of those he is getting.

I have went out today and bought handfeeding formula to give him tonight, my pet sitter was a vet tech for some time before switching to pet sitting, so if he begs when I get home at least I have the food to feed him at home.

I have a small syringe as well, I know the handfeeding formula I bought (Kaytee exact) says mix one part water with one part formula. Do I just offer this to him in the syringe? How hot should it be?

I helped feed baby birds (macaws, senegals, and cockatiels) when I worked at the pet store in 2004, but that has been several years ago and those babies were fed with a spoon (I don't think Checkers was) and the formula was premixed for me by my boss.

Oh, in case it matters, his poops look normal.
 
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birdlvr466

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I would just offer it on a teaspoon. I wouldnt want a pet sitter trying to feed with a syringe. My birds will eat right out of a small glass dish with me holding it. I wish I lived near you, I would take care of Checkers for you. :)
 

WingedVictory

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Please make sure your pet sitter keeps in touch with this forum. Everyone here is willing to help but we need updates from the pet sitter also.

gary
 
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