Weaning question

[Arno]

Quick question to the parronts.

When i started feeding my little one mashed veggies, pumpkin and sweet patato and fruits etc. in the afternoons he started eating less and less of his AVI finisher porridge in the morning and evening where he sometimes even "runs" away after only 2 or 3 spoons.

I assume its because he is becoming a "big bird" now and wants to eat more veggies etc instead of the porridge or maybe even trying to loose some weight as he also at the point of flying now as he is exercising his wings any chance he gets.

He is almost 3 months now and his weight is currently at 517grams

 

[Kodigirl210]

If he doesn’t want to eat - no need to feed it as long as he is eating pellets/veggies/fruits. All babies wean at different times. The breeders in San Diego finish by 12 weeks. The one in Arizona 16 weeks but it is definitely up to each individual birb.

Since you boy is already 517g I wouldn’t be too worried any way. That is adult weight.

If you haven’t started pellets definitely do that now. Let him eat them soaked at first unless he already knows how to grind and eat hard food. If not-definitely soaked pellets and try some Cheerios to get him used to the grinding motion.

Good Luck

 

[Arno]

Thank you. Maybe i am just stressing for nothing but i only want the best for my fids.

Yip he still gets his porridge in die mornings and evenings and then he also gets the following after that.

1. mixed vegetables(all kinds but still likes it mashed and chopped)
2. "cooking mix" its healthy seeds you cook for them as part of their daily dietary intake
3. Pellets(soft ones that crumbles easy) and
4. Fruits

This morning again he only took 3 spoons of porridge and ran away but when i started chopping his veggies he wanted to eat it through plastic container because according to Chilli i wasnt fast enough to his liking

Directly after i made his "chop"(+-15min after his porridge) and placed it in the cage he started eating it so he definitely eats it.

I just dont want to "force" him to eat his porridge as he is still young and needs it as my avain vet said to feed him the porridge twice a day till about 6months and then 1 feed of it in the night for the rest of his life.

 

[Kodigirl210]

@Arno - I’m not sure why the vet told you that. Your CAG does not need the formula at all. You are giving him plenty of food. Once he is eating pellets the formula just becomes unnecessary. Please do you and your boy a favor - stop feeding him the formula. It will stop you from stressing because you aren’t trying to force him to eat formula and he will stop stressing because you won’t be chasing him around trying to force him to eat it. He weighs as much as fully grown CAG. He still needs to learn to fly and will probably need to actually lose some weight in order to do that. Your boy is fine. Respect him as the wonderful birb you have worked to grow into such a fine CAG. No more formula

 

[Arno]

Lol yip why i said not forcing him if he is done with the porridge i leave him and give him his food.

He flew for the first time last night about 2 metres from the couch he plays on onto my lap like a pro. Dont know who was more surprised me or him.

I am in contact with Chilli's sibling owner and she said the hers also started eating less and less of that porridge and more veggies etc so looks like its time to be big birds now

I even read here on AA that most people give the porridge formula night "comfort feedings" to their AG for the rest of their lives.

 

[Kodigirl210]

I’m pretty sure your CAG is much older than 12-weeks. He is too large, feathered and your trying to say you basically had him weaned at 10-weeks old. I would check with the breeder on the true hatch date.

Also don’t post generalities that are patently untrue about other members. No one that I know feeds comfort feeding past the time their CAGs are truly & completely weaned. That would be in a range of 3-6 months and occasionally longer. In some rare cases for medical reasons, they may be fed longer than normal but that is not the same as the false justification you were giving for forcing your CAG to eat formula.

Best of luck!

 

[Arno]

@Kodigirl210 Woah why so aggressive?
Yes i did check with the breeder his hatch day was 21/11/2018 and she has been breeding AG's for more than 25 years and registered with CITI'S.

And before you accuse me of something wrong i did a search on the AA search option for comfort feedings and there are alot off people on here who say its a good thing to give formula night comfort feedings with a spoon as it contains alot of good nutrients and if your parrot is sick one day then feeding medicine will be easier.
Please do yourself a favour and search it yourself if you dont believe me i even attached a schreen shot of the first page and there are more!

And i have never forced him to eatthe formula. He eats the amount he wants and if he doesnt want it anymore i stop feeding it to him so please dont make your own accusations

I’m pretty sure your CAG is much older than 12-weeks. He is too large, feathered and your trying to say you basically had him weaned at 10-weeks old. I would check with the breeder on the true hatch date.

Also don’t post generalities that are patently untrue about other members. No one that I know feeds comfort feeding past the time their CAGs are truly & completely weaned. That would be in a range of 3-6 months and occasionally longer. In some rare cases for medical reasons, they may be fed longer than normal but that is not the same as the false justification you were giving for forcing your CAG to eat formula.

Best of luck!

 

[Arno]

No wonder people are to scared to write or ask for help on here with reactions like yours! I truly came here for advice and answers not to be attacked and falsely accused

I’m pretty sure your CAG is much older than 12-weeks. He is too large, feathered and your trying to say you basically had him weaned at 10-weeks old. I would check with the breeder on the true hatch date.

Also don’t post generalities that are patently untrue about other members. No one that I know feeds comfort feeding past the time their CAGs are truly & completely weaned. That would be in a range of 3-6 months and occasionally longer. In some rare cases for medical reasons, they may be fed longer than normal but that is not the same as the false justification you were giving for forcing your CAG to eat formula.

Best of luck!

 

[ncGreyBirdLady]

@Arno I'm sure that Kodigirl did not mean to come across as aggressive. Your baby is totally adorable and I think you are doing everything right for your baby.They do try to lose some weight so they can fly! Then they could become a ravenous hand feeding baby again for awhile!Personally I would wean babies by offering smaller feedings followed by the fruits/veggies/pellets etc etc instead of just eliminating a feeding altogether .The formula takes the edge off the hunger and the baby is more apt to try ALL sorts of other foods offered ! when he stops wanting hand food at a feeding,then I eliminate that feeding.As for offering a comfort feeding -I still make a batch of hand formula once in awhile and offer it warm with a spoon to ALL of my fids and the youngest baby here is 9/10 years old! Having them used to being spoon fed hand food is a great way to give medications if ever needed. Please do not be afraid to ask questions-You can Pm me if you need to!

 

[Arno]

Thanks alot for the advice @ncGreyBirdLady i really appreciate it and assures me that i am on the right path.

The breeder also called me today to check up if everything is going good and if the baby settled in nicely and she also confirmed exactly what you told me now and also suggested the night comfort feedings is a good idea and that all of her AG's still get theirs also and they still love it even if its just one spoon full and her oldest one is 39 years.

Will definitely keep feeding the formula for as long as Chilli still wants it. Trying to expose him to many different types of food and to give him a well balanced diet from a young age as i want him to be healthy and happy and the food he doesn't eat goes to the neighbourhood birds and they also appreciate it.

I dont have kids so he is my fid and only want the best for him. I cant even go to town without buying him a new toy. I even bought a steamer to make him more healthy veggies

Again thank you for the advice and will definitely pm you if i need advice again. I can see you truly love your fids very much.

@Arno I'm sure that Kodigirl did not mean to come across as aggressive. Your baby is totally adorable and I think you are doing everything right for your baby.They do try to lose some weight so they can fly! Then they could become a ravenous hand feeding baby again for awhile!Personally I would wean babies by offering smaller feedings followed by the fruits/veggies/pellets etc etc instead of just eliminating a feeding altogether .The formula takes the edge off the hunger and the baby is more apt to try ALL sorts of other foods offered ! when he stops wanting hand food at a feeding,then I eliminate that feeding.As for offering a comfort feeding -I still make a batch of hand formula once in awhile and offer it warm with a spoon to ALL of my fids and the youngest baby here is 9/10 years old! Having them used to being spoon fed hand food is a great way to give medications if ever needed. Please do not be afraid to ask questions-You can Pm me if you need to!

 

[aooratrix]

If a baby bird wants a feeding, they should get it, period. People and scientists have observed parents offering comfort feedings to babies past the one year mark. Unless a baby has had security issues or a health problem, like a minor infection, it will wean when it's time. When the bird enters "thinning", or shedding weight prior to flight, it will likely cut out a meal. I didn't see mention of flight, but a 12 week old should be flying.

My macaws will take a comfort feeding if offered, and I maintain that practice, as it's a good vehicle for administering meds, of you ever have to. Keep feeding Chili when he wants it. He'll be happier & more secure.

 

[Arno]

@aooratrix thank you i also believe if they scream for food i will give it to them for as long as they want it and i also feel a comfort feeding is the way to go no matter how old he is and ncGreyBirdLady also confirmed it so happy with that.

Chilli had his first small flight last night but today nothing so far so he is getting there. By small i mean from the couch reat arm to my lap. He was realy surprised about it his flight last night.

@ncGreyBirdLady the breeder called me again and suggested to make the porridge formula thicker and not so runny anymore and mix in some pumpkin as he realy loves it. She said he doesn't want to be "fed" anymore and wants to eat on his own so i tried it and he ate 57grams of that mix before he was done. He ate it out of the spoon on his own and i just kept on filling up the spoon for him so i will take that as a big win!

 

[ncGreyBirdLady]