12 week old cockatiel still not weaning!

[Kestrel]

So my tiel, Ayrendi, will be 12 weeks old tomorrow and she is showing zero signs of wanting to slow down on her formula feedings.

That said she IS eating seed, pellets and veggies every day. She has been eating all three for a few days now. In fact she's chowing down on the seed and pellets right now as I write this.

My understanding was to keep offering formula until she rejects it in her own. But my understanding was also that at most this would happen by the time she was 12 weeks old. So I would have expected to see her showing less interest by now. Also, she's begun seeming to have a little more trouble getting the formula down the last few feedings, even though she's head pumping and making the static sound she will stop suddenly and then sneeze. She didn't used to do that and it's stressing me out for her. (she does not continue to sneeze the rest of the day, just right after formula feeding she sneezes like 5 or 6 times over a 5 minute period.)

Is it good/safe to keep offering her formula (I feed her 2x a day) at this point or seeing as she's eating plenty of seed and pellets can I just go ahead and stop? Or maybe drop it back to just feeding her formula at night?

I have tried offering the formula in a bowl, she ignores it. Also, she only cries for the formula when she sees the syringe, so maybe I'm triggering the habit for her?

I was going to just call my avian vet today and ask but they are closed so I'm hoping maybe someone here has been through something similar???

Thank you in advance!

 

[Princessbella]

Not all birds follow the rule book. Handfeeding is comfort for Ayrendi. Even though she is eating, she may not be eating enough on her own. I would weigh her every day and if she is gaining a lot of weight, I would cut down the feedings to a night feeding. She will stop when she is ready. Bella took 13 weeks to stop morning feedings and 14 weeks until she refused the syringe.

 

[Kestrel]

@Princessbella so she lost 1/8 ounce when I first brought her home as she wasn't eating much and she was learning to fly. She has gained that back plus 1/4 ounce. So technically she has gained 3/8 ounce over the last week. Is that excessive?
She weighs 3 and 3/8 ounces total.

 

[Princessbella]

Actually that is a good weight. Bella weighs exactly that. If she gains more, try decreasing her feedings to nighttime only or if she refuses them.

 

[tka]

@Zara is the person to talk to for babies taking a long time to wean - she's still feeding a lovebird whose siblings weaned themselves in February or March.

Having a bird who'll take food from a syringe is no bad thing if you ever need to medicate her. The important thing is to go at her pace and remove feedings only if she rejects them.

Check the consistency and temperature of the formula - if it's too thick she may be having trouble swallowing it.

 

[Zara]

Those sneezing sounds could be the formula is a little too thick or she has stopped swallowing and you are still pumping food.

When I was weaning Adelie, once she passed the normal age that other birds weaned at, I noticed that eventually she stopped crying to signal she was hungry, instead, like your Ayrendi, she would cry once she saw me with the dishes and the formula.
I also noticed she ate different, as time went by, she didn´t like to be supported, she like to stand and eat on her own from the syringe without me having my second hand on her.
Another thing was the way she ate, she stopped glugging food, instead, it was almost like she was eating it, not just swallowing it. That quick feed was no more, it took a lot longer for her to eat.
She also got heavy. Like very heavy. I believe it was because she was fully grown but still eating formula. She´s down to a normal weight now.

But my understanding was also that at most this would happen by the time she was 12 weeks old.

That is just a guide. There is no deadline for any bird.
My Adelie as a lovebird ¨should¨ have weaned at 7-8weeks... but it was 21. She weaned the other day. She was 5.5months old, 3.5 months over the average.

Just keep your eye on Ayrendi and make sure she is drinking water if she is eating normal food. And watch her weight for any weird changes.

She will wean, eventually



@tka She finally weaned over the weekend Pictures - 150 days of handfeeding | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

 

[Kestrel]

[QUOTE="Zara, post: 3063137, member:

Another thing was the way she ate, she stopped glugging food, instead, it was almost like she was eating it, not just swallowing it. That quick feed was no more, it took a lot longer for her to eat.

Pictures - 150 days of handfeeding | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum[/QUOTE]

Yes! She has been doing that. I have to give her little mouthfulls at a time otherwise it just goes everywhere.

I will try making it a little thinner. I've been measuring by the package directions but I always thought mine looked a bit thicker than the food the breeder was giving.

Thank you! And congratulations on Adelie weaning! that was a long time! Birds are so interesting. I feel like I'm just scratching the surface at understanding them.

 

[Zara]

Video - The princess eating her breakfast | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum
I posted a video 3-4 weeks before she weaned. You can see on the video she has breaks between eating. The syringe I used bust while I was videoing and I could only refill it more than half way each time. It was a 2ml syringe, so a really small one. Knowing that, you can really see how slowly she ate. At the time I made the video, she didn´t like my second hand near her (which I do mainly to keep the chick in place or so they don´t fall etc). She ate even slower as the days went by afterwards.

I will try making it a little thinner. I've been measuring by the package directions but I always thought mine looked a bit thicker than the food the breeder was giving.

The food shouldn´t be runny, but shouldn´t be dough like either.

Be sure to push any excess air out of the syringe too.

Adelie was handfed so long, but if you saw the dates, she was having 2 feeds for 6.5 weeks, and then literally within 2 weeks she weaned completely. She took her sweet time, but at the end, she weaned quick. The last feed, when I was just giving her the night feed, only lasted a week.

I don´t remember if your bird was clipped. Just keep an eye on her flight, I found Adelie to be very helicopter like, and quite clumsy. She would also get tired mid air and start going down so I´d put my arm out for her.

I hope this gives you a little reassurance

 

[Zara]

Hey @Kestrel , How is Ayrendi?

 

[Kestrel]

@Zara Hi! Sorry it's been a while, we had family staying with us from out of state so it's been a crazy month!
Ayrendi is doing great! She's weaned herself. She stopped taking formula at all a little over a week ago. She eats seed, pellets and veggies now. Broccoli and cauliflower are her favs but she also likes apple though I dont give it to her real often because of the sugar. I weighed her today and she is 3 and 3/8 ounces. I've also cut back on millet, she only gets it about twice a week now because she that's ALL she eats when its available.

Her feathers are slowly getting cleaner(as you can see from the pic) She initiated her own bath a few days ago and afterwards while she was still wet she actually let me work some of the caked formula out of her feathers with my fingers. I think she thinks it's like communal grooming because she nibbles gently at my fingers then let's me work at her feathers and so on. Its adorable actually.
She is getting better at flying every day. I have an appointment to take her to the vet soon just for a general exam. She doesn't seem to be producing much oil, like her feathers are very downy soft, water soaks into them immediately without beading and I want to make sure that's not something to worry about.
So overall I'd say she's doing very well. Her little personality is beginning to come out. She's very sweet and laid back most of the time but i will admit she does have her miss pissy pants moments LOL. Usually when she's tired. Also, she hates her harness. I've taken her outside twice. I'm not sure I will continue that because she gets SO mad when I put it on her and I don't want to ruin the bond we've been creating. She spends the majority of her time attacking the harness when we are outside anyway and I feel like maybe an outdoor flight cage might be a better option for her in future. We'll see.

Here is a pic I took a couple days ago! Just my bias opinion but I think she's getting cuter and cuter!

 

[Tiel Feathers]

Glad she’s doing so well. She’s precious!

 

[Zara]

That´s great! She´s a big bird now

Broccoli is a fave in our house - I think it is the millet like shape.

Be very careful cleaning those feathers. Soak and gently wipe, soak and gently wipe etc Don´t pick or it will pull feather out. It will all come out eventually. Best sit down and dedicate time to it and you can have her clean within the hour

´Tiels are dusty birds, they don´t produce oil like New world parrots do.

I´m so glad that things are going well for you both and you are creating a special bond, that´s awesome!

Maybe this will help with the harness:

I think she's getting cuter and cuter!

Me too, she´s adorable

I hope her vet visit goes smoothly