3-4 Week Old Quaker Parrot. Help!

[Tara13S3]

Hello,

I am sure I will get a lot of criticism, however, I really just need advice. A friend of mine purchased a baby quaker parrot 3 days ago and was told it was about 3 weeks old when purchased. She was told to hand-feed 10ccs every 4-5 hours. HORRIBLE BREEDER to sell one this young, especially to someone inexperienced. Long story short she became overwhelmed and asked if I would take it on. I agreed only because I have some prior experience with baby birds (Hand feeding fledglings after momma was killed by a cat). I still am not comfortable enough to consider myself knowledgeable for raising a healthy baby parrot though. I understand this is a very intensive and delicate thing to do and should only be done by experienced breeders. However, I want to give this little guy the best chance of survival and happy life. Any advice is appreciated.

From my research so far, I have him in a large plastic bin with old pillowcases lining the bottom with a heating pad under the bin to provide warmth. He also has a fuzzy small blanket to curl up in. When I got him (Yesterday) I fed him 9.5 ccs of exact hand raising formula that was reading 103-105 degrees Fahrenheit and he did great. My plan so far is to feed every 4-6 hours or once his crop has emptied. We had an issue last night with his crop not emptying and I contacted a local avian vet that recommended 1-2 ccs of unflavored Pedialyte. I gave him some this morning and in about 5 minutes he passed a large poop. After that, I fed him about 10 ccs reading 102-104 degrees Fahrenheit and he seems to be in good spirits! He is preening and curious about his new surroundings. I'm not sure how old he is and the "breeder" did not provide much information. He is weighing in at 96 grams, from research it seems that he is a little underweight for a 3-4 week old - hoping someone can provide some advice on how old he most likely is my the provided picture and current weight.

1) I read they that should be weaned around 8-10 weeks. How do I do this? What food is best to put in with them for foraging on their own? When should I start putting food in the cage for him?
2) At what age do should I introduce toys for enrichment? When can he be held and bonded with?
3) How should he be during the day? Sleeping mostly is what I assume, but should he start moving around his bin when awake at all?

 

[Tara13S3]

Hello,

I am sure I will get a lot of criticism, however, I really just need advice. A friend of mine purchased a baby quaker parrot 3 days ago and was told it was about 3 weeks old when purchased. She was told to hand-feed 10ccs every 4-5 hours. HORRIBLE BREEDER to sell one this young, especially to someone inexperienced. Long story short she became overwhelmed and asked if I would take it on. I agreed only because I have some prior experience with baby birds (Hand feeding fledglings after momma was killed by a cat). I still am not comfortable enough to consider myself knowledgeable for raising a healthy baby parrot though. I understand this is a very intensive and delicate thing to do and should only be done by experienced breeders. However, I want to give this little guy the best chance of survival and happy life. Any advice is appreciated.

From my research so far, I have him in a large plastic bin with old pillowcases lining the bottom with a heating pad under the bin to provide warmth. He also has a fuzzy small blanket to curl up in. When I got him (Yesterday) I fed him 9.5 ccs of exact hand raising formula that was reading 103-105 degrees Fahrenheit and he did great. My plan so far is to feed every 4-6 hours or once his crop has emptied. We had an issue last night with his crop not emptying and I contacted a local avian vet that recommended 1-2 ccs of unflavored Pedialyte. I gave him some this morning and in about 5 minutes he passed a large poop. After that, I fed him about 10 ccs reading 102-104 degrees Fahrenheit and he seems to be in good spirits! He is preening and curious about his new surroundings. I'm not sure how old he is and the "breeder" did not provide much information. He is weighing in at 96 grams, from research it seems that he is a little underweight for a 3-4 week old.

1) I read they that should be weaned around 8-10 weeks. How do I do this? What food is best to put in with them for foraging on their own? When should I start putting food in the cage for him?
2) At what age do should I introduce toys for enrichment? When can he be held and bonded with?
3) How should he be during the day? Sleeping mostly is what I assume, but should he start moving around his bin when awake at all?
4) I know not to microwave it so I put the bowl of the formula in really hot water until it gets to temp, but how do I keep his food at the correct temp when feeding?

 

[Tara13S3]

I will post pictures soon. Also, can I give electrolytes to him once a day to ensure he is hydrated? When will he need a shallow water dish and begin drinking water?

 

[Shezbug]

@Zara

 

[Zara]

Hello Tara,

On top of the pillowcases, line the container with aspen shavings (you can use coarse pine if can´t get aspen, but not fine pine and never cedar).

96g means that the 9.5CC or 10CC are good amounts to be feeding.

How should he be during the day? Sleeping mostly is what I assume, but should he start moving around his bin when awake at all?

Hard to say without knowing the age of the bird.

When can he be held and bonded with?

I try to hold chicks as little as possible until they are fully feathered. As the pins start coming through, I will hold for a minute or two, once the feathers have grown and the chick has preened the sheaths off, they are able to spend a little more time out of their brooder.

I know not to microwave it so I put the bowl of the formula in really hot water until it gets to temp, but how do I keep his food at the correct temp when feeding?

Boil the kettle, then let the water sit for a few minutes. Use the boiled water to mix into the formula powder to make it. To keep it warm, submerge the container you have the formula in, in a second larger bowl of boiled water (Bain Marie). Keep a candy thermometer in the formula so you can read the temp to be sure it doesn´t cool down too much.
This video Laurie made should help you, she explains the formula making process very clearly;

can I give electrolytes to him once a day to ensure he is hydrated?

You don´t need to. If you see he has red skin, that is a sign of dehydration. You can offer some pedialyte or unsweetened coconut water as and when needed.
If you use the correct ratio to mix your formula, your bird should be getting enough water.

When will he need a shallow water dish and begin drinking water?

Once you start introducing solid foods/adult foods (non-formula) that is when you need to offer water. Until then, chicks get all the moisture they need from formula feeding.

This write-up will help you;

RESOURCE: Weaning Baby Parrots - Association of Avian Veterinarians Handout

Check out this great new handout from the Association of Avian Veterinarians. I was happy to be involved in this project by providing some of the pictures of the weaning parrotlets and caiques. The text is wonderful and instructive. It is down to the letter how I raise my birds. Pat Pecora did...

forums.avianavenue.com

 

[Zara]

Duplicate threads merged to contain all information and responses in one place

I´ll tag @Laurie too

Not sure if anyone has quaker chick experience, maybe @BrianB

I´ll also tag some other members with experience hand rearing baby birds @finchly @Mockinbirdiva @Matto

 

[BrianB]

Sounds like @Zara covered it all. I would get a kitchen scale and weigh the little one each morning before you feed it. The scale should list in grams or have an option to switch to it. There should be some weight gain every day. I try to keep a notepad nearby and record how much was fed and how much weight was gained each day. As the bird weans, you can expect the weight to drop a little as it burns off baby fat and starts to build muscle for flight. Share some pictures when you can. We all love seeing baby birds and watching them as they mature.

 

[Zara]

I try to keep a notepad nearby and record how much was fed and how much weight was gained each day.

There´s a grid posted over in the hand feeding thread, you can print it (or copy it on a notepad) and fill it in each day to record age, weight, feeds (amount + time):

Some helpful links about hand feeding :)

With these Links-I hope to bring You as Much information as I can to help anyone that finds them selves having to Hand feed A chick Lots of tips for Breeders-with links for Hand feeding etc http://www.parrotscanada.com/breeder...rbreeders.html A new way to Hand feed-With a Cup...

forums.avianavenue.com

To add,
Be sure you are monitoring the humidity inside the brooder with a hygrometer. If it get´s too dry it can cause dehydration. Ideal is somewhere between 60-65%

 

[Laurie]

Hi there, Zara gave you pretty much all the info I would have right off the bat. If you can post a picture of the bird that would help. Age is not as important as the level of development so with a picture we could better judge what else you might need to do. Best wishes with the baby.

 

[Tara13S3]

Hello,

I am sure I will get a lot of criticism, however, I really just need advice. A friend of mine purchased a baby quaker parrot 3 days ago and was told it was about 3 weeks old when purchased. She was told to hand-feed 10ccs every 4-5 hours. HORRIBLE BREEDER to sell one this young, especially to someone inexperienced. Long story short she became overwhelmed and asked if I would take it on. I agreed only because I have some prior experience with baby birds (Hand feeding fledglings after momma was killed by a cat). I still am not comfortable enough to consider myself knowledgeable for raising a healthy baby parrot though. I understand this is a very intensive and delicate thing to do and should only be done by experienced breeders. However, I want to give this little guy the best chance of survival and happy life. Any advice is appreciated.

From my research so far, I have him in a large plastic bin with old pillowcases lining the bottom with a heating pad under the bin to provide warmth. He also has a fuzzy small blanket to curl up in. When I got him (Yesterday) I fed him 9.5 ccs of exact hand raising formula that was reading 103-105 degrees Fahrenheit and he did great. My plan so far is to feed every 4-6 hours or once his crop has emptied. We had an issue last night with his crop not emptying and I contacted a local avian vet that recommended 1-2 ccs of unflavored Pedialyte. I gave him some this morning and in about 5 minutes he passed a large poop. After that, I fed him about 10 ccs reading 102-104 degrees Fahrenheit and he seems to be in good spirits! He is preening and curious about his new surroundings. I'm not sure how old he is and the "breeder" did not provide much information. He is weighing in at 96 grams, from research it seems that he is a little underweight for a 3-4 week old - hoping someone can provide some advice on how old he most likely is my the provided picture and current weight.

1) I read they that should be weaned around 8-10 weeks. How do I do this? What food is best to put in with them for foraging on their own? When should I start putting food in the cage for him?
2) At what age do should I introduce toys for enrichment? When can he be held and bonded with?
3) How should he be during the day? Sleeping mostly is what I assume, but should he start moving around his bin when awake at all?

 

[Tara13S3]

Hello Tara,

On top of the pillowcases, line the container with aspen shavings (you can use coarse pine if can´t get aspen, but not fine pine and never cedar).

96g means that the 9.5CC or 10CC are good amounts to be feeding.


Hard to say without knowing the age of the bird.


I try to hold chicks as little as possible until they are fully feathered. As the pins start coming through, I will hold for a minute or two, once the feathers have grown and the chick has preened the sheaths off, they are able to spend a little more time out of their brooder.


Boil the kettle, then let the water sit for a few minutes. Use the boiled water to mix into the formula powder to make it. To keep it warm, submerge the container you have the formula in, in a second larger bowl of boiled water (Bain Marie). Keep a candy thermometer in the formula so you can read the temp to be sure it doesn´t cool down too much.
This video Laurie made should help you, she explains the formula making process very clearly;

You don´t need to. If you see he has red skin, that is a sign of dehydration. You can offer some pedialyte or unsweetened coconut water as and when needed.
If you use the correct ratio to mix your formula, your bird should be getting enough water.


Once you start introducing solid foods/adult foods (non-formula) that is when you need to offer water. Until then, chicks get all the moisture they need from formula feeding.

This write-up will help you;

RESOURCE: Weaning Baby Parrots - Association of Avian Veterinarians Handout

Check out this great new handout from the Association of Avian Veterinarians. I was happy to be involved in this project by providing some of the pictures of the weaning parrotlets and caiques. The text is wonderful and instructive. It is down to the letter how I raise my birds. Pat Pecora did...

forums.avianavenue.com

Thank you so much, the pictures I provided were from this morning, I think I have his feeding down a lot better now from your tips! I had him on aspen shavings but I read that they may eat them?

 

[Zara]

I had him on aspen shavings but I read that they may eat them?

It´s not uncommon for baby birds to chew on/beak the shavings. Monitor closely to be sure he´s not ingesting any. You can switch over to coarse pine if you feel worried.

 

[Lori:D]

I’m sorry I don’t know much about breeding and stuff
Good luck little guy!
Cant wait for updates

 

[Birdie Mama]

He is adorable!!! Cannot add anything to what has been given but just wanted to let you know I think it’s great you stepped in to give this little guy a fighting chance! Will you be keeping him or giving him back once weaned?
I don’t know if I could give him back myself but I fall in love with everything but spiders…

all the best to you.

 

[Tara13S3]

He is adorable!!! Cannot add anything to what has been given but just wanted to let you know I think it’s great you stepped in to give this little guy a fighting chance! Will you be keeping him or giving him back once weaned?
I don’t know if I could give him back myself but I fall in love with everything but spiders…

all the best to you.

I will be keeping him, I have wanted a parrot for years and have done more research about them than I think she ever did. I would never have bought an unweaned baby, but the place she purchased from obviously just cares about the money, not the bird's wellbeing. It was an impulse buy and she was not fully prepared or ready to take on this kind of commitment. Not bashing my friend but we have an agreement that if I am going to raise him, he will be my bird and if she wants money for him I will gladly give her some. I love this little guy so much already and I just want him to be safe, happy, and healthy!

 

[Laurie]

1) I read they that should be weaned around 8-10 weeks. How do I do this? What food is best to put in with them for foraging on their own? When should I start putting food in the cage for him?

I think Zara posted a link to a handout about weaning. I did not write it but I was in on the editing a little bit and it basically explains how I also wean my babies almost down to the letter. Up until he learns to fly I would keep him in a bin with solid sides, once he learns to fly you can put him in a cage with wire like normal. Babies will play with food first then eat but that is part of the learning process. Once he is interested in picking things up you can provide pellets, soft diced veggies and other interesting foods. Just whatever you would feed a full grown bird is fine. Some people like to stick with pellets only for awhile so they learn to eat pellets rather than favoring others foods. I usually offer pellet dry and soaked once or twice during the day and veggies and or seeds once a day so that they can learn both but still try and eat pellets instead of just the other food. I personally do not offer water until I put them in a cage since they are still eating mostly formula which gives them enough hydration. If you do offer water put it in a very shallow bowl and don't offer it until he is perching. They can fall in and drown if it is deep. Parrots dip in their beaks scoop water and tip their heads back to drink so it doesn't have to be deep water.

2) At what age do should I introduce toys for enrichment? When can he be held and bonded with?
Spending time with him when you feed him is sufficient for taming but since he is a lone baby you might spend a bit more time with him. I generally like my babies to grow up being independent so I encourage exploring and independent play. Put out some toys and interesting things he can pick up and just watch him and talk to him and enjoy the time after he has eaten. You can put small toss toys or foot toys in his bin.

3) How should he be during the day? Sleeping mostly is what I assume, but should he start moving around his bin when awake at all?
Babies go from mostly sleeping to very active with naps in between as they grow so basically he will get more and more active as he grows up.

Once he is covered in contour (his green adult feathers) feathers you can remove the heating pad and he will be comfortable at normal room temperature.

good luck! I can't wait to see him grow up

 

[Tara13S3]

Once he is interested in picking things up you can provide pellets, soft diced veggies and other interesting foods. Just whatever you would feed a full grown bird is fine. Some people like to stick with pellets only for awhile so they learn to eat pellets rather than favoring others foods. I usually offer pellet dry and soaked once or twice during the day and veggies and or seeds once a day so that they can learn both but still try and eat pellets instead of just the other food. I personally do not offer water until I put them in a cage since they are still eating mostly formula which gives them enough hydration. If you do offer water put it in a very shallow bowl and don't offer it until he is perching. They can fall in and drown if it is deep. Parrots dip in their beaks scoop water and tip their heads back to drink so it doesn't have to be deep water.

Thank you for the advice! It is all greatly appreciated. What pellets do you recommend?

 

[Tara13S3]

From the pictures I provided, about how old does he look to be? I'm thinking right at 4 weeks, maybe getting close to 5.

How long can he go each night without being fed? His last feeding is normally around 10-11 pm and his morning feeding is around 7-8 am.

He is also very messy during his feeding which I read is from him "quaking" and completely normal. I wipe him down during feeding but it seems that formula drys on pretty fast. He has some spots that are practically cemented on, I have tried warm water on a rag and let it sit for a minute...not working and he gets really fussy when I try to clean him. I don't want to pick/pull it either and risk hurting him, but I know it is unsanitary to allow it to sit on him. Any tips/tricks for a cleaner feeding and getting crusty formula off?

 

[Laurie]

From the pictures I provided, about how old does he look to be? I'm thinking right at 4 weeks, maybe getting close to 5.

How long can he go each night without being fed? His last feeding is normally around 10-11 pm and his morning feeding is around 7-8 am.

He is also very messy during his feeding which I read is from him "quaking" and completely normal. I wipe him down during feeding but it seems that formula drys on pretty fast. He has some spots that are practically cemented on, I have tried warm water on a rag and let it sit for a minute...not working and he gets really fussy when I try to clean him. I don't want to pick/pull it either and risk hurting him, but I know it is unsanitary to allow it to sit on him. Any tips/tricks for a cleaner feeding and getting crusty formula off?

I honestly don't know what Quaker babies look like at which ages but the info I provided is based on how he will look developmentally so for those purposes age wouldn't matter, since sometimes babies mature are different rates it is better to look for benchmarks especially if you do not know the exact age. The birds I raise usually wean at 14-16 weeks but it can vary so I just go buy how they are developing and behaving rather than the age.

For dried on formula I try and wet it and then crush it with my fingernails to break down the clump without pulling the feather. If you can break it up a bit it will dissolve better with water or a wet cloth. It sounds like the time between feedings overnight is fine. Does he seem super desperate to eat in the morning or does he seem relaxed. Most times they are not expending much energy overnight and can comfortably go longer. It also depends on the food and how much he ate before bed. I would think at this stage 8-9 hours is fine.

As you get used to feeding him and seeing how he reacts you will probably be able to tell if he is desperately (in his mind) hungry or not. The best gauge of proper feeding is to see that he is gaining weight each day up until he is learning to fly. He may slightly lose weight then or maintain it. Once it is steady again after learning to fly you should look for him to maintain that weight through weaning. Once he has maintained his weight without needing formula for about two weeks you can consider him weaned.

 

[Wally&Eva]

From the pictures I provided, about how old does he look to be? I'm thinking right at 4 weeks, maybe getting close to 5.

How long can he go each night without being fed? His last feeding is normally around 10-11 pm and his morning feeding is around 7-8 am.

He is also very messy during his feeding which I read is from him "quaking" and completely normal. I wipe him down during feeding but it seems that formula drys on pretty fast. He has some spots that are practically cemented on, I have tried warm water on a rag and let it sit for a minute...not working and he gets really fussy when I try to clean him. I don't want to pick/pull it either and risk hurting him, but I know it is unsanitary to allow it to sit on him. Any tips/tricks for a cleaner feeding and getting crusty formula off?

Are you using the Exact formula? My lovebirds sometimes make a mess but because there are two, they get it on each other. As soon as the are done, they come running over to me to hide and cuddle but they have stuff on them. They totally tolerate it so I wipe them fast, but man, they are so much quicker than me, especially with two of them. It’s fairly comical as I keep moving them back and they keep sprinting at me. I give them baths when they are very caked on (usually when my husband feeds them haha). Does your quaker enjoy baths or water? My lovies would bathe in my hands every night if I let them My lovies prefer a warm qtip over wet towels. Give that a try.