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Anything specific i should know about taking care of a week old cockatiel?

Bee066

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out of 5 eggs, only one hatched, and a week later both parents have abandoned their baby :( this morning i woke up and saw both birds outside of their nest box, and throughout the day i realized theyve stopped going in it, the little one was crying non stop and i got worried for it, i know how to care for cockatiels but not a baby one, i did do as much research as i could and bought some supplies, the baby is in a shoebox with some bedding and i bought a small heating pad to put under the box, i also got some formula, a syringe, and a thermometer, so far ive fed the baby 4 times today, every two hours, and 2-3 ml of formula. Ive learned a bit but itd be nice to have some advice from others. There is no avian vet near me and the baby seems good so far. But any helpful tips would be appreciated.. thanks :)
 

CrazyKozmo

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I have no experience with this but it sounds like you are doing fine. Plan to feed the baby every two hours through the night (make sure the formula isn't too hot). I'm sure someone with experience will respond soon. This forum covers all over the world, so the people who have the most experience may be just waking up....
Good luck!
 

Khizz

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@Monica and @Zara are the first ones that come to mind. Could you post a picture of your set up just to be sure? Ladies, am I right in thinking wood shavings are better than bedding?
 

Zara

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Welcome to the Avenue Beatriz :)

am I right in thinking wood shavings are better than bedding?
I´m Northern, and to me I say bedding. With wood shavings being a type of bedding. But not knowing where OP is from, to go over it, the brooder needs to be lined with aspen shavings. A good few inches, gently press down.
Your box was good for an emergency, but as this chick is young, it is worth investing in a critter carrier, they can be cleaned better than a cardboard box which will harbour bacteria.

Important things right now is nutrition and heat.

So be sure you brooder is setup up to the correct temp.
Be sure your formula is being fed at 105F
Be sure the consistency is correct, as per the manufacturers instructions.
It is important that the crop empties once per 24 hours (this will be at night, as when you sleep will be the longest you don´t tend to the chick).
Weigh your chick daily to monitor growth.

Helpful links;
brooder setup; How To make a home made brooder
This link covers a lot of things, crop info, how to make formula, handfeeding tips, formula manufacturer instructions;
 

Mockinbirdiva

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Scroll down to the part that says "3 Basic Parts to a Brooder" on how to make a better brooder for your baby. I would also line the bottom of the inside with a couple of paper towels and then your aspen shavings. I would also suggest wrapping a towel around the outside of your container to hold the heat in, cover the top with another towel 2/3rds of the top. A small bowl in one corner with a damp paper towel will help to keep the humidity up- replace it every day to avoid bacteria growth. You can find digital thermometers that are battery operated which will read the temperature and humidity.

It is critical that you feed the correct temperature of formula so please use a quality digital thermometer... it is also critical you keep your brooder the correct temperature.


This link below will provide you with a guide to the inside temperature of your brooder as your chick ages. There are other great bits of information that will be good for you to know as well. If you have any questions please ask.




I would suggest purchasing a decent scale that can measure in Grams and Ounces to keep track of your baby's weight and use it as a guide for the quantity of formula you should feed - 10% of the weight of the chick.
c407d02a1d41a56bfb5376dba3dc7665.jpg
 

Mockinbirdiva

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out of 5 eggs, only one hatched, and a week later both parents have abandoned their baby :( this morning i woke up and saw both birds outside of their nest box, and throughout the day i realized theyve stopped going in it, the little one was crying non stop and i got worried for it, i know how to care for cockatiels but not a baby one, i did do as much research as i could and bought some supplies, the baby is in a shoebox with some bedding and i bought a small heating pad to put under the box, i also got some formula, a syringe, and a thermometer, so far ive fed the baby 4 times today, every two hours, and 2-3 ml of formula. Ive learned a bit but itd be nice to have some advice from others. There is no avian vet near me and the baby seems good so far. But any helpful tips would be appreciated.. thanks :)
Also... be sure the heating pad you purchased isn't one that has an automatic cut off. The heating pad will only be placed under one half of the bottom of the outside of the container.
 

Mockinbirdiva

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I like to encourage people to keep track of the feeding schedule so you know how the baby is progressing with weight and the amount of formula being fed. I found this while poking around and thought it may help you get started.

Feeding Chart.jpg
 

Zara

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I would also suggest wrapping a towel around the outside of your container to hold the heat in, cover the top with another towel 2/3rds of the top.
This is how I had my brooder,
Screenshot_20200629_141801.jpg so a blanket wrapped around the sides covering all the clear container (I pulled it down a little on spots so I could peak in) basically buried up to the lid. You can see from the inside, the blanket is wrapped,
Screenshot_20200629_141812.jpg
Then a thin tea towel on top, the same towels I would use to scrunch into a bowl and put the chicks in to feed them.
Screenshot_20200629_141820.jpg

I hope the pictures help. Remember when the chicks are older, if you have a lid like mine, make sure it is closed or they will climb out.
 
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