Pictures Baby cockatiel behavior

[brdfvr]

I just got a baby cockatiel that is 8 weeks old about a week ago. She was sold to me as fully weaned and eating on her own for 5 days according to the breeder. She basically didn't recognize any food other than millet spray when I got her. I've had to teach her what pellets and chop are and she eats both ok. But my main dilemma is she does the whole baby bird thing at least once a day with the screeching, head bobbing, wing Flipping etc. I've been feeding her wetted down pellets at night when she does this or pureed pumpkin.

Should I continue doing this or ignore this behavior? When I feed her from the spoon it quiets her down and she goes back to eating like a normal bird on her own.

I have read she will stop on her own between 10 and 16 weeks and she may have reverted to wanting to be hand fed with the stress of moving to a new home. Is this true? Looking for advice.
Pic is of her in full baby bird mode

 

[Zara]

Should I continue doing this or ignore this behavior? When I feed her from the spoon it quiets her down and she goes back to eating like a normal bird on her own.

I have read she will stop on her own between 10 and 16 weeks and she may have reverted to wanting to be hand fed with the stress of moving to a new home. Is this true?

Yes continue what you are doing

She basically didn't recognize any food other than millet spray when I got her. I've had to teach her what pellets and chop are and she eats both ok.

Was seed the main part of her diet with the breeder? best to feed them what they know and add in the new stuff as extras.

 

[brdfvr]

Yes, I have been putting seeds on top of whatever new foods I give her to encourage her to pick thru the new stuff and she has a separate bowl of seeds as well. She's been trying the new stuff more and more everyday. And she loves nutriberries

 

[sunnysmom]

Baby tiels don't wean until 8-12 weeks, at the earliest. And it's common for newly weaned tiels to regress and need some hand feedings or comfort feedings. Also, keep an eye on her weight to make sure she's not losing weight.

 

[Birdbabe]

Get some baby bird formula, feed her from a spoon when she wants it..shes not fully weaned yet. But will learn..as another said they dont wean until around 3 months of age. And can and will regress in a new environment, keep offering fresh bird safe foods, pellets and the millet, but do make sure she is actually eating it and not just playing, trying and exploring , Avicakes are great! Soft, pellets and a bit of seed, she sure is cute!

 

[brdfvr]

Baby tiels don't wean until 8-12 weeks, at the earliest. And it's common for newly weaned tiels to regress and need some hand feedings or comfort feedings. Also, keep an eye on her weight to make sure she's not losing weight.

Thanks. I will likely get some formula soon. Now the problem I'm having is she doesn't really want to eat while in her cage. Mostly she just eats when she's out but gorges then sits on her perch all day. I know she's drinking water because there's debris in it, but her food goes untouched for most of the day until I get home. Then she dives in like she's starving

 

[sunnysmom]

Thanks. I will likely get some formula soon. Now the problem I'm having is she doesn't really want to eat while in her cage. Mostly she just eats when she's out but gorges then sits on her perch all day. I know she's drinking water because there's debris in it, but her food goes untouched for most of the day until I get home. Then she dives in like she's starving

I know eating is a "social" flock thing. @Princessbella do you have any suggestions? @Tiel Feathers ?

 

[Ember-Tiel]

I would recommend crushing some pellets and putting them onto a plate to offer to her. That was the only way I was able to help my baby cockatiel eat pellets by herself when she only wanted seeds and formula.

She is adorable by the way.

 

[brdfvr]

I would recommend crushing some pellets and putting them onto a plate to offer to her. That was the only way I was able to help my baby cockatiel eat pellets by herself when she only wanted seeds and formula.

She is adorable by the way.

She eats the pellets by themselves, but only when I'm around. She'll eat millet and nutriberries in her cage and I give her a small piece on top of her chop daily,. But she eats mostly when I come home from work and we have our nightly out of cage time. Hoping she'll snap out of it. I've only had her a week so far and a lot has changed in that time.

 

[brdfvr]

Just got some psitticus pellets to put in rotation to see what she likes best. She ate a ton of chop today by herself. I think I had just given too much so couldn't really see what she had eaten. Only did a large tablespoon today and there was only a little left when I got home today. She's digging in to her new bowl of pellets/ seeds now

 

[Princessbella]

I just got a baby cockatiel that is 8 weeks old about a week ago. She was sold to me as fully weaned and eating on her own for 5 days according to the breeder. She basically didn't recognize any food other than millet spray when I got her. I've had to teach her what pellets and chop are and she eats both ok. But my main dilemma is she does the whole baby bird thing at least once a day with the screeching, head bobbing, wing Flipping etc. I've been feeding her wetted down pellets at night when she does this or pureed pumpkin.

Should I continue doing this or ignore this behavior? When I feed her from the spoon it quiets her down and she goes back to eating like a normal bird on her own.

I have read she will stop on her own between 10 and 16 weeks and she may have reverted to wanting to be hand fed with the stress of moving to a new home. Is this true? Looking for advice.
Pic is of her in full baby bird mode

What a cutie. She looks too young to be fully weaned. And if she is doing that, she is hungry. What I have had to do in the same situation is to get baby bird formula, and put it in a syringe (you can use a spoon) and offer it to her twice a day along with everything else you are doing. When she decides that she wants to eat on her own, she will refuse the formula. Have you been weighing her? You need to start with the formula if she loses weight. It doesn't sound like she is eating enough. My tiel Bailey is 6 months old and he eats like a horse whether I am around him or not. When I got him at 10 weeks, I had to hand feed him for about 2 weeks. Here is a video to show you how to do it.

Feeding baby cockatiels

 

[brdfvr]

What a cutie. She looks too young to be fully weaned. And if she is doing that, she is hungry. What I have had to do in the same situation is to get baby bird formula, and put it in a syringe (you can use a spoon) and offer it to her twice a day along with everything else you are doing. When she decides that she wants to eat on her own, she will refuse the formula. Have you been weighing her? You need to start with the formula if she loses weight. It doesn't sound like she is eating enough. My tiel Bailey is 6 months old and he eats like a horse whether I am around him or not. When I got him at 10 weeks, I had to hand feed him for about 2 weeks. Here is a video to show you how to do it.

Feeding baby cockatiels

I have hand fed before, just confused by this behavior of a supposedly weaned baby. She's been tucking into her food. I don't have a gram scale to weigh her on, but she's definitely eating more now. She ate all her chop today. I'm cleaning the papers regularly so I can tell if she's just flinging the food or actually eating it. She still has tons of energy.

 

[Ember-Tiel]

I know this isn't any help but... your cockatiel is so adorable can you post some more pictures?

 

[Princessbella]

I have hand fed before, just confused by this behavior of a supposedly weaned baby. She's been tucking into her food. I don't have a gram scale to weigh her on, but she's definitely eating more now. She ate all her chop today. I'm cleaning the papers regularly so I can tell if she's just flinging the food or actually eating it. She still has tons of energy.

I also thought my tiel was eating well when I first got him but when I weighed him after a few days, he lost 8g. He went from 61g when I first got him to 53g and was making that baby screeching sound. They are so light that it is hard to tell if they have lost weight. Bailey also was very active at that time. But I am not there to see your bird. The only true way to tell if your bird is getting enough food is to weigh her.

 

[brdfvr]

I know this isn't any help but... your cockatiel is so adorable can you post some more pictures?

I've only got a few pictures so far, but these shows her coloring best I think.

 

[Ember-Tiel]

They really do! She has such gorgeous feathers! It's nice to see she's eating her vegetables too.

 

[brdfvr]

They really do! She has such gorgeous feathers! It's nice to see she's eating her vegetables too.

Yes she's been getting her chop since day 1. I sprinkle some seeds/ millet and pellets on top and she tucks in and gets her beak all messy. Then at night she gets pellet mush mixed with seeds and a nutriberry. She loves nutriberries.

 

[tiger1971]

Yes she's been getting her chop since day 1. I sprinkle some seeds/ millet and pellets on top and she tucks in and gets her beak all messy. Then at night she gets pellet mush mixed with seeds and a nutriberry. She loves nutriberries.

 

[tiger1971]

She really is so pretty!!! Sounds like you are really trying with her and it is paying off. You are good bird mommy!!

 

[brdfvr]

She really is so pretty!!! Sounds like you are really trying with her and it is paying off. You are good bird mommy!!

Thanks. It's only been a week and I've introduced a lot to her. 4 different kinds of pellets, seeds (not just millet) and chop. It's a lot for a little birdie. Watching her now cleaning up her pellet/ seed mix in the cage by herself. So I guess she does eat in the cage. I'm usually at work by now so can only try to estimate what's missing from what I put in the morning