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Baby lovebird not progressing

mochi

Checking out the neighborhood
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8/1/21
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2
Good day,

I have a 4 weeks old baby lovebird that I bought a week ago from a pet store. This past week, I haven't notice any growth or progress. The bird refuses to eat to which I have to feed him forcefully but of course, carefully with a syringe. He also gets runny nose after eating and sometimes, sneezes. There are some spots on his where there are absolutely no feathers and his tail is also somewhat on a right side and not exactly in the middle. I thought he was sick for which I separated him from my other birds but I took him to the vet 2 days ago and he said the bird is not sick or anything and gave me Anima strath. My birdie sleeps like 98% of the time, sometimes even while eating. The vet said it's because he's too young but it still scares me. Another thing I noticed is that he barely makes any sound. This past week I have only heard him talk thrice on different occasions. Can someone help me out and tell me what can I do?
 

Zara

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I have to feed him forcefully but of course, carefully with a syringe.
There is no such thing as force feeding carefully.

There are some spots on his where there are absolutely no feathers and his tail is also somewhat on a right side and not exactly in the middle.
Some pictures could be helpful.
Was he like that when you got him? Has any feathers grown while he´s been with you?
Has he lost feathers while he has been with you?
Do you have pics of when you got him and now to compare?

Lovebirds this age will grow quick. Feather growth is very quick. There´s visible difference every day. If the feathers are disappearing, it could be the other chick is plucking it´s clutchmate. If the feathers were gone when you got the bird but growing back, then the baby could have been plucked by a parent.
Tail growing unevenly could be some sort of follicle issue OR the nest is too small or something else.


My birdie sleeps like 98% of the time, sometimes even while eating.
Given the age, this sounds about right. These birds should be fed and returned to the brooder to rest. They are too young to play or anything like that. But you should notice burst of energy when they wake, trying to look around or even explore.

Another thing I noticed is that he barely makes any sound. This past week I have only heard him talk thrice on different occasions.
Some birds are quieter than others.
Remember these are very young birds. They sound frightened. Hense the silence and the reluctance to eat.
Try dimming the light for feeds. Be sure you are feeding the same brand formula as they bird had before. Mix the formula well to remove all bumps, and feed the food at 105F (40.5C). The ratio should be as package instructions - 1part food: 1.5parts water.

If you can´t get the bird to WILLINGLY accept food, and the bird loses weight, then you will need to gavage feed or risk malnutrition. If you have no experience with that technique, you will need to have the vet do it and teach you how to do it at home. Do not attempt without expert guidance (videos online do not count).

Has your vet tested the baby for disease? It is always recommended when bringing home new birds. For lovebirds, the main ones to test for are polyoma, psittacosis and PBFD. If they haven´t done so already, I would return and ask they run the tests.
Some more info on this;
 
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