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Baby Pionus crying

alitherook

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Hi i just got a white capped pionus baby male who is around 10 weeks old. He is being handfed by me twice a day and he also eats small baby pellets. I noticed that when he is in his cage he's quiet but when i hold him he keeps making a repetitive crying noise and moving his head up and down. he also makes the same noise briefly whenever i talk to him and moves his head up and down once. When i pet him on the head he sometimes lets me and most other times moves his head or turns around and puts his beak on my finger. I don't know if hes still getting adjusted or if he feels insecure? should i increase how much i handle him and talk to him more even if he cries more when i talk? Or should i do less? He also doesnt understand when im giving him food from my hand (ex. a treat) Is this normal for 10 week old pionus babies? After i handfeed him i hold him and he still keeps crying. He only likes exploring and moving around for fun in his cage sometimes but nowhere else. when i put him on a table to move around or play with some toys he cries too and wants me to hold him but still cries when im holding him and stops when i put him back in his cage. He also steps up very well and consistently. I had other baby birds and they didn't behave like this (the excessive crying) so i'm a little concerned.
 
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Sweet Louise

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I am by far from an expert and some experts should be coming along soon. To me, he sounds hungry and looking for comfort and comfort food. Do you know how to tell if the crop is full?
Here is what I found on google:HandFeeding
and this:
"Stop force-weaning and go to an abundance wean. A bird like a Pionus takes 13-15 weeks to wean, but it varies by the bird and may be longer/shorter. Let the bird inform you when it wants to wean. Read this article thoroughly and be attentive to the bird.

The Science of Handfeeding and Weaning the Baby Parrot | The Parrot University, llc

Remember: You do not control when the bird weans, the bird does

EDIT: Go back to two feedings. The fact that it was already at two feedings at 10 weeks is a good sign; that is a natural progression rate that means it is on a normal weaning schedule for a Pionus. Keep it at two until you see it eating more food/pellets. Keep offering it different food types, and feed it food by hand as much as possible. The morning feeding is always the hardest to get past, but once it is eliminated (and the bird is cool with it), the night feeding disappears usually within a week or so. You are probably still at least a few weeks out from eliminating the morning feeding however, especially since you interrupted the feeding schedule with an attempt to force-wean."

the 4 paragraphs above came from one response on a different site/all 3 part of one response
 
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alitherook

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Actually, i feed him untill he doesnt want anymore. Once he stops letting the syringe get to his beak and tries to move his head away, i know he is full. I also see his crop slightly bulging after he is full. He only wants 2 hand feedings per day. Im kind of worried about the excessive crying part too since he cries when he is full when im holding him too. does he feel insecure or is that normal?
 

Princessbella

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I agree. My tiel took 13 weeks before finally refusing formula. I fed her twice a day before then. Your baby will tell you when it is time to stop.
 

Perriewinkle

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I noticed that when he is in his cage he's quiet but when i hold him he keeps making a repetitive crying noise and moving his head up and down. QUOTE]
He associates you with food. Those are all food movements.. right now you probably only really handle him to feed him. so when he comes out, he's telling you he's ready to eat and he knows that's what he's getting.

He could be hungry, but he's simply doing what's been trained into him.. he gets picked up, he gets fed, so he's doing the feeding movements.
 

alitherook

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No I actually handle him as much as i can. I just got him a few days ago and have been spending whatever time with him i can, but whenever hes with me he does the crying thing.
 

macawpower58

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One reason he's crying may be because you are not the one who fed him since birth. In effect, he's missing his parent.
Every bird is different in how much handling they like, but I think Pionus are usually pretty hands on. I'd offer as much handling as your baby will accept.
How long have you had him? Are you feeding the same food, and the same way as the breeder?
Will he sit on the couch with you? Explore from your lap as you watch TV? Some ambient attention (just being near), and some toys near him may help him to relax become more comfortable.

I'm guessing you have checked into medical reasons?

 

alitherook

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I had him for 4 days now. The breeder gave me his formula and the syringe she uses for him. She demonstrated how to feed him too. if im sitting somewhere on my laptop/tv with him he just stays in one spot on my hand and keeps crying and if i put him down to walk around and play he wants to come back to me but cries when hes with me again. He also always wants to be perching somewhere so i can tell he feels insecure. When i feed him with the syringe he eats very well though. I keep his cage next to my bed so he could get more comfortable faster (breeder told me to do that). For the medical stuff, I tried to figure out if anything was wrong, but I couldn't get any information.
 

DQTimnehs

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I think macawpower58 meant has he seen an Avian vet to rule out medical problems.
 

macawpower58

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4 days is super short.

I'm guessing he's crying for the person who bred and raised him thus far.
Give it some time. He needs to get to know you.
 

greys4u

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You have had your baby for 4 days, his world, as he knew it, has been turned upside down, new smells, new noises, etc. Just be patient, he's just trying to find his place in this scary world!
 

Sweet Louise

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so glad he has a loving and concerned parront. Sounds like it will all work out with you on duty!
 

javi

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Pionus are notorious for taking long to wean. My Mattie got comfort feedings once or twice a day til she was 6 months old. She wanted it and I would oblige. At ten weeks so still have quite some time til weaning. I think 3 feedings at that age is better but if she is eating on her own some already then perhaps you can get away with twice. Just don't want a starving baby all day waiting to be fed.
Just a tip on the handling. At a young age they need the coddling and loving to feel safe and comforted. However as your bird starts to mature make sure you wean him slowly off of how much ya handle. If he is used to being held for several hours and then one day it stops or cuts down to an hour it will cause lots of behavioral issues. Just like human babies they do need to know how to self soothe.
 

Firebird

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My blue headed pionus was about 3 months old when I brought her home from the breeder. She cried constantly, just like yours does.....even though she seemed to be eating her pellet & mixed food that I was giving her. After about 2 weeks of hearing her cry, and continuous online research on the subject, I was convinced that she needed to be comfort fed.

I knew that she already loved almonds, and that some babies like warm soft sweet potatoes. So, I bought some organic sweet potato baby food, and a baby spoon. I warmed up the baby food, and tried feeding it to her. At first, she gobbled it up. But at the 2nd feeding, she wasn't interested. So, the next time, I tried dunking an almond in the warm baby food.....and she took it.

I did this every morning before I left for work, and at night when I got home. As she would eat the almonds, I would mix in her scraps with more sweet potatoes.....basically feeding her warm mush. Every day, she became more attached to me, and more affectionate. After about 10 days of the, she had transitioned from a sad crying bird, into a happy & quiet cuddle bug.

Many people say that Poinuses are not very cuddly, and stand-offish. But my 15 month old is sweet, playful, and very affectionate. She snuggles with me every night before bedtime.
 

HeatherD

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I know it’s really late to be responding to this post, but I just saw it on an internet search and it helped me a lot. My baby pionus has been home for 4 days now, and is doing exactly the same thing. After reading this, I fed her some pellets softened with formula, played youtube recordings of happy pionus birds for her, put her near the window to look outside, and let her sit on my head (since she is always crawling up my arm trying to get there lol). She was almost totally quiet except for little chirps, and calmed down a huge amount. I’ve been nearly pulling my hair out trying to get that result for the past few days, so it’s a big relief. Thanks for the help!
 
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