BirbFriend
Moving in
- Joined
- 9/28/21
- Messages
- 13
This is less about chick weaning than the time they're grown but before puberty. There's lots of advice out there on adult birds, and lots of advice on raising/feeding/weaning chicks, but kind of a void for that in-between period?
Example: I have a GCC that was an older baby/adolescent (6 mos) when I got her. She was branded 'mean' by the breeder, was located in a dark cage away from the other birds and I had to ask multiple times for them to take her out and they'd only agree to it if they did it toweled, so I think she was alone for a long time. Guys, this bird was so, so starved for affection, when it was feeding time at the pet shop she was the only bird in the store not going nuts because she was too busy getting head scritches. She's been with us 4 months and is a super snuggler and loves to sleep in your hair or under a blanket with you. I won't pet her below the neck besides her feets, but she will squish herself under your chin or against the palm of your hand and go to sleep.
Snuggling up against my hand, getting under blankets, these things are all hormonal triggers that I'd watch out for in an adult bird, but seem more like comfort seeking behaviors for her at this stage of development? I think about Harlow's monkey experiments and how she needs lots of affection to develop healthy attachment styles and overcome as much 'wire mommy' damage as possible.
For those of you who have raised birds from babies, can you give any tips? Is there anything babies need more of? Less? Completely different?
Example: I have a GCC that was an older baby/adolescent (6 mos) when I got her. She was branded 'mean' by the breeder, was located in a dark cage away from the other birds and I had to ask multiple times for them to take her out and they'd only agree to it if they did it toweled, so I think she was alone for a long time. Guys, this bird was so, so starved for affection, when it was feeding time at the pet shop she was the only bird in the store not going nuts because she was too busy getting head scritches. She's been with us 4 months and is a super snuggler and loves to sleep in your hair or under a blanket with you. I won't pet her below the neck besides her feets, but she will squish herself under your chin or against the palm of your hand and go to sleep.
Snuggling up against my hand, getting under blankets, these things are all hormonal triggers that I'd watch out for in an adult bird, but seem more like comfort seeking behaviors for her at this stage of development? I think about Harlow's monkey experiments and how she needs lots of affection to develop healthy attachment styles and overcome as much 'wire mommy' damage as possible.
For those of you who have raised birds from babies, can you give any tips? Is there anything babies need more of? Less? Completely different?