Hand feeding green cheeked conure

[hilarys]

So, the breeder I got Kip from seemed legit. He sent me home with some formula and a lengthy info packet. I felt totally prepared. But these posts have me scared witless! I feel like I'm doing a good job with hand-feeding, I'm very careful to take the temperature of the formula just before putting it in the syringe, I feed from the left so that it's pointed to his right side where the esophagus is. I use a new syringe daily and I'm keeping him warm. I check his crop every hour or so to make sure it's waxing and waning like it should be. But now I'm super freaked out that I'm going to screw it up and end up hurting him. Any advice is appreciated!

 

[ParrotNuts]

@Mockinbirdiva and @Zara are experienced with hand-feeding

How To Hand Feed a baby

It is very important to do this correctly If done wrong you can kill the baby . This should not be done by an inexperienced person so it is best if your going to own birds of the same species and different genders To learn by a pro how to do it Even if you have no intentions on breeding what...

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[AussieBird]

The people @ParrotNuts tagged should be able to help you. But I want to say you should stay calm till people can help you.
Did the breeder show you what to do? Would he be willing to answer your questions?

 

[SumitaSinh]

Awwwww!! Such a cutie pie... Bless her

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

Honestly, a good breeder would not sell an unweaned baby to someone who has never hand fed before. It always seems simple to follow directions ..... but there's those times that can and do happen, not to everyone, where a crop doesn't empty, baby won't eat.. that a person caring for a fragile young bird for the first time can have problems with. And.. it's very easy to get a little formula down the esophagus and cause aspiration. You sound like you've taken a lot of things into consideration but you did leave details out... temp of the formula, temp of the brooder ( container you keep the baby in) How many cc's do you average per feeding. You should invest in a gram scale .. they aren't that expensive.. and keep a daily log on the weight of your baby ( weigh first thing in the morning after he poops and before he eats any formula) What is that in the container? Do you keep half of the underside of the container he's in warm with a heating pad? Does he have anything he can cuddle with when he's by himself in there?

 

[hilarys]

The people @ParrotNuts tagged should be able to help you. But I want to say you should stay calm till people can help you.
Did the breeder show you what to do? Would he be willing to answer your questions?

He said he would answer my questions, so I'm going to reach out later this morning. He didn't show me feeding as they had eaten shortly before I got there. Thank you!

Awwwww!! Such a cutie pie... Bless her

I think so too, thank you! <3

Honestly, a good breeder would not sell an unweaned baby to someone who has never hand fed before. It always seems simple to follow directions ..... but there's those times that can and do happen, not to everyone, where a crop doesn't empty, baby won't eat.. that a person caring for a fragile young bird for the first time can have problems with. And.. it's very easy to get a little formula down the esophagus and cause aspiration. You sound like you've taken a lot of things into consideration but you did leave details out... temp of the formula, temp of the brooder ( container you keep the baby in) How many cc's do you average per feeding. You should invest in a gram scale .. they aren't that expensive.. and keep a daily log on the weight of your baby ( weigh first thing in the morning after he poops and before he eats any formula) What is that in the container? Do you keep half of the underside of the container he's in warm with a heating pad? Does he have anything he can cuddle with when he's by himself in there?

That's what is freaking me out, now I feel like I can't trust him.

He told me to feed at 110 degrees, but I'm seeing 105 on here. I've been filling the syringe at 112 and falling (my small animal room is on the other end of the house from the kitchen) and he eats really well, then starts to slow down a bit as it cools. I haven't seen any evidence of crop burn but now I am a bit worried that I am feeding too hot.

He gets between 5-10 ccs, I stop once he loses interest. I've been very careful to keep a steady flow while he's bobbing so as to not get air in the crop and I slow the pressure when he slows down, if that makes sense. Consistency-wise the breeder said to keep it a bit thinner than pudding so that's what I've been doing.

I ordered a scale and a heating pad. For now, I have a heat lamp 18 inches away from one side of the brooder, he can definitely move away from the heat and he often does so I keep it as low as it goes and he seems comfortable. I ordered him a plushie as well, but it won't be here for a few days so would it be good to give him a sock in the meantime?

What's the best way to check heat and humidity of the brooder? Is there a thermometer you recommend?

You mentioned weighing him after a bowel movement but before feeding, he consistently goes within about 2 minutes after eating, is that not normal?

 

[Pat H]

You are definately getting some good advice, so I won't confuse the issue... just keep reading about it!
WELCOME to the Avenue... you've got a good birdie to love!

 

[Zara]

now I am a bit worried that I am feeding too hot.

Yes. That´s too hot. 105F max temp.

I've been filling the syringe at 112 and falling (my small animal room is on the other end of the house from the kitchen)

Get a thermometer and stick it in the food. Prepare the food, check temp. If it´s still too high, using a metal teaspoon or fork, mix until the temp cools. Once it´s 105 you can fill the syringe.
You may have seen bain maries mentioned here on AA, they are helpful for clutches and multiple birds. You should be ok without one because you just have the one bird.

Consistency-wise the breeder said to keep it a bit thinner than pudding so that's what I've been doing.

What brand of food is this? Follow the instructions, they will usually give you a parts ratio, so you will know for sure it´s right.
If you don´t have the leaflet with instructions, you can find them here: Some helpful links about hand feeding and weaning:)
I listed all the known brands I could think of, and their preparation guide.

humidity of the brooder?

You will need a hygrometer for that.

would it be good to give him a sock in the meantime?

Yes, roll it up tightly. You want it to be about the same size as your bird. Put it in the dent in the bedding near a corner for him to snuggle with.

he consistently goes within about 2 minutes after eating, is that not normal?

That´s normal that shortly after feeding they will poop.
You can weigh him before the morning feed, and before the last feed of the night.

 

[hilarys]

Thank you @Zara! Just ordered a hygrometer. He just had a feeding and this time I did it at 105, he ate with no problem so I will definitely be keeping it lower.

He has an appointment with an avian vet tomorrow morning, so hopefully everything checks out!

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

This is copied and pasted from a portion of the link below for how we suggest a brooder/container until a baby is at the appropriate age to transfer to a cage. If you are currently using pellets as a substrate ( that's what it looks like in your photo) for the baby to sit on I would also suggest changing that bedding over to aspen wood chips 3-4 inches thick. If he is showing interest nibbling on those pellets you wouldn't want him to eat any that have been soiled. You could place a small crock or weighted small bowl with a few pellets in for him to nibble on and gain interest as a food source when he weans. For me, the pellet of choice when weaning my babies was zupreem because they held their shape when soaked prior to offering my weaning babies. Soaked pellets should only be left as a food offering for 30 minutes along with other soft foods.

I'm glad you lowered the temperature of the formula. You do make it sound like you carry a loaded syringe from one end of your house to where the baby is kept. Or, do you mix your formula in a cup and keep it with you while you feed? The bain marie Zara mentioned is a bowl of water at the same temperature or a degree or two higher than your formula where you can place your cup of formula to keep it a consistent temperature. When your formula cools too quickly this may be where your baby begins to lose interest in feeding. This is what I did back in the day of breeding and kept a digital thermometer inside the formula cup so I knew the temperature I was feeding.

This style requires three basic parts; Thermometer, box/container, and small baby heating pad.

3 Basic Parts to a Brooder


1. Small heating pads for babies can be found in most department stores. There are also similar heating pads available in medical clinics and stores that cater to athletes.

2. Plastic containers are easy to see through and clean, and usually come with a convenient top. In a pinch you can use a card board box and even a small picnic cooler.

3.Thermometers do not need to be expensive and highly accurate, but they do need to be consistent. Thermometers will be used as a guideline because you will determine the actual temperature setting by the body posture of the baby.

Baby Parrot Brooder 1

The easiest and safest method is to place the container ½ over the heating pad so you can have different temperatures available across the bottom of the container.

How to Setup a Brooder for your Baby or Sick Parrots

High quality brooders for baby and sick parrots can be expensive and complicated, but in a pinch can also very simple and inexpensive. We received this inquire from Nihan in Turkey (2014). Hi from…

theaviatorharness.wordpress.com

 

[hilarys]

@Mockinbirdiva thank you! I tried out the bahn marie today and it was a total gamechanger. I had already ordered the aspen shavings, just waiting for them to show up. The breeder sent him in in a clear plastic container with pellets in it, so I've just left them for now until I get the shavings. I'll wait until then to start giving him pellets, so there's hopefully no issues. I ordered a hygrometer and heating pad as well, so those should be here tomorrow. What humidity should I be aiming for?

 

[Sunni Tiel]

he's beautiful! good luck!

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

@Mockinbirdiva thank you! I tried out the bahn marie today and it was a total gamechanger. I had already ordered the aspen shavings, just waiting for them to show up. The breeder sent him in in a clear plastic container with pellets in it, so I've just left them for now until I get the shavings. I'll wait until then to start giving him pellets, so there's hopefully no issues. I ordered a hygrometer and heating pad as well, so those should be here tomorrow. What humidity should I be aiming for?

@Laurie wrote this attached post in the breeders section in the thread titled How to make a homemade Brooder ( bottom link to that page)... I've just attached her post so you wouldn't have to go look for it .. regarding humidity.

7/4/20
7/4/20

7/4/20
I would add just a couple more thoughts.

It is very important to find out the proper temperature for brooding your particular species of bird, it will not necessarily match the chart provided above. You should seek out this information from someone who raises the species you are taking care of.

The importance of humidity can not be overstated. A chick's ability to digest its food is dependent upon the proper temperature AND humidity. Generally speaking, the higher the temperature is the higher the humidity should be. An inexpensive hygrometer will give you peace of mind in knowing that you have achieved the proper humidity.

Humidity is a result of evaporation so to increase humidity you need to increase the surface area of the water you are trying to evaporate. A small dish of water can provide some humidity but if you loosely wad up a some soaked paper towels and place them in the dish of water all the little peaks and dips created by the folds in the paper towel will increase the amount of water that can evaporate and will create more humidity, faster. If you can find a replacement wick for a humidifier you can use that instead of the paper towel.

Proper humidity should be 50% or more depending on the species. If you live in a humid area without air conditioning or heat then you may not need to add humidity but if you live in a dry area or are using dry heat or air conditioning then you will need to pay close attention to humidity levels.

Low humidity can cause dehydration and lead to slow crop or crops stasis in chicks.

Finally, all water sources must be thoroughly cleaned, regularly, to prevent bacterial growth.

How To make a home made brooder

There are many ways of doing it. But This is how mine is and it is my 2nd version of a home made Brooder and I like it much better than my 1st Items needed Fish Tank( I use a 10 gallon) Lid with wire mesh over top Heating Pad Thermometer Blankets/Towels Newspapers Paper towels Steps to take...

forums.avianavenue.com

 

[hilarys]

he's beautiful! good luck!

Thank you!

 

[hilarys]

Thank you @Mockinbirdiva!

We went to the vet this morning, everything checked out great. He's 84 grams, which seems big? He has started showing interest in the pellets so I gave him some Roudybush crumbles and he ate them all! He's also flapping his wings like crazy, I almost wonder if the breeder got his DOB wrong because he seems really advanced.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

84 grams does seem big. Did he have a full crop when he was weighed? When you have a gram scale of your own you might make a visit to the vet to weigh on their scale and yours to check for any difference or accuracy. Good that he ate the crumbles... do make sure to offer a shallow dish of water for him to drink if he's eating the pellets. I would hope the breeder knows when his babies hatch and records the hatch dates. From the one photo I've seen of your baby it's not inconceivable he would be testing those wings out.. that's great! You might consider moving him into a larger container and put a low perch in for him to try climbing onto and using those feet.

 

[hilarys]

84 grams does seem big. Did he have a full crop when he was weighed? When you have a gram scale of your own you might make a visit to the vet to weigh on their scale and yours to check for any difference or accuracy.

He did! I'll check him again tomorrow before he eats, the scale just came in today.

Good that he ate the crumbles... do make sure to offer a shallow dish of water for him to drink if he's eating the pellets.

Will do!

I would hope the breeder knows when his babies hatch and records the hatch dates. From the one photo I've seen of your baby it's not inconceivable he would be testing those wings out.. that's great! You might consider moving him into a larger container and put a low perch in for him to try climbing onto and using those feet.

Lol, I would hope so too! I will definitely get him set up with a larger container and a perch. He's been standing on his little sock friend a lot so he's definitely ready to climb.

 

[camelotshadow]

Thats big but I read turquoise tend to be larger than stand GCC.
He does not look that big in the photos.

Since you are still handfeeding you want to monitor his weight daily after first poop efire eating so you can see if he loses any weight. They will lose some weight when they prepare to fly so that should not alarm you but generally you want to see he is maintaining his weight.

Good he is eating some crumbles. Offer him all sorts of food & vegies & fruit to get him used to many things. Even cheerios they like to nibble on. Food should be a fun learing experience that he can take with him for a lifetime.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

I'm glad you'll give him some extra space to explore. I'd keep a sock buddy or two in there for company when he's not with you. There's comfort in friends even when they can't interact with you. Avoid spending endless time with him so when the time comes you can't devote the same amount of time you aren't creating an anxious little screaming monster. He should learn to entertain himself with things to explore and foraging toys filled with goodies to occupy that time. As he tries to fly beware of windows or any other hazards. I have no fly zones when the kitchen is in use. He'll drop some weight when he becomes really active in flying. Be sure to give him formula until he totally refuses to take any for a few days. He'll wean when he's ready.

 

[hilarys]

Thats big but I read turquoise tend to be larger than stand GCC.
He does not look that big in the photos.

Since you are still handfeeding you want to monitor his weight daily after first poop efire eating so you can see if he loses any weight. They will lose some weight when they prepare to fly so that should not alarm you but generally you want to see he is maintaining his weight.

Good he is eating some crumbles. Offer him all sorts of food & vegies & fruit to get him used to many things. Even cheerios they like to nibble on. Food should be a fun learing experience that he can take with him for a lifetime.

He was 75 grams this morning, so still big for his age but more reasonable. He's one month old today! I made him a salad this morning and he yelled at me when I offered it to him, lol. But eventually he tried the celery.

I'm glad you'll give him some extra space to explore. I'd keep a sock buddy or two in there for company when he's not with you. There's comfort in friends even when they can't interact with you. Avoid spending endless time with him so when the time comes you can't devote the same amount of time you aren't creating an anxious little screaming monster. He should learn to entertain himself with things to explore and foraging toys filled with goodies to occupy that time. As he tries to fly beware of windows or any other hazards. I have no fly zones when the kitchen is in use. He'll drop some weight when he becomes really active in flying. Be sure to give him formula until he totally refuses to take any for a few days. He'll wean when he's ready.

I'll be setting up the bigger brooder once the aspen shavings get here today. He's also getting a cute little macaw plushie to go with his sock friend! We have a small animal library and he's in there, only one window and it's covered so we should be good there. I am still giving him formula, I thinned it out a little this morning thinking the extra water would be good because he is really going for the pellets. He has a water dish but doesn't seem interested in it.

Thanks everyone!