• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

Handfeeding help

Deisyg21

Meeting neighbors
Joined
7/25/20
Messages
32
Real Name
Deisy
Hello, if you haven’t read my last post my conures had three babies and two of them died. You can check my posts for more information.

I have the baby with the parents but I am handfeeding him. Should I separate him?

I have a question. It is being so hard to feed the baby, he gives me a feeding response just at the beginning and the he asks for a break and I stop. He does this twice and after that it is being really hard to feed him. He doesnt do the feeding response and doesnt want to eat. Food is warm, I usually put three syringes in an aluminum cup with water at a temperature of 106-109. And I switched them when I think the one I have on hand is cold. I keep checking temperature and adding hot/cold water if necessary to maintain that temperature. Before I start giving it to him I put a little bit on my hand to check temperature as well. It is warm. I also rub these pads on the side of the beak and nothing. I tried to make him eat at a very slow pace when I received no feeding response (and with no feeding response im scared to aspirate him) so it takes me about 40 minutes to feed him. When i receive the feeding response at the beginning I go at a faster pace but it is also slow since i dont want to aspirate him and look for signs that he needs a break. I weighted him yesterday empty crop and he was 50. Todays empty crop was 53.
I have a question. It is being so hard to feed the baby, he gives me a feeding response just at the beginning and the he asks for a break and I stop. He does this twice and after that it is being really hard to feed him. He doesnt do the feeding response and doesnt want to eat. Food is warm, I usually put three syringes in an aluminum cup with water at a temperature of 106-109. And I switched them when I think the one I have on hand is cold. I keep checking temperature and adding hot/cold water if necessary to maintain that temperature. Before I start giving it to him I put a little bit on my hand to check temperature as well. It is warm. I also rub these pads on the side of the beak and nothing. I tried to make him eat at a very slow pace when I received no feeding response (and with no feeding response im scared to aspirate him) so it takes me about 40 minutes to feed him. When i receive the feeding response at the beginning I go at a faster pace but it is also slow since i dont want to aspirate him and look for signs that he needs a break. I weighted him yesterday empty crop and he was 50. Todays empty crop was 53.
I give him formula based on his weight (not cc). Around 57 grams he didn’t want to eat anymore. I ended up with 61 grams of weight. How does that sound? Is that too little food. I have been noticing he empties do fast. By 2 1/2-3 hours. I put him back with parents and have a thermometer in the box, I try too keep the temperature at 90. Food preparation based on Kaytee is one scoop of formula and and 1/3-2 scoops of water. To be honest I put 2 1/2 of electrolytes. I have noticed he eats better a little bit more liquid. At night I put 2 scoops of electrolytes since i dont want him to empty that fast and I checked and it was the same he emptied around 2 1/2 hours. Also, I add probiotics. Maybe I am adding too much? Could this be the reason? Should I been adding that or is not recommended? Hopefully someone can help me.

Im feeding 4-5 times a day. Also when is almost time for the next feeding I have notice parents feeding him. But when I check he has nothing on his crop. What could be the reason for this? Why does it look like they are feeding him beak to beak and thar motion and he still has nothing? They tried to feed him only twice or three times a day.
 

Matto

Rollerblading along the road
Vendor
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
9/24/17
Messages
1,319
Location
Baltimore
Real Name
Matt
How old? The formula is too hot, lower it to around 101. Never above 105. Does he have any signs of crop burn? For example a red crop or throat? 40 minutes is far too long to feed him, he is going to get cold and frustrated. Are you keeping him warm while feeding him?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ali

Deisyg21

Meeting neighbors
Joined
7/25/20
Messages
32
Real Name
Deisy
How old? The formula is too hot, lower it to around 101. Never above 105. Does he have any signs of crop burn? For example a red crop or throat? 40 minutes is far too long to feed him, he is going to get cold and frustrated. Are you keeping him warm while feeding him?
Hello, thanks for your time. He doesnt have signs of crop burn, formula instructions says 106-110. Thats why I tried 106-109. And yes i place him in a warming pad. When he does that feeding motion at the beginning do you go fast on the syringe? Or what is recommended? What about the amount of feeding how does that sounds to you?
 

Deisyg21

Meeting neighbors
Joined
7/25/20
Messages
32
Real Name
Deisy
Hello, thanks for your time. He doesnt have signs of crop burn, formula instructions says 106-110. Thats why I tried 106-109. And yes i place him in a warming pad. When he does that feeding motion at the beginning do you go fast on the syringe? Or what is recommended? What about the amount of feeding how does that sounds to you?
Sorry, he hatched on June 25th. So 18 days old?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ali

BirdLady13

Sprinting down the street
Joined
8/24/19
Messages
354
Location
Massachusetts
Kaytee's hand-feeding formula already contains probiotics and prebiotics. It also contains amylase and protease for the adequate digestion of carbs and protein; these enzymes are particularly helpful with digestion in newly hatched birds. Substituting with an electrolyte solution isn't necessary, but if it's done it can only be during the first 2 days.
Make sure you're keeping a daily record of the babies age, weight, and food intake every time he gets fed. A lack of weight gain indicates he's not being fed often enough and/or he isn't being fed enough at each feeding.
The formula preparation once a baby reaches 5 days old is 1 part formula to 1 1/3-2 parts water (25-30% formula & 70-75% water).
Make sure you thoroughly stir the formula to assure the added enzymes are activated, and the formula cools to 105°F.
While it's best to feed while he's bobbing, as long as you position the syringe properly you shouldn't aspirate him. His crop needs to be plump at the end of every feeding until he's old enough to refuse more, and it should be empty or nearly empty before the next feeding.
 

Deisyg21

Meeting neighbors
Joined
7/25/20
Messages
32
Real Name
Deisy
Kaytee's hand-feeding formula already contains probiotics and prebiotics. It also contains amylase and protease for the adequate digestion of carbs and protein; these enzymes are particularly helpful with digestion in newly hatched birds. Substituting with an electrolyte solution isn't necessary, but if it's done it can only be during the first 2 days.
Make sure you're keeping a daily record of the babies age, weight, and food intake every time he gets fed. A lack of weight gain indicates he's not being fed often enough and/or he isn't being fed enough at each feeding.
The formula preparation once a baby reaches 5 days old is 1 part formula to 1 1/3-2 parts water (25-30% formula & 70-75% water).
Make sure you thoroughly stir the formula to assure the added enzymes are activated, and the formula cools to 105°F.
While it's best to feed while he's bobbing, as long as you position the syringe properly you shouldn't aspirate him. His crop needs to be plump at the end of every feeding until he's old enough to refuse more, and it should be empty or nearly empty before the next feeding.
Hello, yes im trying to give him as much as possible when he is bobbing his head. I put syringe on his left side pointing towards the middle of the right side. So lets say he has to eat 60 ml a day Is not the same giving him the same amount of food but in more feedings? Lets say 6 of ten ml instead of 4 of 15 ml? Because once he doesn’t let me give him anymore i just dont try. Instead im feeding him everytime his crop empties. About 3 1/2 hrs. Is this bad? Also I was wondering if his crop color looks normal? With no flash it looks kind of pink. But with flash it looks yellow. His neck looks yellos also with flash.
C6079B73-4359-4703-952E-5DE67EA9EB07.jpeg
 

Attachments

Matto

Rollerblading along the road
Vendor
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
9/24/17
Messages
1,319
Location
Baltimore
Real Name
Matt
If he stops eating, even is his crop isn't full, put him back and try again in a few hours. This will be much less stressful for him. He looks good in the pictures, and as long as he's growing and putting on weight he should be fine.
 

Deisyg21

Meeting neighbors
Joined
7/25/20
Messages
32
Real Name
Deisy
If he stops eating, even is his crop isn't full, put him back and try again in a few hours. This will be much less stressful for him. He looks good in the pictures, and as long as he's growing and putting on weight he should be fine.
Yes now im feeding in 5 minutes. Not forcing him. Even though im doing more feedings but like this is way easier for me. At first it was just taking me too long trying to make him. So it doesn’t affect him in a way? I kind of read something that you must feed him good for his crop to stretch or something like that. And thank you for your reply
 

iamwhoiam

Ripping up the road
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
4/16/12
Messages
28,269
Location
the zoo
I wrote something feedings in your other thread. There is nothing wrong with giving him smaller amounts of food but feeding more often if the bird isn't eating a lot in a feeding. Things could change and he could start wanting to eat more. Have enough food ready with each feeding in case he decides he wants to eat more than the small amounts he is eating right now.
 

Deisyg21

Meeting neighbors
Joined
7/25/20
Messages
32
Real Name
Deisy
I wrote something feedings in your other thread. There is nothing wrong with giving him smaller amounts of food but feeding more often if the bird isn't eating a lot in a feeding. Things could change and he could start wanting to eat more. Have enough food ready with each feeding in case he decides he wants to eat more than the small amounts he is eating right now.
Thank you, I am doing that since yesterday. I just wanted to make sure I can do more feedings with smaller amounts and that it doesn’t affect him. But yes I noticed he is eating more after each feeding. And Im feeding every time his crop is empty. What I dont know is if at night I can leave the 8 hour gap or less because he is not taking a full crop. im feeding every 3 1/2 hrs I was thinking of leaving the night gap only to six hours.
 
Top