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Handfeeding my baby Hahns

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ChristyHuber

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Hello, I'm new to Avian Avenue. I had a question about handfeeding my baby hahns macaw, General Sheldon Buckminster Worth(he's a british general). He's started eating on his own in between feedings(I feed him twice a day now) and he's actually eating quite a lot right now, which is supposed to be time for his second feeding. My question is, should I feed him still, or should I just skip it since he's eating dinner on his own? And does anyone know when I'm supposed to go down to one feeding? Thanks!

-Christy
 

Gen120

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How old is your baby macaw?
 

ChristyHuber

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I believe he's around 2 months, maybe 2 and a half. The place I got him from SUCKED and gave me as little information as possible. I realized I shouldn't have even brought him home before being weaned, but they convinced me it would be ok before sending me off with very little information on hand feeding babies, which I've never done before. I've been hand feeding him for two weeks and 2 days at 2 feedings a day.
 

Gen120

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hmm, I don't know much about handfeeding macaws/larger parrots.
I hadfed my 2 sun conures and 2 of my cockatiels also, but I have never done a larger bird. I think you should feed his the formula as long as he wants it. Have you talked to an Avian vet about this? I can help you, as well as a lot more members.
 

ChristyHuber

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I haven't been to the vet yet, only because I'm still browsing potential avian vets, since I'm new to the area. But any advice will help!
 

Renae

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I'm no expert but, I think you should still feed him in case he regresses.

I have a 9 week old IRN I am hand-feeding right now, he's on 3 feeds a day, but he's also starting to eat seeds too, I won't stop giving him hand-feedings until he doesn't want the formula anymore.

You could drop one hand-feeding, and see how he goes though. I'm not sure so I'll let someone more experienced answer your question since you'll get a better answer.
 

Birdlover

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If he is eating on his own, you can wait to give him a feeding. Doesnt mean you wont still feed him twice but you may end up decreasing the amount you feed at each time or increasing the time between. Let the bird tell you what he wants. Are you weighing him?

If he cries, feed him. If he wants to eat on his own, let him :) But monitor the weight so you can be sure he is maintaining what he should.
 

ChristyHuber

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I just called the place I bought him from and found out he is in fact FOUR months old, not two. And they told me to drop the night feeding, and that crying is normal in weaning and that I should ignore it because he'll do it for about a year because he's still in "baby mode". I'm trying to find a cheap vet here, but if anyone would like to agree or disagree with the advice they gave me, please, it would help me out.

Thanks!
 

Abby

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For a hahns he probably shouldn't still be feeding at four months however...

I'm a firm believer in bird lead weaning. Offer him the feeds, if he refuses then let it go. After he's been refusing that feed for several days in a row then drop it. The night feed is the last one I keep. As said keep an eye on his weight, a 10% weight loss (give or take ) is quite normal during weaning. Feel his crop before you feed too. If he's eating properly then you should feel food there.

Some birds just take their time to wean. My grey is 2years old now but still enjoys a bit of formula after any babes I have at the time have finished their bit.
 

Jorg S.

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He should have been fully weaned by now at his age.
I just got done with a African Grey and my vet put me on a 12-14 week plan.
You should cut out one feeding and give him an abundance of fresh food and the brand of pellets you will feed him.
On the beginning of this stage he will loose some weight maybe more then 10% but should be okay.
You should be done in about 2 weeks and the bird will be fully weaned.
Good luck and the people that sold him to you should be ashamed of them selfs.
 

ChristyHuber

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I was thinking at first it was just the major change he went through that set him back, but now he's on one feeding a day and eating a fair amount. He pretty much eats his dry pellets all day long. But he still does that baby head bob and twitch. Is that still supposed to be there?
 
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