New baby caique

[LanaNana]

Yesterday my new white-bellied baby caique came home

Baby is 10 weeks old; keeps refusing formula but so far has tried carrots, greens, potatoes, broccoli, Harrison's organic pellets and (sigh) the seedmix from the breeder

So far, for the first 24 hours, Baby is very cuddly and only mildly playful (less than an adult Senegal I know)

Baby has a fairly strange feather trim of some primaries and some secondaries, yet nevertheless is diligent at practicing flying, both across the cage and across the room

I'd say the odd trim and seed-rich diet are due to the breeder being a family whose pets had babies rather than more experienced

I am falling in love

 

[camelotshadow]

Good luck. If you have a scale you should weigh it in AM before it eats & make sure they don't lose weight.

 

[LanaNana]

Yes, I'll track weight. Good idea.

Back in college I worked at a parrot store where I handfed a ton of birds, from macaws and cockatoos to lorikeets and hornbills. Caiques too!

This one appears insistent on eating on his own, however I'll continue to offer formula by spoon and syringe a few times a day and see if he'll take some.

 

[sunnysmom]

Congratulations!

 

[CrazyKozmo]

Congratulations on your new bundle of joy!!

 

[LanaNana]

Thanks all!

From my experience and reading I believe its better to wean later, onto a broader diet, allow full flight, and keep babies together a few weeks longer to socialize. I feel a bit embarrassed at having gotten such a young bird that is clipped and not yet on a broad diet. I feed a bit guilty at supporting inferior avicultural practices. I fell in love and only after learned this stuff about this guy -- I had thought he was older and full flighted.

Yesterday morning baby was obsessed with carrot and thought almond was yummy. Today carrot is only for shredding, apple is great, and warm oatmeal is for flinging EVERYWHERE.

I'll keep you posted on whether baby accepts any formula today.

 

[Hermesbird]

Congrats!! So exciting! Any chance we can have pictures of your new baby!

 

[LanaNana]

Here is the little carrot eater yesterday morning.

Just now baby ate maybe 1-2 ml of formula. I'll keep offering. Better than yesterday when baby simple ran away from the formula 4 times

 

[Hermesbird]

AWEEEEE this is absolutely adorable!!!

 

[LanaNana]

Oranges!

 

[LanaNana]

<-- this pic shows the weird feather clip pretty well. Baby can still fly at least 10 feet.

Baby LOVES playing with his reflection in the window.

 

[Hermesbird]

That is a very weird clip, when I got my baby parrotlet they guys practically butchered her wings. won't let them get clip ever again. So happy baby enjoys the fruits of the world

 

[Laurie]

Welcome and congratulations on your new caique.

10 weeks is a bit young to be weaned but it is possible. They will gradually broaden their diet as they get older, just keep offering. As long as you are available to offer formula just incase he wants some then you should be fine. You can also put some in a dish near the rest of the food while he is eating and see if he will eat it.

I currently have one that is 6 months old and big and chunky, fully weaned and eating on his own but I have been indulging him with formula because he gets so stinkin' excited when he sees me or even hear me making it for the younger birds. He only gets a dish of it and we call it his morning coffee since he really seems like he "needs" it to start his day. LOL!

 

[LanaNana]

Today baby caique ate a lot more, favoring tomatoes, various seeds, and oranges. Turned down hand-feeding formula completely.

Baby likes flying practice -- yesterday between me and the window sill, today between me and my father.

 

[Irishj9]

Tomatoes are not reccommended

 

[Zara]

Congratulations!

 

[LanaNana]

Today the caique decided bananas, corn and peas are yummy

 

[budgieluv3]

Aww!

 

[LanaNana]

Destroyed an entire carrot while eating none of it. Actively considering the merits of broccoli. Chewed up a bunch of organic Harrison's pellets, unclear if ate any.

Has decided that orange and pear is food.

Still enjoys seed mix, corn, and peas. Keeps rejecting hand feeding formula.

Likes to fly between me and the cage.

 

[camelotshadow]

Trying food is good even if they are just using them as a chew toy. They are getting the taste. Maybe try dicing the carrot into smaller pieces like the peas & corn would encourage eating rather than playing