weaning baby strikes at their veggies

[Diveks]

So i've been raising two baby lovebirds. I don't usually raise my babies from day 1 but i had to for these two as ones mom passed and the other was a first time mom who was cracking eggs (she is now taking a break from all the breeding). Well more about the babies, they are now in the weaning stage, they are eating pellets and seeds well but they don't like their veggies. I have a veggie mix I make for my birds so they won't pick their favorites out and none of my babies hate them as this baby. One doesn't love it but would chew it a bit while the other hates it so much they strike at it? They don't actually bite me but they are just trying to scaring the food away???

To be honest it looks very hilarious, this baby hates their veggies that much. I first discovered this when i picked the veggies up to show them what is food. They started striking at my fingers with the food on it. I thought the baby might just want some alone time or is starting to discover biting, but they never do it again until it's veggies time. These babies are the most cuddly babies i've ever raised, maybe because I raised them from an egg or maybe because they just have that personality. It surprised me when the baby started striking at me, by striking i mean they throw their bodies forward with the mouth open with the legs in place. How would you recommend I get this baby to eat their veggies?

 

[Zara]

How would you recommend I get this baby to eat their veggies?

With lots of patience.

this baby hates their veggies that much

It is a lot more likely that your bird is scared of them rather than ¨hates¨ them.

I have a veggie mix I make for my birds so they won't pick their favorites out

What is this? Like a chop or something?
I had success with fresh veggies diced into small pieces for weaning.
Chicks can be frightened of all sorts of things, so having a chick frightened of veggies is not uncommon. I have seen mine lunge at veggies before but then later tuck in. Try presenting them in different ways. Try eating with the birds so they can see.

 

[Diveks]

With lots of patience.


It is a lot more likely that your bird is scared of them rather than ¨hates¨ them.


What is this? Like a chop or something?
I had success with fresh veggies diced into small pieces for weaning.
Chicks can be frightened of all sorts of things, so having a chick frightened of veggies is not uncommon. I have seen mine lunge at veggies before but then later tuck in. Try presenting them in different ways. Try eating with the birds so they can see.

Ah sorry i replied but i guess my reply was not sent, i was thinking scared but then the baby was not scared the first time and just started lunging at it after it's first bite. guessing the baby hates one of the veggies?

And yes a chop, i mix up 5-6 different veggies each week (depending on whats available i rotate). I will try making a new batch with different veggies as maybe the baby hates a veggie in it.

also not related but i wanted to ask about if you had the same experience, this baby seemed to have a deformed toe (hatched out like this), I thought the baby would grow out of it or maybe it would get better after it started walking but apparently no. Also i didn't leave it as is, i tried straightening up the toes with several different methods but whenever I take it off to change it out the toe always goes back.

So the baby has 3 toes going to the front, and one going to the back. Makes it hard for the poor baby to perch on some surfaces. the baby will only perch comfortably on cloth surfaces like my sweater, pants, ect. Any suggestion on special needs cage setup?

 

[Zara]

also not related but i wanted to ask about if you had the same experience, this baby seemed to have a deformed toe (hatched out like this), I thought the baby would grow out of it or maybe it would get better after it started walking but apparently no. Also i didn't leave it as is, i tried straightening up the toes with several different methods but whenever I take it off to change it out the toe always goes back.

So the baby has 3 toes going to the front, and one going to the back. Makes it hard for the poor baby to perch on some surfaces. the baby will only perch comfortably on cloth surfaces like my sweater, pants, ect. Any suggestion on special needs cage setup?

Do you have a picture?
Sounds a bit like my Adelie, she has all toes going forward on one foot. I suspect it could be low calcium in egg as she was from a larger clutch, and I also tried to correct it, the vet taped her foot a few times plus we did exercises to stretch her feet. I originally had her in a 30x18x18, but I did move her to a flight cage when she was 1-2 years old.
Just so you know, this bird is one that I have to keep on an all pellet diet. When I would give a mix of pellet and seed, she would end up with calcium deficiency and have to go to the vet. It has happened twice now, so she has pellets only, a little seed when out of the cage but nothing crazy, and veggies daily along with a supplement (powder over food). I don´t know if this is related to her foot or not, as she was also a slow grower when she hatched, just thought I´d mention it.
Here is a link to the setup progress when she was a baby, I started out with an empty cage and slowly added things and changed what didn´t work etc. I really should update it now she´s in a flight cage,

Pictures - Adélies house set up

So for a long time, Adélie was living in an 18x16x18 (the nursery/travel cage) while I observed her to figure out what she can and can't do with her closed foot. I originally was going to wait until weaned before making a purchase because I wasn't even sure on what cage to get. But Adélie is...

forums.avianavenue.com

Here is a link to the platform swing I made, I did end up giving this to my other birds and making one made from cotton to Adelie, I´ll try find a pic..

Pictures - I made a platform swing

I came to the realisation yesterday that Adelie and Sydney don´t use the swing (the one I lowered for Adelie in her prev. cage) at all. So it is taking up space that I could use for something else. I was thinking about ordering a platform swing to see if she liked that more, but I also had...

forums.avianavenue.com

I posted a pic of the cotton swing here;

Advice Needed, Do I Keep Her as His Cage Mate?

So I plan to give LJ Snow and Obsidian's cage, set up to better accommodate his needs. If anyone remembers he is starting to have trouble with his feet and was developing pressure sores despite have natural perches. I plan to have it set up with platforms, rope and fleece padded perches. Now the...

forums.avianavenue.com

 

[Diveks]

Do you have a picture?
Sounds a bit like my Adelie, she has all toes going forward on one foot. I suspect it could be low calcium in egg as she was from a larger clutch, and I also tried to correct it, the vet taped her foot a few times plus we did exercises to stretch her feet. I originally had her in a 30x18x18, but I did move her to a flight cage when she was 1-2 years old.
Just so you know, this bird is one that I have to keep on an all pellet diet. When I would give a mix of pellet and seed, she would end up with calcium deficiency and have to go to the vet. It has happened twice now, so she has pellets only, a little seed when out of the cage but nothing crazy, and veggies daily along with a supplement (powder over food). I don´t know if this is related to her foot or not, as she was also a slow grower when she hatched, just thought I´d mention it.
Here is a link to the setup progress when she was a baby, I started out with an empty cage and slowly added things and changed what didn´t work etc. I really should update it now she´s in a flight cage,

Pictures - Adélies house set up

So for a long time, Adélie was living in an 18x16x18 (the nursery/travel cage) while I observed her to figure out what she can and can't do with her closed foot. I originally was going to wait until weaned before making a purchase because I wasn't even sure on what cage to get. But Adélie is...

forums.avianavenue.com

Here is a link to the platform swing I made, I did end up giving this to my other birds and making one made from cotton to Adelie, I´ll try find a pic..

Pictures - I made a platform swing

I came to the realisation yesterday that Adelie and Sydney don´t use the swing (the one I lowered for Adelie in her prev. cage) at all. So it is taking up space that I could use for something else. I was thinking about ordering a platform swing to see if she liked that more, but I also had...

forums.avianavenue.com

I posted a pic of the cotton swing here;

Advice Needed, Do I Keep Her as His Cage Mate?

So I plan to give LJ Snow and Obsidian's cage, set up to better accommodate his needs. If anyone remembers he is starting to have trouble with his feet and was developing pressure sores despite have natural perches. I plan to have it set up with platforms, rope and fleece padded perches. Now the...

forums.avianavenue.com

Yes heres a pic, really hard to get this baby to sit still.
hmm the nail goes sideways im kinda worried it might get overgrown on that finger but ill have to wait and see.

how do you know when they have a calcium deficiency other than a blood test? Or do you do blood tests often. This baby was the opposite with growth, they grew so quick that they caught up and even weight more than babies 10 days older.

thank you for the links! I think ill implement some of those for the cage. Guessing it would be okay to keep both of these babies together in a cage with more of a platform type of perches?

 

[Zara]

Given one toe goes back like that, your bird may be able to perch. I suggest keeping them in a smaller cage while you observe how well they are able to perch.

Guessing it would be okay to keep both of these babies together in a cage with more of a platform type of perches?

I house my bird with her boyfriend. They have a flat perch to sleep on, cotton boings, platform swing, Hagen pedi perch, and some other branche perches.

 

[Zara]

I just gave my girl a new bell to play with. I put it up on the highest perch for her and she's fine up there.

 

[Diveks]

I just gave my girl a new bell to play with. I put it up on the highest perch for her and she's fine up there.
View attachment 408356

Given one toe goes back like that, your bird may be able to perch. I suggest keeping them in a smaller cage while you observe how well they are able to perch.


I house my bird with her boyfriend. They have a flat perch to sleep on, cotton boings, platform swing, Hagen pedi perch, and some other branche perches.

They have been in their weaning cage and they have several branches there. The baby with the bent toe stays mostly on the ground and slips on the perches a lot. I might be able to get them to perch more if they are wrapped with maybe vet tape?

i think ill try some of the perches you use maybe it would be less slippery.

 

[Diveks]

also would like to ask what do you use for their waters as he/she keeps slipping on the bowl and this stops him/her from drinking much.

 

[Zara]

I´m surprised your bird can´t grip well. When my bird Adelie was small, she was ¨clumsy¨ and would fall more than an average lovebird. I would hold her and help her get her foot around my fingers or a small Y-perch I had on my desk and help her grab things. We also did stretches that my vet showed me.
Now my bird is older she can´t grab at all with that foot, but the other is strong and she basically does it all on one leg.

So, how is your birds other leg? Encourage them to use it. If one leg is ok, it will make a huge difference for them.

As for water bowl, we have SS bowls and she´s never fallen in. When she was little I used water silos for safety just so I could rest easy knowing she wouldn´t drown while I wasn´t there. That could be a good option for you for now.

Keep your perches and toys low, just in case they fall. But have a veriety so you can see what works best, and the bird prefers.

 

[Diveks]

I´m surprised your bird can´t grip well. When my bird Adelie was small, she was ¨clumsy¨ and would fall more than an average lovebird. I would hold her and help her get her foot around my fingers or a small Y-perch I had on my desk and help her grab things. We also did stretches that my vet showed me.
Now my bird is older she can´t grab at all with that foot, but the other is strong and she basically does it all on one leg.

So, how is your birds other leg? Encourage them to use it. If one leg is ok, it will make a huge difference for them.

As for water bowl, we have SS bowls and she´s never fallen in. When she was little I used water silos for safety just so I could rest easy knowing she wouldn´t drown while I wasn´t there. That could be a good option for you for now.

Keep your perches and toys low, just in case they fall. But have a veriety so you can see what works best, and the bird prefers.

Really sorry for the late reply i was busy for awhile caring for the younger babies. Thank you for all of the info of yours! Mine seem to have issues on more slippery surfaces especially if they are large. One leg is strong but the other seems weaker so if one leg slips the baby slips.

the baby with the issued leg seemed to not be too fond of human interaction so i decided to show the two babies the lovebird aviary a few days ago. Well the one with the leg issue went off right away to the other birds and got accepted by the flock.

With one last handfeeding they went off and is now refusing handfeeding formula entirely. Well the other seem to not be too fond of the aviary. Keep flying back to me and won’t let go. Guess this baby might just be an entirely indoor bird that loves human interaction!

I’ve never had a lovebird pick humans over other lovebirds. Some lovebirds in the aviary will visit me and hang out with me, on my hand or shoulder but they will always go back to the flock. The flock keeps their distance from this baby (not really a baby anymore but they are all babies to me), so i guess i have a new member to the human flock!

bent toed baby seem to be able to perch, drink and eat just fine in the aviary. Sadly the pretend to not know me whenever they are with the flock. Even the parent birds love human visitors! I don’t mind it though, as long as they’re happy.