Baby Green Wing macaw refusing formula at 11 weeks old

I have a baby green wing macaw. His name is Robert (wife named him). He is about 11 weeks old. Got him from a friend as a gift. He told me he was about 8 weeks old at the time and I have had him for about 3 weeks. I am not really sure of his age. Can you judge by the pictures?

I have 2 issues.

2 days ago he hasn't been taking all of his Kaytee Exact hand feeding formula for baby macaws. He usually takes about 90cc 3 times a day. I add 4 drops of Bragg's Apple Cider Vineger and 2 drop Multivit CH to his food. He weighs about 1035g at 11 weeks old. He started refusing formula after he has had about 45 - 60cc. I also noticed he is not doing the head bobbing (begging for food) as he used to. Sometimes he doesn't bob at all. He has been panting a bit after playing alot and I took him to vet today who said he has respiratory infection. He gave me antibiotic to feed him orally for 5 days 2x a day. He started refusing food before I gave him the antibiotic.

Second issue, I caught playing with his poop. I caught him 3 times. Don't know if he is eating it but it scared me. I decided to cut up some banana and give to him to see what happens. He ate it all up. This puzzles me. I just fed him formula again and he wasted half. But right after he had a good bit of banana. Also tell me if his poop looks ok.

Other than that he is playing alot and following me around the house. He nibbles on my toes and is always playing with his toys. He isn't acting sick in any way. He is active about 10hrs a day and sleeps about 14hrs a day.

Posted pictures below.
Videos in youtube.

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Can you assist me?

Hi there, and welcome to the forums.

Beautiful baby GW you have there! It appears as if the parents did a good amount of plucking before he was pulled (from the nest), or he would have more uniform feathers all over by now. Not to worry, those should all grow back soon enough.

Very happy to hear you took your baby to the vet when things were off. It's very important that you get all the prescribed antibiotics into him, and finish the meds as well.

As for him refusing the formula, he's too young to eat on his own completely. However, now is a great time to introduce him to a wide variety of soft, fresh vegetables and fruits. You can offer moistened pellets, too, just remember that they spoil quickly once they are moist.

At what temperature are you feeding? Perhaps he'd like his formula a bit warmer? Is his crop emptying properly? Since he liked the banana, you can also try and smash a few pieces of that under the formula. Are you feeding via syringe or via spoon?

Poop looks pretty normal to me, but then again I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn last night.

They gave me Amoxicillin Oral suspension powder to mix with water to make a 100ml shake. They said give him .5ml 2x a day for 5 - 7 days. I tasted it and it tasted like a strawberry milk shake... Kinda. But I could taste the meds in it. (Yea I know I am weird).

I have so many questions. lol

Why did he stop head bobbing? I loved how he did that. Now I am worried.

I am offering him some stuff tonight. Bananas, papaya, broccoli, sweet peppers and carrots. I am gonna order zupreem pellets... the non coloured type. Is that ok?

His formula is given around 105 degrees fahrenheit. I use a large 50cc syringe with a 1in pointed tip. Which is better? Syringe or spoon?

His crop goes completely or almost empty before I feed him again. It take 8hrs to empty completely. I had him on Diflucan for a week to remedy a slow crop from candida.

I don't know why he's no longer bopping his head. It may only be temporary, and may resume when his respiratory infection is gone.

He's at a GREAT weight for his age! Keep checking the weight daily, as that can be the first indicator that something is 'off'.

If you are comfortable with the syringe feeding, I'd continue using it. Temperature is perfect!

And yes, natural Zupreem pellets are fine (mine get that mixed under their dry food). He is, of course, much too young to be weaning. GWs can take 6-9 months to completely eat on their own. Again, each bird is different.

Has he flown yet, or is he busy practicing his wings? It's normal to be a little out of breath after flapping rigorously for a while. Robert has to build up his stamina.

He hasn't flown yet. Just started flapping last week when he was 10 weeks. Now that's almost all he does. When I pick him up, when he is playing, eating and even pooping. lol. I spend about 3hrs a days playing with him and even more just lying on the bed watching him.

Will he fly if all his feathers are not fully grown?

Baby food a good addition?

Have no idea. Someone answer. Should I mix baby food with formula? I am gonna give him moist pellet though.

Robert is really cute. Are the syringes your using soft plastic or hard?
I used the soft bulb type when weaning Salty, figured they would be better if he bit them. And your really really cleaning them good if your reusing them, right? Good luck with him!

I think he is very cute too! And thanks! I use a hard tip syringe. I change the syringe once every 4 days. I wash them with dishwashing liquid after every use.

I dont know about macs but I have almost weaned cockatiels. They were plucked in the nest but not as bad as your baby. They still flew on time.

Why do they get plucked in the nest? Are you sure he was plucked or is the back and underside the last to grow feathers?

He finally ate some food. 60cc of formula. But I had to mix it in with some vanilla yogurt. He did head bob for 45cc of it and the rest i put on his tongue and he swallowed.

chad84 said:

Why do they get plucked in the nest? Are you sure he was plucked or is the back and underside the last to grow feathers?

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Some parent birds pluck their babies. Heck, some parents even kill their offspring - often for unknown reasons.

Yes, 100% sure he was plucked. Here is a photo of my B&G when he was around 6-7 weeks old (still at the breeder). All his neck feathers were completely grown in.

chad84 said:

He finally ate some food. 60cc of formula. But I had to mix it in with some vanilla yogurt. He did head bob for 45cc of it and the rest i put on his tongue and he swallowed.

Click to expand...

GREAT news! Way to go!! Please keep us posted on his progress, would you?

Im sure. I was checking on them and saw it happen. I took some preventative measures. Most suggestex it was because the mom wanted a new clutch. I removed the nest box and put a small reptile space heater under a corner of the cage.

I monitored temp getting up every 2 hours the first night to check on them. Mom still tries to pluck some but they are big enough to fight her off.

I hope your baby gets better soon.

Robert refused to feed this morning. So I gave him the antibiotics on an empty stomach. Then I left him with some fruits he ate at 7am. At 12:30pm when I got home he stood still and didn't greet me. So I decided to make a large 150cc formula. He ate 2x 60cc and begged for more for a total of 140cc. I am so happy. Now he is following me around scratching me with his foot and nibbling me with his beak for the last 15mins. He is so active now. Very happy. 1st time I ever heard him so vocal. Sounds like he is quarrelling.

He ate 110cc tonight. I am understanding how to invoke his feeding response now even if he isn't begging. I show him the syringe and he opens his beak, then I use my thumb and index where his beak joins. And as soon as I touch his tongue, he bobs his head. So happy. Food is fed at 108 degrees for 1st 60cc and then 107.2 degree for 2nd 60cc.

Enjoy the pics below. I have so many more I wanna show you. He did alot of things from yesterday to today.

Been a few days since he ate his due. happy to see that nice round crop.

I am uploading some pics. A before and after.

Before: 850g and 8 weeks old (when I got him as gift)
He was raised by parents and was not hand fed



After: 1052g and 11 weeks old (3 weeks of formula)
Started hand feeding after never tasting it and loved it

Ohhhh - I fall in love with a mac every time.
I think you are doing a great job. Looks like his feathers are coming back in with all of that fuzz.

Hello to my friends! Robert has been full of energy even though he was pumped with antibiotics for the last few days. He still is refusing formula and only eats about 50cc a day. I offer him bananas and veges every time I feed him. He seems very content and very demanding at times. Always begging to come along when the wife and I leave the house. I ordered zupreem pellets to mix with his hand feed and also to offer to him moist as weaning food. It seems like he is almost ready to wean as his interest in non formula food has been awoken.

After eating 50cc, he would usually start quarrelling and running from the syringe. Is this at all normal?

Also, my wife has been complaining that all I do is talk about Robert and that I kiss him up so much. She also said I don't do that to her as much. Truthfully I have been spend ALOT of time with Robert. But I also give much more time to my wife. Seeing that he is a free range companion and he has no cage, he poops everywhere. I normally clean it up very quickly. The wife also complains that the house smells weird because I don't mop the tiles often enough. I always wipe up his poop as soon as he drops it. But I try to mop at least once a week.
She told me don't make her regret the decision to get a macaw. She is under some stress with her studies these days. I hope I don't lose Robert. I shed some tears this morning when she said maybe I should give him back if the house continues to smell funny.

All my life I have wanted to have a parrot pet/companion. I begged for it since I was a young child. So now that I have Robert, I can't let him go.