Advice Please for my new gcc baby

[nervous_new_gcc_mommy]

I am looking for some advice ( without being criticized or condemned) for my new gcc. I was advised from the breeder that my little guy Kiko was 4 weeks old and that it was very safe for me to bring him home and continue hand feeding him. I explained that I had never hand fed a baby bird before , but he assured me it was easy and that I could make no mistakes. I have had my little guy home for 2 days now. He has been feeding 3-4 times a day , having normal "poops" and active periods of the day. I was online doing some research ( I should have done more before I purchased him , I know) and I have a feeling that he is not more than 2-3 weeks old as he has almost all the pin feathers but almost none of the colored feathers. He is not able to balance enough to walk yet , but is able to scoop up to my neck to cuddle and seek warmth .
I am very nervous with his age and would like to know if things sound like they are going well , and if there is any advice that anyone has to offer .
*Breeder is more than 2 hours from my home and all calls are now going to a voicemail so returning him is not an option*

 

[ann]

you came to the right place, this forum is filled with people who can help you . i dont know too much about hand feeding but this is what i can say. i am not attacking you when i say this, but that breeder mislead you and should never have sold you an unweaned bird. as long as he is healthy and growing normally, i would keep doing what you doing. but most importantly, i would take him to an experienced avian vet. just get him checked out to be sure he isn't sick and that the formula is the right consistency for his age. also be sure his crop is emptying regularly. good luck !

 

[Detharmy]

as the person suggested above, take him to an avian vet immediately just to make sure your little guy is A-ok. im sure nothing is wrong with him, just young. your doing fine. keep doing what your doing. feeding him 3-4 times a day is fine. He'll lay off the baby food and switch to pellet diet on his own. but keep in mind that it all depends on the bird himself.

 

[nervous_new_gcc_mommy]

Called a local avian vet today , they cannot see him until Monday . That said I shall continue to be the nervous gcc mommy over the weekend and until I have him checked out . Today he seems to be doing well , he just finished eating again and is walking on a blanket on the floor. Thanks for the advice and the vote of confidence. Will keep you guys updated and will upload some pics soon .

 

[Total_Dejavu]

I'm fairly new here, but have never seen where anyone was criticized or condemned. . As Ann mentioned, you'll get lots of advice here. It sounds like you're doing a great job and unfortunately there are dishonest people in the world. In some cases, it's more about the money and not the birds. Try not to stress too much and continue as you're doing until you can get him into the vet. In the end, this baby is always going to look at you as his mommy

 

[DebsFlock]

It's not considered an ideal situation these days, but it used to be the norm and plenty of birds survived first-timer hand-feeding. I have not done any hand feeding at all, so I don't really have advice, but I think the things to be careful about are formula that is too warm and over-filling the crop. You may want to try to read up on handfeeding and then the weaning process. AFA offers online classes in aviculture that I expect would cover those topics. check out AFA Fundamentals of Aviculture

So hang in there! You'll probably be fine!

 

[sprout]

Hi- Can you post a picture of him? Maybe then we can get a better idea of age for you. Sounds like your baby is doing well though. It also sounds like you are doing a good job taking care of him.

 

[nervous_new_gcc_mommy]

This is my little Kiko .

 

[DebsFlock]

Awfully cute!!

 

[Trina]

ohhhh your birdie is so adorable...i have no advice i have never fed a birdie that young, i just wanted to say how adorable i thought he was

 

[sprout]

Well, I went through some of my pictures to see what the baby conures I have hand fed look like at 4 weeks. I have had a couple of gcc's and found pics of some 4 weeks old. Kiko could be 4 weeks old. It is possible. I think you will be amazed how quickly he changes.

 

[nervous_new_gcc_mommy]

Just came home from the vet and she actually is a breeder of the gcc's and sun conures!! She estimates him to be at 3 weeks but said that he is doing very well . He is weighing a whole 76 grams. He ate while we were there and she said that we are doing everything very well . We are so much more relieved!!

 

[dishgal1]

That is great news and I am so glad it is going well. It is very difficult to handfeed babies that young sometimes.

 

[AFP520]

Shame on that breeder for letting him go so quickly. The store we got Lucy from handfed her until we took her home. She was just about 4 months old.

Glad to hear your bird is doing well and welcome aboard

 

[DebsFlock]

Great to hear that! Keep up the good work! Your baby outweighs my full grown bird!

 

[Detharmy]

hes cute. still baby baby. he'll sway away from the baby food eventually. it just depends on him.

EDIT: sorry, didnt read post about taking him to the vet haha

 

[nervous_new_gcc_mommy]

Kiko is doing well .Trying to figure out if I brought home a gcc or a little piggy ..haha
All kidding aside he is doing great and starting to really settle into the family. His feathers are starting to fill in more too . Will post more pics later. Thanks for all the support!!!

 

[Pookamama]

Sounds like you are doing terrific, and so wonderful to find a vet with personal GCC experience! What a darling!

 

[cdog]

I'm sorry the breeder mislead you like that, some people just don't deserve to deal with animals.
But it sounds like you are doing great so keep up the good work, I'm sure you will do fine.
He is adorable, based one the Gcc's I have raised I would peg him around 3-4 weeks too.

 

[Detharmy]

glad to hear yall are doing good lol. Have fun with your baby! and as i said before, he'll move on to seed diet when HE is ready to. dont force wean!!! and have fun!