Baby cockatiel poo looks weird

[Luqman]

The reason you don't add whole seeds like white millet to the formula is because the shells aren't removed and are bad for his digestion. Parent birds hull the seeds before swallowing them and regurgitating them to the babies but the baby needs to hull his own seeds before he can safely eat them. That's why I added tiny pellets to the formula when Rocky was about four weeks old.

I should order the harrison one right? Also can you please list the stuff that is toxic to birds? I am worried if my baby tiel died suddenly because somehow got poison, and from now im just gonna refer him as “cico” because that’s what i name him

 

[Luqman]

By

I'm SO happy the baby is doing well! I wouldn't worry about the actual volume of formula you are feeding him. I never used a syringe (fear) and therefore never measured what Rocky ate. I just let her eat until she refused more food and scampered off to play or fall asleep. Make the formula is nice and thick at this age and you will find it easier to feed him thicker formula by spoon than the syringe because the syringe can get clogged with thicker formula. Thicker formula also lets the baby (and you) go longer between feedings as it doesn't exit the crop as quickly as watery formula does. Spoon feeding can be messy especially when he tries to dive right into the spoon so make sure you clean him well after meals. Just like in human babies, as they start eating solid food, they don't require feeding as often (allowing both baby and parents to sleep through the night). I think a level teaspoon is roughly 5ccs but dinnerware spoons vary a lot in size. You may want to use a measuring teaspoon if you want to try to track the volume he eats. Or you could measure the formula into a syringe and squirt it into the spoon before feeding him. You should get a pretty good sense by how much enthusiasm he has for eating whether his appetite is good and he's getting enough to eat. He should start cracking seed or eating tiny pellets around now. I highly recommend adding tiny pellets (not seed) to his formula, adding texture and making it a bit "chunky". He should enjoy this and it's a perfect way to start weaning him onto a healthy pellet based diet rather than a seed based diet. Seeds definitely have their place in a tiels' adult diet but unless you start very early with pellets you may have a hard time getting him to eat pellets after he's warned onto a primarily seed diet. I can't emphasize enough how important it is to start feeding him healthy foods like pellets and finely chopped fresh veggies and fruits while he is weaning. It will set him up for a lifetime of healthy eating habits instead of a seed only diet which is so bad for parrots, including cockatiels and budgies (they are small parrots). Rocky associated me with "good food" so much as a chick that all I had to do to get her to eat something new was to show her I was eating it myself with lots of gusto! The hard part now is keeping her out of our plates during meals because if we are eating it, she wants it too! If I'm eating something healthy for her I chop some up really fine and give her some in her food bowl (though she prefers what's on our plates) She loves scrambled eggs, pasta, rice, sweet red and green peppers, chopped dark greens like spinach, kernel corn, rolled oats, unsalted crackers. She even likes bits of well cooked chicken and tuna. I have to stop her from eating some foods that are too salty and cheese is only okay in tiny amounts. Others may add some of their comments and id I'm feeding Rocky something I shouldn't, please tell me!

By the way can you please attach a file about how thick the formula should be? Thanks!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

By

By the way can you please attach a file about how thick the formula should be? Thanks!

Kinda like peanut butter but it's obviously not sticky like peanut butter. It should sit on the spoon in a soft mound not a puddle. Dip the spoon in and fill it partially with the mound near the edge and put it near baby's face and beak. As he eats, tilt the spoon toward his face so it "flows" toward him. As he eats it up, refill the spoon.
I'd mix up a bit to show you the consistency but I'm not in a place or space right now to do that (out of town with my husband and Rocky).
How has be taken to the spoon? I'd try to stay with the spoon. Syringes can be so hard to control. They can stick and too much squirts out when they unstick. Too risky. Baby could die! I would be SO UPSET! I really think using a spoon only was one reason raising Rocky went so smoothly
Have you named your baby?

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I should order the harrison one right? Also can you please list the stuff that is toxic to birds? I am worried if my baby tiel died suddenly because somehow got poison, and from now im just gonna refer him as “cico” because that’s what i name him

Cico is cute name! Do you know if Cico a boy or a girl? It doesn't really matter because all 'tiels are sweet birdies! The Harrison's pellets Rocky loves are Harrison's High Potency Super Fine granules. They make so many different formulations but I use these because they are tiny- the size of a shelled millet seed- , so they're easy for babies to eat, are organic, and the ingredient list doesn't begin with ground cornmeal, soy, or any other cheap filler. Ingredient no. 1 is ground millet which is good for babies without turning them into "millet heads" who won't eat anything else. The rest of the ingredients balance out the nutritional profile so the baby gets everything he needs to grow up healthy and strong. When mixed with formula they give it a nice "chunky" texture. They are kinda expensive but one bag will last a long time with one bird.
Don't feed onions, garlic, avocado, fruit seeds like cherry pits, apple seeds, and grape seeds. No chocolate, alcohol, greasy, fried, salty or sugary foods, very limited dairy (a nibble of cheese is okay on occasion), bits of pasta, rice and potato are good and tiny bits of well cooked chicken are okay occasionally. Hard boiled or scrambled eggs are great and packed with quality protein. Of course, chopped fresh or frozen vegetables including sweet bell pepper, broccoli, spinach, greens, green beans, sugar snap peas, celery, carrots, squash, bok choy, cabbage, the list goes on! THIS IS NOT A COMPLETE LIST. Check online for a more complete list of forbidden foods and a good foods because I'm sure I've left a lot out!

 

[Luqman]

Kinda like peanut butter but it's obviously not sticky like peanut butter. It should sit on the spoon in a soft mound not a puddle. Dip the spoon in and fill it partially with the mound near the edge and put it near baby's face and beak. As he eats, tilt the spoon toward his face so it "flows" toward him. As he eats it up, refill the spoon.
I'd mix up a bit to show you the consistency but I'm not in a place or space right now to do that (out of town with my husband and Rocky).
How has be taken to the spoon? I'd try to stay with the spoon. Syringes can be so hard to control. They can stick and too much squirts out when they unstick. Too risky. Baby could die! I would be SO UPSET! I really think using a spoon only was one reason raising Rocky went so smoothly
Have you named your baby?

Yeah sometimes he doesn’t want to eat from a spoon like he don’t understand if maybe because I usually use syringes, so sometimes i just use syringes if he don’t wnt to eat using a spoon, but i will be very very careful when i am pushing the syringe!

 

[Luqman]

Cico is cute name! Do you know if Cico a boy or a girl? It doesn't really matter because all 'tiels are sweet birdies! The Harrison's pellets Rocky loves are Harrison's High Potency Super Fine granules. They make so many different formulations but I use these because they are tiny- the size of a shelled millet seed- , so they're easy for babies to eat, are organic, and the ingredient list doesn't begin with ground cornmeal, soy, or any other cheap filler. Ingredient no. 1 is ground millet which is good for babies without turning them into "millet heads" who won't eat anything else. The rest of the ingredients balance out the nutritional profile so the baby gets everything he needs to grow up healthy and strong. When mixed with formula they give it a nice "chunky" texture. They are kinda expensive but one bag will last a long time with one bird.
Don't feed onions, garlic, avocado, fruit seeds like cherry pits, apple seeds, and grape seeds. No chocolate, alcohol, greasy, fried, salty or sugary foods, very limited dairy (a nibble of cheese is okay on occasion), bits of pasta, rice and potato are good and tiny bits of well cooked chicken are okay occasionally. Hard boiled or scrambled eggs are great and packed with quality protein. Of course, chopped fresh or frozen vegetables including sweet bell pepper, broccoli, spinach, greens, green beans, sugar snap peas, celery, carrots, squash, bok choy, cabbage, the list goes on! THIS IS NOT A COMPLETE LIST. Check online for a more complete list of forbidden foods and a good foods because I'm sure I've left a lot out!

Well I think cico is a girl because the color of he/she face look a bit pale and faded, but I am not that sure, i hope his a male since i want to train it to sing songs!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Well I think cico is a girl because the color of he/she face look a bit pale and faded, but I am not that sure, i hope his a male since i want to train it to sing songs!

I hope you aren't too disappointed if Cico is a girl. She may not become a great singer, but she needs you. You're her "Mama". You have a very special bond and she will be a wonderful loyal companion for life. Don't give up on your little girl!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Yeah sometimes he doesn’t want to eat from a spoon like he don’t understand if maybe because I usually use syringes, so sometimes i just use syringes if he don’t wnt to eat using a spoon, but i will be very very careful when i am pushing the syringe!

Cico is probably so used to the syringe now. If you need to use it to make sure he eats enough then you should, but try putting a little vegetable oil on the plunger before you fill the syringe with formula and push the plunger in and out so it doesn't stick. If you want to mix the tiny pellets into the formula and still use the syringe you could try cutting the tip off it if you have more than one syringe in case you ruin it. This will help you make the hole larger so tiny pellets will flow out in the formula. In fact, you can remove the long tip off the syringe now if you want if you haven't already.

 

[Luqman]

I hope you aren't too disappointed if Cico is a girl. She may not become a great singer, but she needs you. You're her "Mama". You have a very special bond and she will be a wonderful loyal companion for life. Don't give up on your little girl!

Thank you so much for your kind and wonderful words

 

[Luqman]

Cico is probably so used to the syringe now. If you need to use it to make sure he eats enough then you should, but try putting a little vegetable oil on the plunger before you fill the syringe with formula and push the plunger in and out so it doesn't stick. If you want to mix the tiny pellets into the formula and still use the syringe you could try cutting the tip off it if you have more than one syringe in case you ruin it. This will help you make the hole larger so tiny pellets will flow out in the formula. In fact, you can remove the long tip off the syringe now if you want if you haven't already.

Ok, um will the pellet dissolve if i mixed it in with the formula?

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Ok, um will the pellet dissolve if i mixed it in with the formula?

Not right away. The pellets will soften a bit which is good.. I'd just try a bit on a spoon when he's really hungry and see. The reason I'm suggesting putting these pellets in the formula is because it makes it easier to convert him to a healthy pelletfjtqb.lllllllll N b i

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Not right away. The pellets will soften a bit which is good.. I'd just try a bit on a spoon when he's really hungry and see. The reason I'm suggesting putting these pellets in the formula is because it makes it easier to convert him to a healthy pelletfjtqb.lllllllll N b i

Oops! Easier to convert him to a healthier pelleted diet in a couple weeks. Rocky seemed to really like the added texture. When parents feed their chicks, you can see whole shelled seeds in the babies crops when the babies had no feathers so it's good to give them more solids.

 

[Luqman]

Oops! Easier to convert him to a healthier pelleted diet in a couple weeks. Rocky seemed to really like the added texture. When parents feed their chicks, you can see whole shelled seeds in the babies crops when the babies had no feathers so it's good to give them more solids.

Ok, I will try as soon as the pellets arrive!

 

[Niteldy]

The closest he went to flying is like this , btw i dont think he is 6weeks, there are a lot of spot that haven’t grown feather, i keep him in a small box when its time to sleep

OHHHH. So precious!

 

[Luqman]

Oops! Easier to convert him to a healthier pelleted diet in a couple weeks. Rocky seemed to really like the added texture. When parents feed their chicks, you can see whole shelled seeds in the babies crops when the babies had no feathers so it's good to give them more solids.

Please help! Cico is doing it again! He refuses to eat and since i am travelling there is no vet that treat bird here! Please i need help what do i do?

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Please help! Cico is doing it again! He refuses to eat and since i am travelling there is no vet that treat bird here! Please i need help what do i do?

How long as it been since cico has eaten?

 

[DonnaBudgie]

How long as it been since cico has eaten?

Does Cico have food in his crop?

 

[Luqman]

How long as it been since cico has eaten?

Maybe 15 hours? Last night until today 12pm

 

[Luqman]

Does Cico have food in his crop?

Yes but very very little

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Does Cico have food in his crop?

Try to write a timeline of when his last feedings were, about how much was eaten at each, whether the food was mixed fresh each time, did you check the temp?