Baby Eclectus, recovering from pneumonia...

[mirandaleecom]

Hello! I'm new to this forum and I have some questions! Well I recently got a baby eclectus, 4 weeks old when I got her, and shortly after I brought her home she started showing signs of respiratory distress. I took her to the vet immediately and she was diagnosed with pneumonia and put on antibiotics right away. This was a week ago and she has showed improvement in her breathing.
So I'm slightly paranoid she will relapse and this is my first time with a bird this young and I just want to make sure some of her behaviors are normal.
She has a crazy appetite! I know this is usually a good sign but she will eat until her crop looks like it will burst and then she still cries for more for about 10 minutes after we feed her. Am I feeding her enough if she's still crying? She's gaining about .2-.4oz a day. Could the formula be too thin and she isn't getting enough nutrients? She weighs 8.45oz now (239g), is that normal at 5 weeks?
She cries a lot in her sleep, is that normal?
And she has started flapping her wings and acting crazy like she is fledging but she is too young for that right?
Sorry for all the questions but her being sick so early has made me worry about everything she does...

 

[labell]

Welcome to the forum.
I am very concerned, yes it can relapse. You are aware that pneumonia can be caused by small amounts of formula getting into the air sacs right? Aspiration can be fatal immediately of course but many times people who aren't experienced at hand feeding will aspirate small amounts causing the baby to get pneumonia. Have you ever hand fed before? Eclectus are one of the most difficult species to hand feed and wean.

You do not want to over stretch the crop, baby eclectus will continue to cry and beg even when they are full this is typical of them and one of the many, many reason I always tell people to let the breeder hand feed.

The flapping her wings is normal. Where are you located? Do you know of someone more experienced that could help you?

I can't answer the weight question because I don't know what sub species she is. Solomon Island, Red Sided? It makes a difference. You should be weighing her every morning empty and at this age she should be gaining some daily. She will lose a little once she starts fledging and weaning.

 

[mirandaleecom]

I do have experience hand feeding, just not a bird this young. I have been spoon feeding her and she never shows any sign of anything going down the wrong pipe. She had symptoms about 2 days after we got her so I am inclined to think it was from something that happened before I got her.
I'm glad to know they will beg for more even after they are full. I was worried I wasn't feeding enough but I stop after her crop looks full.
I'm in Panama City florida and there aren't many breeders around. The guy I got her from actually didn't intend to breed his birds.
She is a Soloman Island Eclectus. I have been weighing her every morning and she is still gaining weight, just wasn't sure if it was enough...