Baby GCC Feeding schedule

[Sybil]

I think they take them so young because they are afraid the parent birds will get upset and harm the babies or not feed them if they remove them for handling several times a day. Your parent birds are exceptionally tame and accepting.

So I just got lucky with the parents? These are my first pair of sun conures. I’ve only had budgies before them.

 

[Arizz]

Hello update, Ryn has grown a bit wants to fly but still cant i wanna ask about when i can put Ryn in a cage?

 

[Sybil]

Hello update, Ryn has grown a bit wants to fly but still cant i wanna ask about when i can put Ryn in a cage?

How old is your baby now?

 

[Arizz]

How old is your baby now?

Around 4 weeks

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Around 4 weeks

I would put him in a cage when he can perch without difficulty and is making real efforts to fly. I remember how fast my budgie Rocky learned how to fly at about five 1/2 weeks. Suddenly she was off like a shot!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

So I just got lucky with the parents? These are my first pair of sun conures. I’ve only had budgies before them.

I think some parent birds are not as tame as your parents. I can imagine parental instincts might make parents so protective of their chicks that they get mad when they're handled by humans over and over.

 

[Sybil]

I would put him in a cage when he can perch without difficulty and is making real efforts to fly. I remember how fast my budgie Rocky learned how to fly at about five 1/2 weeks. Suddenly she was off like a shot!

I was going to say the same thing. Wait until the baby can perch My baby birds flap their wings a lot but haven’t started flying yet. They are 6 weeks old.

 

[Sybil]

I think some parent birds are not as tame as your parents. I can imagine parental instincts might make parents so protective of their chicks that they get mad when they're handled by humans over and over.

My parent birds were hand fed and I’ve had them since the male was two months old and I got the female when she was 7 months old. They are very sweet birds. They didn’t mind when I took them out of the nest box and held them. It was neat watching the parents feed them on my lap.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

My parent birds were hand fed and I’ve had them since the male was two months old and I got the female when she was 7 months old. They are very sweet birds. They didn’t mind when I took them out of the nest box and held them. It was neat watching the parents feed them on my lap.

I think the fact the parents were hand raised made a huge difference.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I was going to say the same thing. Wait until the baby can perch My baby birds flap their wings a lot but haven’t started flying yet. They are 6 weeks old.

Baby birds flap like crazy for many weeks before they even attempt their first flight. I don't know how they suddenly learn to actually fly but it happens when their wing feathers are almost full length.

 

[Arizz]

I would put him in a cage when he can perch without difficulty and is making real efforts to fly. I remember how fast my budgie Rocky learned how to fly at about five 1/2 weeks. Suddenly she was off like a shot!

Ryn really wants to fly and is becoming more energetic, Should I test out how well Ryn can perch? Also what foods and seeds do you recommend for the future.

 

[Arizz]

Ryn really wants to fly and is becoming more energetic, Should I test out how well Ryn can perch? Also what foods and seeds do you recommend for the future.

I hope someone could answer this, so I was feeding my baby earlier and Out of nowhere Ryn suddenly became quiet? Ryn is usually noisy and responds to a whistle everytime. But now he/she makes noise but not as much and not as loud. Is it something I should be worrying about? Other than that my baby is perfectly fine still trying to fly and active.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Ryn really wants to fly and is becoming more energetic, Should I test out how well Ryn can perch? Also what foods and seeds do you recommend for the future.

Put Ryn on the back of your hand and see if he can perch on two fingers held together and make sure you support him if he teeters. Look at his feet as he tries to perch. Two toes should point back and two forward. It may take a week or so of trying for him to learn how to position his toes correctly and balance himself. Fix hid toe positions for him if you want.
The flapping is in preparation for taking his first flight and babies start flapping like that long before they are ready to fly. He won't fly until he's learned to perch. My budgie took her first flight as soon as her wing and tail feathers were close to full length. I don't know how old GCC are when they take their first flight. I don't know if they mature at the same rate as budgies but I would be fully prepared for it at six weeks. It happens suddenly and your baby will definitely need supervision probably need assistance getting out of jams at first. Their first flight seems to be as scary for them as it is for us!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Put Ryn on the back of your hand and see if he can perch on two fingers held together and make sure you support him if he teeters. Look at his feet as he tries to perch. Two toes should point back and two forward. It may take a week or so of trying for him to learn how to position his toes correctly and balance himself. Fix hid toe positions for him if you want.
The flapping is in preparation for taking his first flight and babies start flapping like that long before they are ready to fly. He won't fly until he's learned to perch. My budgie took her first flight as soon as her wing and tail feathers were close to full length. I don't know how old GCC are when they take their first flight. I don't know if they mature at the same rate as budgies but I would be fully prepared for it at six weeks. It happens suddenly and your baby will definitely need supervision probably need assistance getting out of jams at first. Their first flight seems to be as scary for them as it is for us!

Weaning- I weaned Rocky onto very small pellets that I started mixing into his formula at about four weeks. That way she got used to the pellets and early ate them when she was offered the pellets in a shallow wide dish on the floor of her cage. I used Harrison's High Potency Super Fine.

 

[Arizz]

hey everyone, its been a while Ryn grew healthy and well, also learned how to fly. He will be around 7 weeks tomorrow i came back to ask if i should stop hand feeding formula, considering that i think ryn knows how to eat seeds i see broken/cracked seeds but have no proof that he actually ate them. im thinking abt the possibility of hin just chewing on them.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

hey everyone, its been a while Ryn grew healthy and well, also learned how to fly. He will be around 7 weeks tomorrow i came back to ask if i should stop hand feeding formula, considering that i think ryn knows how to eat seeds i see broken/cracked seeds but have no proof that he actually ate them. im thinking abt the possibility of hin just chewing on them.

Don't stop hand feeding until Ryn rejects the feedings. Keep adult food available for Ryn at all times.

hey everyone, its been a while Ryn grew healthy and well, also learned how to fly. He will be around 7 weeks tomorrow i came back to ask if i should stop hand feeding formula, considering that i think ryn knows how to eat seeds i see broken/cracked seeds but have no proof that he actually ate them. im thinking abt the possibility of hin just chewing on them.

Now is the time to offer your baby tiny pellets so he learns that they are food and to eat them. If you give nothing but seed during weaning it will be more difficult to get them to eat pellets later on.