Bad Bird Seller; Weaning Help!

[bellmandi86]

I recently purchased a Green Cheek Conure and he is now 7 weeks old. Unfortunately, I was not told about the taboo of buying a bird before it is weaned and he was sold to me anyway. I am currently feeding him Exact Bird Formula (10 ml 3 times a day; morning, mid-day, and night) and I'm sure he will need to get off of it soon and eating pellets and such.

He is now able to fly, so I am having a hard time feeding him by syringe without him hiding in my hair. I'm a bit worried because I don't want to trying weaning him and him end up sick or malnourished. How can I get him on pellets and eating on his own?

 

[proudbirdmum]

Hey there!

I'm in a similar boat as you. I bought my baby sun conure a week ago and was told he needed about a weeks worth of syringe feeding (oops). I'm also feeding my little one 3 times a day. He is currently 101g and is getting 12ml of Formula 3 Foudy Bush (Vet recommended).

Our vet also told us to put a flat dish of colourful pellet and soft veggies/ fruit out for him mid meals. Our little guy is very curious and I'm sure yours is too! He will initially start playing with his food, which is excellent as its the first steps towards liking it and eventually eating it, for instance, our little one hasn't yet eaten a pellet but will pick each colour up, roll it around in his mouth and spit it back out. Give him time he will eventually get the hang of it.

Conures (at least Sunnies) stay in their nests till 10 weeks. So our vet recommended we syringe feed him till then but start weaning him at the 8/9 week stage. First by cutting out his afternoon meal and then his night time meal.

Anyway, I'm not a pro but thats what an avian pro has recommended to me recently so I hope it helps

 

[JerseyWendy]

Welcome to the forums, bellmandi86, and congrats on your baby GCC.

A few questions first: How long have you had your little one? What method are you using to feed him/her, and at what temperature do you feed?

Handfeeding can't really be explained via typed words. It's something that needs to be taught hands on, and ever so carefully, especially because so many things 'can' potentially go wrong.

Here is one link for you that explains the 'art of handfeeding':
https://theparrotuniversity.com/arthandfeeding1

Now is a good time to introduce your baby to all kinds of foods, including fresh raw and cooked veggies and fruits.

I'd personally stay away from 'colored' pellets, as they contain unnecessary food dyes and sugars.

 

[ZephyrFly]

I only know a bit from talking with the breeder before i got my green cheek, but they let their birds naturally go to real foods (like what proudbirdmum said about showing him foods so he can play with it but not cutting out formula meals, just letting the birds move themselves to real food), and all their birds are on solds and ready for sale around 12 weeks old. A few exceptions but not many. Goodluck, my breeders where a bit old fashioned (seed diet, albiet with multivitamins), not entirely their doing, but even they didn't believe in selling unweaned baby's, though they'd offered to let me feed one with their supervision once (i didn't have the time to come over while the bird where still being fed formula)

 

[bellmandi86]

Welcome to the forums, bellmandi86, and congrats on your baby GCC.

A few questions first: How long have you had your little one? What method are you using to feed him/her, and at what temperature do you feed?

Handfeeding can't really be explained via typed words. It's something that needs to be taught hands on, and ever so carefully, especially because so many things 'can' potentially go wrong.

Here is one link for you that explains the 'art of handfeeding':
https://theparrotuniversity.com/arthandfeeding1

Now is a good time to introduce your baby to all kinds of foods, including fresh raw and cooked veggies and fruits.

I'd personally stay away from 'colored' pellets, as they contain unnecessary food dyes and sugars.

So I have had him for a week now and we got him at 6 weeks old(he's 7 weeks now), so we're still using the syringe to feed him from the sides of his beak with with the food at around 104-107 F. I've been looking up online to try to find how old a GCC should be when they should be working off of the formula and I have gotten anything from 5 weeks to 10 weeks old. I'm not sure if he's ready to have one of the feedings taken out of his diet or not, but I've been leaving cooked, mushy broccoli and uncolored pellets for him every afternoon just in case (he's picked at it a bit, so at least he's curious about it).

 

[TacoNTiki]

We just got a Gcc this past Sunday and he was 6 weeks 2 days on that day. The breeder said he was weaned at 5 weeks and is eating on his own very well. Since getting him home he's eating pellets and apples on his own and knows how to fly. I didn't think any of his age (being too young,etc) until I read your post. Did we make a mistake taking him home so early? He seems perfectly adjusted. His poops are ok, albeit quite watery from all the apples (about 1/4 of a small apple a day). Is there anything we should be doing as far as feeding goes in order to give him a proper start in life? P.s. sorry if I am high jacking your post, I thought it is related enough that it might be ok. Hope you don't mind.

 

[thekarens]

Ditto on staying away from colored pellets. I'd find a high quality natural pellet, Harrisons, Zupreem Natural, TOPS, etc. There's a sticky with a list of safe foods. Offer a variety that's chopped up for them. Don't worry if they don't take to it right away, just keep offering it.