First Flight...Sliding Glass Door!

[Turningpoint]

Some may remember my baby Greenwing. I'm going to post a couple of pictures if I can figure out how.

I anybody knows a way to get him to eat more, I'd like to know. He's weaning and has lost about 12% of his body weight so far. He's almost 13 weeks old. Had him/her at the Vet...she said he's fine...but I'm a worrier. I've tried mixing in Peanut butter, baby foods, etc. he likes it all but doesn't eat enough. The vet said eliminate the noon feeding, so I'm feeding him 70 to 100 cc's morning and night and giving him food available all day long. Pretty bird weaning pellets, apples, grapes, pears, mixed vegetables, corn on cobb (cooked), peanut butter crackers, peanut butter sandwiches, etc. He's still loosing about 10 grams a day. He's active and alert, climbs to the top of his cage (I have to help him down), flew today, perches just fine etc.

I guess he's ok, I'm just looking for input...I wish he'd eat more.

 

[Mare Miller]

I can understand your concern, all us moms like to see our kids eat. Yours still being so young, I don't know what the answer is but if your vet isn't concerned...hopefully he/she knows their stuff.

When I brought my bird home, he was 9yrs. old. I had many concerns about his diet, not eating enough, not eating the 'right' foods. It's taken a few years to understand that he really doesn't eat that much AND he only eats what ,(I think), his body is telling him he needs. He's very active, flies free outside daily, the vet says he's healthy, so I decided to quit worrying. He always has good healthy food available to him and what he decides to eat, I've decided, is up to him.

He sure is cute, have you named him/her?

 

[Spiritbird]

Suggest you try different brands of pellets to see which one he takes to better. Also get some bountiful harvest from mysafebirdstore.com. Many of our birds are eating this delightful mix. Also try almond butter instead of peanut butter as it is more nutritious for you and him.

 

[lene1949]

Birds do loose weight as they get ready to fledge..

 

[Turningpoint]

Big'un is his/her name. Right now he is a handful. Wants to climb everywhere including up my leg, chest, and higher...claws like little straight pins and very determined. Someone comes over and he hides and puts his head down. A lot to work on but I'm simply lovin it! He got the nuckle of my little finger in his mouth and applied some pressure...uh oh already impressive. he flew twice more today...once into the cabinet... and again landed nicely on the rug by the fridge. I don't have room for him to fly but I have no doubt that he can already get plenty of air. at 13 weeks old! I think he's a little ahead of the whole weaning/fledging thing age-wise.

Thanks for your input

 

[Mare Miller]

Big'un sounds delightful! He/she will learn the perimeters of the territory. Amigo slammed into a few windows in his learning process.

 

[goalerjones]

when first letting my conure fly, which he got very good at, I took him around our house room by room and showed him all the barriers and glass he would encounter while flying. I let him actually touch the mirrors and the screen door and the glass so he would become familliar.

 

[lene1949]

It's frightening to watch their initial attempts of flying, as they don't know how to 'brake', and they fly into things... They soon learn where doors, windows and walls are, though... and will simply navigate around the house, through doorways, 180 deg turns, hover to see if it's safe...

When Max was learning I wanted to clip his wings every second day - it was so nerve wrecking.. He ended up being a great flyer, until I recently clipped a few of his feathers... He needed to be slowed down a bit, as he was being too dominant... He can still fly the full length of the house, when he takes off from his cage, losing height very slowly...

 

[goalerjones]

I know that certain macaws can actually hover in place like hummingbirds...

The one thing above all else I made sure for my flighted conure was that he knew to fear and avoid the stove/oven area. It worked so well that if he were on my shoulder when I would even make like I was reaching for the oven door he would fly back to his cage.

 

[luvmytooo]

It's frightening to watch their initial attempts of flying, as they don't know how to 'brake', and they fly into things... They soon learn where doors, windows and walls are, though... and will simply navigate around the house, through doorways, 180 deg turns, hover to see if it's safe...

When Max was learning I wanted to clip his wings every second day - it was so nerve wrecking.. He ended up being a great flyer, until I recently clipped a few of his feathers... He needed to be slowed down a bit, as he was being too dominant... He can still fly the full length of the house, when he takes off from his cage, losing height very slowly...

I like your idea of only cutting a few feathers to slow him down a bit without taking away his ability to fly , and to curb his dominance.
Just another tool for the toolbox . Thanks

 

[luvmytooo]

I know that certain macaws can actually hover in place like hummingbirds...

The one thing above all else I made sure for my flighted conure was that he knew to fear and avoid the stove/oven area. It worked so well that if he were on my shoulder when I would even make like I was reaching for the oven door he would fly back to his cage.

How did you make the stove area a "no fly zone" ?

 

[Turningpoint]

He's doing little test flights all over the place now...some smooth landings...some not very graceful. I couldn't get him to eat at all this morning, so I'm just keeping all kings of food in front of him. I think he's more interested in flying, climbing and exploring than eating. He got hungry tonight and ate about 40 cc's formula, small piece of pizza, peanut butter cracker, corn on the cobb. Wastes more than he gets down.

 

[Turningpoint]

Haven't made anything a no-fly zone yet...he just started yesterday. Really the whole house is a no-fly zone. He's too big and the house is small. We're not cookin while he's trying to fly. He's still sleeping in an animal cage so he can't climb high enough to have a bad fall. He got in it tonight by himself, but he hates being in it during the day. He's out most of the time. He's got a nice perch out by the pool but I don't like to leave him unsupervised. He climbs ok but I still worry as he's only 13 weeks old. He's 24" long and wing span about 34" already. He's lost at least 15% body weight so far.

 

[Turningpoint]

He found the sliding glass door already and has been checking it out for a week. He doesn't understand how he can see inside and not get through. I think the first flight was bound to end up in a crash whichever way he went. He looks around now I think, checking his options (probably getting a little sore)

 

[Turningpoint]

I'm considering a harness. He tried so hard to fly. Flapped his wings until he was breathless. Then he'd flap more and harder. He flapped until he didn't have the energy to fold up his wings...he'd just lay em on floor. Then a minute or two later he'd be flapping some more! I really hate to take that away from him. He's Rocky!

 

[Turningpoint]

Our Orange wing was hovering, doing 90's, and it was a joy to watch. We clipped her wings and now I never see her try to jump at all. My wife's good with it and feels like she's much safer now, and I know she is. But, I still feel the guilt.

Maybe we can try a partial cut next time.

 

[Turningpoint]

Hi Goalerjones:

How did you do that? My sun conure is not clipped, so she/he flys whenever she wants to. And she is stubborn as a mule. (loves the macaw formula though)

 

[DannyA93]

Nice a green wing is my dream bird!! haha my budgie hovers alot! i cnt imagine a macaw doin it though? let us no how cool that looks if he does it!

 

[Safira]

I still want him! He's beautiful!

 

[pamcor57]

Some may remember my baby Greenwing. I'm going to post a couple of pictures if I can figure out how.

I anybody knows a way to get him to eat more, I'd like to know. He's weaning and has lost about 12% of his body weight so far. He's almost 13 weeks old. Had him/her at the Vet...she said he's fine...but I'm a worrier. I've tried mixing in Peanut butter, baby foods, etc. he likes it all but doesn't eat enough. The vet said eliminate the noon feeding, so I'm feeding him 70 to 100 cc's morning and night and giving him food available all day long. Pretty bird weaning pellets, apples, grapes, pears, mixed vegetables, corn on cobb (cooked), peanut butter crackers, peanut butter sandwiches, etc. He's still loosing about 10 grams a day. He's active and alert, climbs to the top of his cage (I have to help him down), flew today, perches just fine etc.

I guess he's ok, I'm just looking for input...I wish he'd eat more.

Your Greenwing will be ok. Your Vet checked him out and said he is fine. Are his wings clipped?? Birds will loose weight in order to fly, never cut his wings until he learns to fly when he is a baby. Weaning takes time..some Macaws take up to a year to wean. I have two B&G's now and another baby comming home this weekend. I will be handfeeding him, he is 7 weeks old. My other two Macaws varied when I weaned them. It just takes time. Dont be alarmed, keep weighing him every morning, If he keeps losing weight and not gaining, take him back to your Vet, even get a second opinion from a different Vet if you still have worrys. It wil be well worth it.