Gc handfeeding

[Kspenn]

Hello everyone!
I'm having some trouble with hand feeding my baby GCCs. For some reason they just don't want to eat very much. I get about 1-2.ml in them and then they want to run away and clamp their beaks shut when I try again. They are about 4 weeks old now and I've been hand feeding for a week and a half. At first they were just fine with feedings, but now, over the last few days they have just decided they don't want to any more. I feed them every 4-6 hours like clock work and they know the routine by now. I'm just worried that they aren't getting enough to eat. I have been putting soaked pellets in with them in case they're ready to start eating on their own, but they don't touch it. It's almost like they are all of a sudden afraid of me and I can't figure out why. Can anyone help?

 

[henpecked]

Start weighing them, every AM before feeding. AM wieghing is an important part of handfeeding and can't imagine not doing it. Have you let their crop empty completely ? Are they impacted with old food? Does their formula have enough water? At 4 wks , every 4hrs sounds about right. They should eat more and have less feeding per day as they grow.At what temp is their formula? Have you looked for this book? Parrots, handfeeding and nursery management. by Howard Voren and Rick Jordan.

 

[Kspenn]

Their crops are always empty before I feed and I weigh them every morning. They aren't gaining weight but not losing either. I make sure the temp of the formula is between 103 and 106 degrees. I use pedialite instead of water and I mix to the consistency of applesauce. I'm using a syringe to feed, I tried a spoon but they wouldn't take to it. The syringe seems to work better. Like I said, for the first week they did just fine, I was able to feed a lot less often and give them nice full crops. Now they don't want as much at a time so it's forcing me to feed more often. I checked them every 2 hours, if their crops are empty, I feed them. If there is food still in them, I come back and hour later. Their droppings look totally normal. Nice formed feces, clear urine and white urates. I really feel like they are just afraid of me, but I haven't done anything different. Maybe it's a phase?

 

[henpecked]

maybe a phase. Are they still in a brooder? Temp? Do you wait for them to beg? I'd try letting them beg alittle before feeding.

 

[Kspenn]

I took them out of the brooder because they were getting too big for it as I only have a small one because I normally breed parakeets. Now they are in a temperature controlled plexiglass cage that is at a constant 80 degrees. The problem is that I can't get them to beg. I've tried going up to 6 hours without feeding and they still won't beg. They run and huddle in the corner when they see me.

 

[henpecked]

That seems strange, wonder why they'd be afraid. Conures ??? me and them just don't seem to work out. never had good luck with conures.