Hand rearing conures

[Brodie]

Hi everyone!
So I just spoke to my uncle, his getting a breeding pair of each: jenday conures, sun conures, nanday conures and crimson bellied conures!
They are already proven breeding pairs, and he wants me to help with the babies if he needs me too! Which means ill be hand feeding, I am not comfortable with this right now what so ever. I know the dangers, and I have never been taught. Luckily he has, and knows exactly what his doing! He said he will teach me, and he won't be getting them for quite a while. But any tips would be great. Seems I have never done this before. We live literally around the corner from each other so it's easy for us, it's just the fact that I have never done this before!
Will be getting my own baby conure out of it too how exciting!
I'm excited but nervous at the moment, but it's going to be so rewarding, I love babies!! Haha

 

[LoveMyParrots]

Congrats! The first time I ever hand fed baby parrots (i think it was cockatiel, or lovebird? cant remember!) I was almost shaking! Lol I know how you feels! And which conure are you planning to get? Looking forward to it! Make sure to take lots of pics! I love photos!

 

[Brodie]

If I have a choice I will probably pick a Nanday or a crimson bellied

 

[LoveMyParrots]

They are both beautiful birds. will you have a hard time picking? Wait and see which one steels your heart. That's what I do when I can't choose.

 

[Brodie]

Yes! Haha
Must choose the one who chooses me

 

[Thingamagigs]

Oh thats exciting Definitely do it, its a great experience. Especially at your age, I think I was about your age when I started
Its fantastic for expanding your experience and tolerance LOL I look back on who I was then, I am a totally different person now from before I started handrearing. Rehabing dogs increased my tolerance as well.

(and also Nandays are awesome!)

Hmmm tips...

- get a good set of digital scales and a bunch of back up batteries!!
- ear plugs
- and learn to tolerate repetitive, loud, annoying noises
- keep windows covered when bubs are fledging and preferably have furniture arranged in a way bubs can't fly fast into the wall. And I personally recommend allowing them to learn to fly really well before clipping wings if you are inclined to clip wings (feeding fledged/ing babies can be annoying LOL they flit all over the place and fly onto you and furniture and smear goo everywhere so a lot of people clip wings early, I just put up with it.)
- oh and a good food thermometer. It makes judging the right food temps easier. My mentor just stuck his finger in it, I had a bit of anxiety doing that so I researched the temps and kept a little diary of species feeding schedules/amounts etc. Its handy until it becomes second nature

You start out with a bit of anxiety about recognising sour crop etc... but it gets better as your confidence grows... and the first case of sour crop you get will be stressful but ironically put your mind at ease at the same time... you picked it up, it wasn't as bad as you imagined and it was easily remedied. I only ever had one bub with delayed emptying before I ditched my mentors method and started using a thermometer.

 

[Brodie]

Oh thank you! Huge help
I'm sure over time I will become more confident, and thinks will go well, I'm just great full I have you guys to help me along the way! Haha