Help needed, Eclectus parrot

[gemgem19]

Hi everyone, I am new to parrot forums.

I have a 18 week old (4.5 months) male eclectus parrot named Teddy (aka Big Ted). I have been his mother since he was 9 weeks old. He was on 4 feeds a day then. I have reduced him to 2 feeds per day, 15mls morning feed (half a feed) and he gets 30mls before bed. I have no problem with the long process of weaning I would just like some advice whether his screaming is normal at this age. He is eating fine on his own, a variety of fruits and sprouted seeds every day. He screams so loud it hurts my ears when he hears me wake in the morning and when he wants his feed of an afternoon. I don't want him to go hungry but should I stop feeding him baby food now? (He is normal weight, I weigh him every second day and gets plenty of attention)

Thanks, Gemma

 

[nicki]

I learned from this forum that you let them wean themselves. Morning squawks killed me, I felt like a new mother to a screaming baby. I guess I was! I waited until he was taking an extremely small amount of formula (5ccs) before I thought he needed to be weaned. I actually wore headphones going in for his morning hand feed. Big ones, not connected to anything. Just to make it not hurt lol.

Make sure to add veggies, veggies and veggies to his diet in between hand feedings. Fruits are treats in my opinion. My bird will get a serving of fruit per day as a treat, it will be say half a kiwi, a piece of mango, or cantaloupe on a skewer after breakfast. All the rest veggies. Orange veggies and leafy greens are great if he will eat them.

The main thing I took from this forum, is that a loud baby is a hungry baby. At his age, as I took from this forum, is that he should not be begging for attention, as he is just a baby. Anytime my baby was fully satiated, food wise, he was a very different extremely happy, snuggly bird.

I'm still an extremely new owner .. my Eko just turned 6 months, but it was a long road for me to wean him.

I hand-fed my baby until he was done. Not any specific cc range. Never more than 10% of his body weight.

 

[gemgem19]

Thanks for your reply Nicki, some great advice and you have reassured me

 

[coltfire]

i would dis agree with letting them wean them self at 4.5 months he should have been well and truly weaned, as long as you keep giving the baby food or formula, he will continue to scream for his food, as for screaming when he hears you of a morning get use to that as it will never change, but if he is eating all fruits and vegs with little seed then its time to stop the extra feeding, ive been breeding for 30 years , eckkies for 14 years

 

[MikeyTN]

I would have to agree with coltfire there! They will scream and wine every time they see you cause they want to be fed. I would also stop with the excess hand feeding!!! But be watchful of your baby if they're loosing excess amount of weight then I would do one night time feeding for the time being. But if he is eating so well, there's really no need for the feeding.