My Quaker is not taking hand feeding.

[silverblaz3]

Hi, i recently got a 2 and half month blue Quaker 3 days back. The breeder told to hand feed it twice a day for some days as it has started to self eat. At 1st when it got home, it used to flap it's wing when we initially handfed it and it used to take around 12-13 ml of a19 formula.

After 2 days it has reduced taking hand feeding and after taking 4-5 ml it won't even open its beak. I am used to feed with a syringe by dripping food slowly into its beak. Is it because the breeder used to directly feed to it's crop. Shall I also do the same ? but I am scared if the food may pass to lungs instead of crop. I am also keeping some sprouts and papaya and seed mix in the cage. How to get him interested in taking hand feeding? Any help will be helpful.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Hi, i recently got a 2 and half month blue Quaker 3 days back. The breeder told to hand feed it twice a day for some days as it has started to self eat. At 1st when it got home, it used to flap it's wing when we initially handfed it and it used to take around 12-13 ml of a19 formula.

After 2 days it has reduced taking hand feeding and after taking 4-5 ml it won't even open its beak. I am used to feed with a syringe by dripping food slowly into its beak. Is it because the breeder used to directly feed to it's crop. Shall I also do the same ? but I am scared if the food may pass to lungs instead of crop. I am also keeping some sprouts and papaya and seed mix in the cage. How to get him interested in taking hand feeding? Any help will be helpful.

NO! Only experts, preferably avian vets, should feed directly into the crop. The crop or esophagus can be perforated or the tube can be inserted into the lung, killing the bird. It's normal for a baby parrot of weaning age to reducing it's handfeeding and increasing it's self feeding. Also, by the time a baby parrot is ready to wean, and he's fully feathered the rapid growth period is pretty much over and his food requirement drops. His crop also shrinks down to the more streamlined adult size to allow him to fly and it can't hold as much food at one time.
Is he active and acting normally? Pooping normally?
Is he feeding himself at all? If so, keep offering the hand feedings but don't expect him to take as much formula at each feeding.

I hand fed my baby budgie from hatching, and about a week before she took her first flight at about seven weeks she started rejecting the hand feedings and feeding herself more.

Ask an avian vet if you're still uncertain.

 

[silverblaz3]

NO! Only experts, preferably avian vets, should feed directly into the crop. The crop or esophagus can be perforated or the tube can be inserted into the lung, killing the bird. It's normal for a baby parrot of weaning age to reducing it's handfeeding and increasing it's self feeding. Also, by the time a baby parrot is ready to wean, and he's fully feathered the rapid growth period is pretty much over and his food requirement drops. His crop also shrinks down to the more streamlined adult size to allow him to fly and it can't hold as much food at one time.
Is he active and acting normally? Pooping normally?
Is he feeding himself at all? If so, keep offering the hand feedings but don't expect him to take as much formula at each feeding.

I hand fed my baby budgie from hatching, and about a week before she took her first flight at about seven weeks she started rejecting the hand feedings and feeding herself more.

Ask an avian vet if you're still uncertain.

Yes he is active and pooping normally, he will self eat a little only when I offer him some food, and most of it it will take in his beak and put down. But by himself he is not trying to self eat. Is it because of change in his environment ?

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Yes he is active and pooping normally, he will self eat a little only when I offer him some food, and most of it it will take in his beak and put down. But by himself he is not trying to self eat. Is it because of change in his environment ?

As long as he's pooping he must be eating. Put shallow dishes of water, seed, tiny pellets and finely chopped streamed vegetables like broccoli on the floor of his cage and in dishes near his favorite perch. He should have easy access to nutritious food at all times while he's learning to feed himself. Keep offering him his formula several times every day until he refuses to eat any formula. You should weigh him several times a week first in the morning (before handfeeding) and record his weights. Watch for any trends down in weight and bring him to an avian vet if he continues to lose weight. A small weight loss is norma during weaning as the crop shrinks to adult size and he slims down in preparation for flying.

You should take him to an avian vetny serious concerns

 

[silverblaz3]

As long as he's pooping he must be eating. Put shallow dishes of water, seed, tiny pellets and finely chopped streamed vegetables like broccoli on the floor of his cage and in dishes near his favorite perch. He should have easy access to nutritious food at all times while he's learning to feed himself. Keep offering him his formula several times every day until he refuses to eat any formula. You should weigh him several times a week first in the morning (before handfeeding) and record his weights. Watch for any trends down in weight and bring him to an avian vet if he continues to lose weight. A small weight loss is norma during weaning as the crop shrinks to adult size and he slims down in preparation for flying.

You should take him to an avian vetny serious concerns

Hi, thanks for the reply. Rio has started eating some food by himself and also I am support feeding him. But he is not able to eat properly, usually taking big bites of fruits and veggies and dropping them instantly. Also he seems interested in sun flower seeds, but not able to eat properly and mostly drops them 90% of the time. Is this normal and will he learn eventually or i really got my hand on a dumb Quaker . Attaching some pics of Rio.