Need Help with feeding baby SI Eclectus (PLEASE)

[mtdoramike]

It would be greatly appreciated if someone with hand feeding experience can help this person with her new Baby bird. I received this PM from her and I don't have a clue to hand feeding a bird, so I will post it here in hopes of others with more knowledge can help her out:

Ive been looking online and i cant seem to come up with the answers ive been looking for. I just bought a said to be 3 week old SI eclectus he has no feathers which to me makes me think he is younger. Currently I am feeding him 10cc of formula every 3-4 hours. He is on a heating pad set on low. He isn't directly on it hes on a blanket. The temp is currently between 80-90 degrees. He moving very alert takes his feedings well but I'm just clueless. When I bought him yesterday the man told me instruction but he wasn't specific. he did say every 3-4 hours but he didn't tell me exactly how much food to give him. he said feel his crop....and i do but I'm just unsure of myself.


Can you help me out? any advice or websites i can go to.

 

[crimson]

...ok...here we go....
I'm not up on how much to feed an electus at that age, but everything else you have set up sounds good

as for the food, make sure you pre-boil the water for at least 10 minutes. I have a huge mason jar filled with pre-boiled water, so when I need to feed it's there, a real time saver.

always clean syringes, never place directly onto a counter(bacteria) place a clean towel down or paper towel and put the syringes on that.
make sure the bowls & utensils you use are super clean, no soap residue from hand washing or from the dishwasher.

the temp should be around 104-106 degrees(but not sure for an electus) you might want to look that up on the web....but really that should be fine.
Not TOO HOT!!! or you will burn his crop.
Every 3-4 hours sounds a bit soon, you could possibly increase the time by feeding him a little more, maybe 12 cc's @ 5-6 hours. It really depends on how quickly his crop drains entirely.
If it is empty at 4 hours @ 10cc's and his crop is full, then as he grows you can feed him more and span the time out a little longer, maybe for another 1-2 hours.

draw up the formula with NO air bubbles, place the syringe from right to left(yours)not straight in or you might asphyxiate him. Push slowly so it fills his mouth, but not too fast to choke him. when they'pump' you can gage how quickly it can go in.

It's very important to keep the formula warm while feeding him. I had a very good breeder show me a trick to use so I will pass it on to you

fill a mug or measuring cup with hot hot water. once you draw up the formula into the syringe, place the syringe into the mug/measuring cup. this will keep the formula warm/hot until you are ready to feed.
If they bird wants to take a 30 second break, place the syringe back into the hot water, until he's ready to eat some more.

The crop is just located under their neck, it's where they store their food, like our stomachs.
here is a video of hand feeding, notice the angle of the syringe....make the formula a little thicker than what's in the video, it's really too runny for that little one, and the syringe is too big for his mouth....but you'll get the jest of it, make is so it will run off your fork/spoon, not clumpy, nor runny, something in between
I hope this helps.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xdm__dzEWzw]Hand feeding eclectus baby - YouTube[/ame]

 

[henpecked]

One word,,,, Sodakat

 

[sodakat]

For eclectus you should be feeding Zupreem Embrace Plus. I am not a hand feeder so I will defer to Crimson for technique and Coltfire for Eclectus experience. My birds feed their chicks to weaning. I did feed my last chick because he was injured and needed supplementing.

Eclectus are very slow eaters. They might need 15 minutes or more for each feeding, taking just a couple cc at a time. 10 cc seems like a very small amount. Way too little. He must weigh 200 grams at 3 weeks. I would think 20 cc per feeding would be more realistic. You need to weigh before and after each feeding so you can track his weight gain and plan accordingly for the amount to feed next time.

Wish I could be more help but I'm all about parent raised chicks. Best of luck with the little guy.

Oh, if you can see colored feathers then the chick is about 4 weeks. The colored pins on their head poke through around 25 to 28 days.

 

[MikeyTN]

Eclectus babies are real slow feeders....I watched my friend hand feed her baby Eclectus as she raises them. My Gracie don't like JoJo so I'm not expecting anytime soon...lol... I have all the formula ready if it happens since I raise other types....