The time has come....

[JerseyWendy]

Ok, everybody's got to take a deep, slow, long breath, please (including myself)

It is what it is. If Matt can't find someone who will help him wean/raise this baby B&G, we should try our best to help him the best we can.

Of course you can't learn how to properly handfeed via literature and/or videos. Of course it takes hands on experience.

Matt, make some phone calls, and my fingers are crossed you can find someone who can take over this responsibility for you. What area are you in? Can you look at www.birdbreeders.com to see if there are nearby breeders who will help you out? I doubt someone will do this free of charge, however, if you find someone who takes on this responsibility, it will be money well spent. Vet costs are certainly higher than paying someone to properly feed/wean your baby.

I'm going to ask again: What happened to your baby's sibling? I know there were 2 chicks.

 

[Lakermatt]

I believe that he has sold the other baby, and WE will be picking up our birds at the same time. I don't know just yet. I am going to talk with him today. I am going to sit down with him and have him show me how he feeds. I am actually going to write a list of questions so that I don't forget anything... Please feel free to give me some examples..

 

[itchyfeet]

I still think you should make the breeder sign something stating he will take full responsibility in case something happens to the baby.

Just bringing this point up again. He's willing to put both you and the baby at risk. There needs to be some form of compensation in writing.

 

[SoCalWendy]

I believe that he has sold the other baby, and WE will be picking up our birds at the same time. I don't know just yet. I am going to talk with him today. I am going to sit down with him and have him show me how he feeds. I am actually going to write a list of questions so that I don't forget anything... Please feel free to give me some examples..

And one of those questions should be: Since you are releasing an unweaned baby to an inexperienced person, are you (the breeder) willing to take full responsibility should this baby die in my (your) care?

Since this breeder is willing to put you both at risk, he should be willing to be responsible for the outcome. Put it in writing or run!

 

[Lakermatt]

I just talked with him. he says they are fully weaned, and that he only offers the birds formula as a treat. can that happen that early?

 

[SoCalWendy]

I just talked with him. he says they are fully weaned, and that he only offers the birds formula as a treat. can that happen that early?

In your first post you stated that you felt it was "too early," why did you feel this way? Is the bird 84 days old or 84 days since it began to wean?

 

[Lakermatt]

they were born 4/6 and 4/8. I counted 84 days since 4/6.

 

[gracebowen]

I haven't chimed in yet because I know nothing about hand feeding. I understand why everyone has responded the way they have. But the way I see it is this. Matt has no choice but to take this baby unweaned. He didn't go out and irresponsibly buy an un weaned baby.

Matt im sure you will do everything you can to do right by your new baby. If you have to hand feed and if you try your hardest to do it right and get help and good advice

If something goes wrong it's not your fault.

I too think you should get something from your breeder. I think you should ask for a guarantee, discount, formula etc.

You are not getting what you paid for and the breeder should compensate you for that. You paid for a weaned baby.

You didn't ask for this.

 

[labell]

I just talked with him. he says they are fully weaned, and that he only offers the birds formula as a treat. can that happen that early?

No way at that age is that baby abundantly weaned!

 

[Lakermatt]

ok. I will type something up today. I fully agree with what you say about the responsibility factor in play. He is taking 200 off for the trouble....

 

[Pinkbirdy]

I think that's [too young] to be properly weaned. Just take are advice ,and have back up plans if things go wrong. Whats most important is finding a vet right now that's experienced with handfeeding [so your ready].

 

[Birdman666]

If something goes wrong it's not your fault.

You didn't ask for this.

The point now, is to take the necessary steps to make sure nothing goes wrong... so that you just laugh about this later on!

You can type of anything you want, doesn't mean the breeder's gonna sign it... in fact, it might just piss him off to the point where he doesn't help at all.

The biggest factor is having someone who can look over your shoulder the first few times you do this.

 

[SoCalWendy]

I haven't chimed in yet because I know nothing about hand feeding. I understand why everyone has responded the way they have. But the way I see it is this. Matt has no choice but to take this baby unweaned. He didn't go out and irresponsibly buy an un weaned baby.

Matt im sure you will do everything you can to do right by your new baby. If you have to hand feed and if you try your hardest to do it right and get help and good advice

If something goes wrong it's not your fault.

I too think you should get something from your breeder. I think you should ask for a guarantee, discount, formula etc.

You are not getting what you paid for and the breeder should compensate you for that. You paid for a weaned baby.

You didn't ask for this.

Amen! Grace,

This is an unfortunate situation. And who knows if the breeder is actually telling the truth. I like to look at the good in people, and hope for the best. But then there is the flip side. Those people who say one thing and do another.

Some buyers purchase these babies even before they are born. They trust their breeder and expect them to come home weaned. Then something like this is dumped on the buyer. These days you have to get it on writing. Its not personal, its just good business to get it in writing. Would you buy a car and drive it away knowing if you drove it the brakes "could" go out. Disclosure is key, and this is one of those situations where a person is being forced to do something they are not prepared for. So he should be compensated, should he have to find and possibly pay for someone to help him fully wean this baby. What a pain. If people would just stand by their word, and do what they say they are going to do.

How many people would buy a baby bird from this breeder knowing this could happen? The breeder is the one responsible to make sure this baby goes weaned or he should find and pay for someone else to wean it for him. Grrrr...

 

[SoCalWendy]

If something goes wrong it's not your fault.

You didn't ask for this.

The point now, is to take the necessary steps to make sure nothing goes wrong... so that you just laugh about this later on!

You can type of anything you want, doesn't mean the breeder's gonna sign it... in fact, it might just piss him off to the point where he doesn't help at all.

The biggest factor is having someone who can look over your shoulder the first few times you do this.

Yes, your right, but what if you have to pay for that help? Why should the new owner have to pay for something that should have been done?

Sorry I don't know why this one is making me so mad but it is.

 

[gracebowen]

I'd ask for more. It sounds like it's gonna cost way more than that to finish the job.

 

[Bartleby]

Just my $.02 but I'd say this was the "breeder's" plan all along. If he truly is a contract welder who can be called away at a moment's notice...why wasn't he prepared? Surely he knew this could happen and surely it's happened before why didn't he have a plan? Every responsible hand feeder and breeder I am aware of has a plan for emergencies like this.....most have a couple backup feeders just in case.

As someone else mentioned, is he giving you a refund since you paid for a fully weaned baby and he's not done all the work you paid for? Probably not and that was his plan all along....it happens a lot. You paid him for 4-5 months of work, he has an "emergency" and now he's getting the same pay for less than 3 months worth of work....pretty good racket.

This happens ALOT, so don't feel bad but also don't rely on him to give you any accurate or helpful information. He's not responsible/reliable and getting this right is going to be all on your shoulders. Seek out another local breeder, your vet or even a hand feeder who can guide you through this. Your "breeder" is not a trustworthy resource.

 

[JerseyWendy]

I just talked with him. he says they are fully weaned, and that he only offers the birds formula as a treat. can that happen that early?

No way at that age is that baby abundantly weaned!

Ditto and AMEN!

Matt, a B&G won't wean BEFORE 4 months. Sure, all fids grow at their own pace, but even 4 months is pushing it.

Now 4 months is approximately 122 days, and your baby should still be on 2 feedings, no less.

 

[Pinkbirdy]

Im getting a Blue and Gold that was born 4 /16 .Might be ready in August [so are babies are close in age]. I still think 4months for mine is early. My other baby Macaw was closer to 6 months.I will not be surprised if my bird regresses a little [and their is some handfeeding]. Im just realizing how little your guy is.

 

[Lakermatt]

Hi All, I don't even know where to begin, but yesterday after I sent the last message in this post, I left my office to go grab lunch and was in a horrible car accident... My luck has started pouring down as of yesterday... Car is totaled. bird is getting picked up today. What else can go wrong at this point??

 

[Lakermatt]

I have been reading on the posts since then and gathering your advice. I will report back when I get the bird home today... I Will be getting him around 5 today.