Weight concern in baby RFM

[noblemacaw]

When Valentino first came home two months ago he weighed 402 grams. Four days later when I took him in for his well bird checkup he weighted 405 grams. It took me some time but after about three weeks Valentino was stable at 438 grams.

The past week Valentino has been weighing in at 448 grams. He turned 6 months on the 12th. I am wondering if he had put on weight too quickly?

Valentino is flown twice a day enough where he will be huffing and puffing (not to the point where wings droop) Other than his normal diet he is hand feed 30 cc's of hand rearing formula. Most nights he is only taking about 20 cc's. He also gets two cashews, two pistachios and one almond as an evening snack. I have not been using food for training because he is not food motivated. I have been using touch and voice inflection for positive reinforcement.

I have learned that RFM can take up to three years to get to their full weight and size. I also have learned that adults can weigh between 450 to 650 grams. I don't want to know what a 650 gram RFM looks like. LOL.

My question is is Valentino gaining weight too quickly? Do I need to cut back the nuts or switch over the hand feeding to pulverized pellets of what he eats daily?

Lupe's comment tonight was "Geeze, you fattened him up nice. He is almost ready for the grill." Well at this point he won't fit on the Forman anyway.

 

[JerseyWendy]

I would not worry about Valentino putting on too much weight. The way you describe him and his activities, he is just PERFECT!

You are doing a fabulous job with him.

And tell Lupe that this would be one VERY expensive meal.

 

[henpecked]

Have you tried mixing in Baby Food/ fresh fruit into his bedtime formula? Get him used to additives and then start subbing in ground pellets . Or he may start taking ground pellets from the get-go. The formula is pretty high fat/protein compared to his usual adult diet. I think the PM ritual is more of a comfort feeding and helping with bonding to you. I think it's a good thing, just find something healthier for an adult/immature aged bird. Your weighing your fid can be such a lifesaver, congrats on a good job.

PS,, IMO that's too many nuts (although good choices) for a daily diet. We give a VitA supplement (sunshinefactor) spread on toast as a nightly ritual, but rotated with other healthy "snacks"( hemp seed, milk thistle seed,Sweet potatoes,nuts,etc) , variety seems to work better than the same old , same old.

 

[noblemacaw]

I really appreciate your responses to my questions. They do help me a lot. I wonder at what age do I start cutting off the "extras" I fly Valentino a lot. More so than any other parrot I have had. I make him fly everywhere as I no longer go get him and transport him from place to place. If he begs for me to come and get him I will command him to fly to me instead. This makes me sound lazy for not going to get him but he has full flight capability so he can just as well fly to me instead.

I keep my house at 62 degrees which to most people is too cold. It is comfortable for me but I have noticed Valentino's feet are cold when he steps on me but when I touch under his wings he is nice and toasty. His beak is cold but face patches are warm. Within the first three weeks here Valentino moulted his down feathers seems like overnight and in in turn he grew heavier thicker down feathers. Valentino came from Texas and was flown in to Minnesota during a freaking SNOW STORM. Poor baby parrot! I have noticed he eats a lot more of his fresh stuff of late especially when the temps are really cold out and my furnace kicks in a lot.

Should I start cutting out the nuts or cut back the nut amounts? Should I begin the pulverized pellet feedings instead of using the hand rearing formula or should I wait until Spring to switch the feeding formula? I am trying to come up with the right ratio to how hard I work Valentino with what he is eating. I don't want another parrot with heart disease.

Here is a pic of Lupe gently squeezing my baby. Her hands are twice the size of mine so Valentino is not a small parrot.

I gently squeeze him all the time...I can't help myself.

 

[JerseyWendy]

I personally don't think you need to cut out any treats and/or nuts. Yes, you can try to substitute the formula with pulverized pellets and see how Valentino does with it. Just keep monitoring his weight.

As much excercise as he gets (which is TERRIFIC, by the way), I don't think it's possible to overfeed him.

He will eat as much as his body needs.

You surely have one VERY fit and muscular Valentino.

LOVE the picture, too.