Visto update

[patti3birds]

just got back from the store.  Yesterday they warned me that he would be grumpy today after not getting dinner last night.  But he seemed a a good mood, cuddling and playing. 

Yeah...Peyote was normal too after I got her away from Chewy.

[BPMar]

Why didn't "V" get dinner and who is Chewy???????

[vistosmommy]

sorry, V and P didnt get formaula hand fed last night, yesterday was the first day without it.  and Chewy is a macaw in the cage next to P

[wishforabird]

are they supposed to formula feed them until the chicks reject it in favor of big bird food?

[vistosmommy]

I am not really sure...

[lorek]

Wishy... That would be ideal but realistically speaking pet stores will not do that. It adds too much cost onto a bird and decreases overall profit. It's easier to wean a bird quicker to sell quicker and get new birds in. They do it everywhere in retail parrot business. Yet another reason I am letting mom feed my chicks. That's why they weigh them for the week after to make sure they don't lose weight. If a bird weaned on it's own there would be no question of lost weight. It's considered acceptable practice anymore.  Otherwise sown birds wouldn't wean for months and months.

[Sondra]

It's called forced weaning.Lorek is right it takes months for most birds to wean, some up to a year. Humans think that because dogs and cats wean at 6-8 weeks old that birds should also.

VM, you might want to buy some hand feeding formula to give to Visto a couple of times a day, morning and night. You can offer it from a spoon and doesn't have to be a full feeding, it's called a comfort feeding. It will help Visto to sleep at night and bring a bit of bonding to both of you. As he gets older he'll stop the formula feedings on his own, but you could still offer a soft, warm feeding as part of his night-time routine when he's older. You could offer warm oatmeal, grits, farina, sweet potato, any warm soft food. I will say that this is the perfect time to get Visto used to a syringe. At some point in Vistos life he will need meds and if he will willingly take food from a syringe, then you won't have a battle on your hands when the time comes. All our birds take something from a syringe everyday for the "just in case moments". We have had 3 of or 5 need meds for one reason or another in the past 3 years. Your vet can give you a syringe and tell or show you how to use it, it's easy.

[BPMar]

I can't wait for these two to come home!     All will go fine and there is always us here to help....well not that I know about hand feeding them but I can sure support ya!  Our babies were all fed by mom and pop and I did take them out and offered them water and soft foods and such.  I have never had to give them meds but some have been fed with a spoon, med cup and a straw.  Kito loves his cider...as does Julio, once Julio knows its cider he won't let go of the cup or spoon!

[patti3birds]

Thank You Sondra for the reminder, I will be buying some Baby Formula this weekend. I hand fed Axel after he came home every night until he decided to quit and it made a wonderful bond between us.

Tabby, It's not hard to do...you will need a Thermometer to test the water's heat to make sure you dont burn his crop.
Its a really sweet thing to do even though you may hear Teri tell you that " its not necessary".

Im getting excited!!! !!- Next week my drive back and forth from Penn. is going to be nerve racking!!..for not being able to see her for 3 days- to the stress of the reason for the trip and the LONGGGGGGGGGG ride back...for on my way into town...Im picking up Peyote and bringing her home...if Im not too out of it.....goody,goody,goody!!!

[wishforabird]

that is good advice you guys, I remember I was not allowed to take Julian home until he would have no part of the formula anymore, like " no thanks, lady"  .

when she wrote me and said they atrated to refuse the syringe I was so happy, because I knew it would be soooooooooooooon!!! he was born April 5th and came home June 29th.   so about three months, LOoooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOong months.  I drove down to see him every 2 weeks to get to know him, that was TOUGH. I never wanted to LEAVE     it was such a long drive though...and the lady was busy...with fabies! LOL

[lorek]

Sondra makes a good point there. one things babies can do after a big change like going to a new house is revert to handfeeding if force weaned. getting some formula to feed him every night is a great idea. And switching over to a soft food at bedtime snack is another great idea in case you need to medicate him in the future. Excellent thoughts!

[vistosmommy]

they were born on Dec 1 so it has been almost 3 months as well, I planned on continuing soft foods

[wishforabird]

good idea VM  :)

[BuffaloParrot]

Very good advice all!  You guys are awesome!

[Mi Amore]

wow time is sure going fast for you girls! i think the wait is worth it in the end