What should I do?

[acarew]

My 2 princess parrots have just had around 3-6 eggs with at least one of those eggs having hatched already. i want to hand raise the babies so they are more comfortable around humans and make better pets, however, i am unsure at what time to pull them out of the mothers nest and if i will even have enough time to devote to them as i still go to school? I was wondering if it was possible to pull them out of the nest/ cage at around 5 weeks and just feed them before and after school? I'm only new at this so all suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[avinet]

Princess parrots are pretty easy birds to hand rear, and can make great pets (I have a pair as pets, 15 years old). I've hand reared quite a few over the years.

Ideally you would remove them at around 2 weeks for hand rearing, at which age they would need 4 feeds a a day - 7 am, Midday, 5 pm and 10 pm. If you left them to 3 week or a little bit older then they could get by with 3 feeds - just before school, as soon as you get home, and then last thing at night. If you have a family member home during the day for a top up at lunchtime it would be better.

I've never taken them out of the nest at 5 weeks, so I'm a bit uncertain how they would react to being hand fed from that age, my feeling is that they would not turn out as well as you might wish.

The best solution might be to handle them a lot while they are in the nest, maybe from 2 weeks, and take them out for a few minutes to give a small hand feed to in the morning, then put them back with the parents through the day. Then in the evening again give them a small feed, and a bit of a cuddle before returning them to the nest box - that way when you remove them at 5 weeks they are used to being fed, used to being handled, and will also be about to start picking at vegies, seed etc by themselves.

Princesses are good parents and I would be very surprised if the handling of the babies would worry them at all - Princess's don't worry about anything

And as everyone likes photos I'll include a Princess baby photo

cheers,

Mike

[Laraine]

Awhhhhh, how cute. Doesn't look like my Princesses are going to breed this year.

[barkingowl]

ohhh boy, is that what my little monsters will look like? only a bub that a mum could love hehehe its sooo cute, cannot wait for mine to grow some more. Mine finally bred for me this yr after 3-4 yrs since I visited Silvercloud to get my beautiful pair. She layed 5 eggs, 1 was infertile and one died as it was just about out of the shell and 3 healthy buff balls.

Thank you for the information Avinet, shall let my raise this lot and I might try on the next lot to handraise 2 of them.

Thank you Acarew for the question...never thought about raising them

[bakes77]

need help with a breeding canary pls? she hatched 2 chicks, but they both died, now she has 3 more eggs, must the male be in with her at this time? they don't seem to get on.