Baby galah

[galahguy]

Thanks for all your advice everyone. All I am looking for is something that is easy to use and works to treat my female Galah. The Ivomectin sounds like the go.

Mark.

[Apollo]

Hi,

I'm new here, and I was just reading through some of the post, and came across this one. I know that it is a bit late, since it's been like 5 months since the first post. Anyway, just thought I'd add my two cents about the issue regarding weaning cockatoo too young. I have a corella, and he was forced weaned at 9 weeks old. Now that's way too young for cockatoo. He regressed to being a baby, he'd cry for food, and wanted weaning formulas. He's now 7 months old, and I'm still slowing weaning him off (he's also eating by himself). I know most of you going to think what an idiot I am, but I truely believe in the whole cockatoo own timing thing. In the wild it can take them up to 2 years to weaned off their parents. some even go back to the parents for comfort feeding after that. so I'd say that 8 weeks is definitely too young to be weaned off the formulas. Oh and I'm not one of those cockatoo nazis someone mentioned about either.

Apollo

p.s. I don't mean to ruffle any feathers (no pun intended) with my first post. Sorry if I did. Just my opinion that's all.

[fischer]

Hi Apollo, A big wellcome to the forum ;D and don't be afraid to express an opinion here at all .

As it happens I agree with you, the larger species can take years in the wild to fully wean from thier parents and sometimes even longer in captivity, I'm not at all surprised that your bird is not fully weaned at 7 months, and may take a bit longer before he is ;D, hang in there, it will be worth it ;D

Look forward to seeing some pic's of your bird ;D ;D....Tony

[billspets]

hello apollo
welcome to the forum
i agree with you as i have seen some larger birds forced to wean when i had my pet shop and the end result was i had to work them threw the whole proses before selling them on
feel free to voice your opinion that is what it is all about here
regards
bill

[hillcresttiels]

Hi Apollo and welcome to the forum! :)thanks for your input you are always welcomed to post what you believe is correct! as thats what we are all about here! cheers Frank

[vankarhi]

lexcuse me I am getting to know names here, but i feel sometimes the overseas "boards" are a bit fanatical. sometimes I think they just go overboard with their birds. If your bird is eating well by himself/herself then no problems. Just myself i usually still put soft food in with them. By soft food that could be mashed banana, or mashed potatoe, or finely chopped apple or defrosted warmed up frozen food. You really do need to get him/her used to eating a large variety of foods - just my honest opinion. Sprouts should be good too for him to pick and chew on. Good luck and many happy years with him.

I own a female galah since she was very young and she is almost 15 years old now. She eats like my ekkie now, very little seed and mostly fresh fruit/veges, bean mix I make up, pop corn, rice, fried rice, lasgne, spagetti just about anything. Nuts, mangoes (when in season) whatever I have in the fridge.

[joelbert]

hey everyone! I've just gotten a baby galah (Neville) and I've done tonnes of research about their diets and stuff but i was wondering if anyone knew what NOT to feed him... I've heard about grapes and avocado... i was just wondering if there was a list somewhere so i could print it and leave it on the fridge at home so if someone pulls something out of the fridge to give him... they can check the list before they do, as to make sure its not gonna hurt the lil bugger!!!

all help would be greatly appreciated!

cheers guys! ;D

[vankarhi]

well I have never heard of grapes.......unless it is because of the sulfer dioxide they are sprayed with for transportation??? (the workers in our local woolworths store informed me of this procedure). I give my birds grapes if we buy them......all my fruit and veges are washed before they are put away in the fridge.

The main no no's are avocado, alcohol and chocolate oh and onions....... Obviously you don't want your bird to have a diet of chips or pizza either..... but good common sense should be safe.

My birds for instance eat....corn on the cob fresh or frozen (defrosted first), frozen mixed veges (defrosted first), apples, pears, watermelon, strawberries, banana (not a fav food of any of them) passionfruit (they love) pomegranite (LOVE), the occassional slice of orange, peaches, nectarines, plums (all of those need to be deseeded), brocolli, spinach, silverbeat, bok choy, carrots, sweet potato (raw or cooked) cooked potato (mashed, or boiled), beans, chillies (raw), peas, sprouts, .......... as you can see the list is almost endless. Capsicum, mangoes, the occassional tomato, milk thistle, etc etc etc. I am sure others will come on and add to the list.

[vankarhi]

oh and if we do have pizza or chips.......my pet birds are allowed a piece.

[Robyn]

In addition to what Tracey has listed, they can also have raw nuts such as pine nuts, almonds, gum nuts, & casuarina nuts, seeds from the pumpkin, capsicum & melon. They can also be offered cuttlebone, cooked bones, shell grit & clean course river sand.

Other foods to keep away from include green potato, rhubarb leaves, oleander, pretty spurge, milkweed. These have the potential to cause harm to your baby.

My SC Too is partial to hot chippies & pizza as well. In fact i am sure he would eat what ever we do if i let him. ;D

[avinet]

I've been giving grapes for near 20 years - my birds will be very disappointed when I tell them they can't have them any more

Seriously, grapes are fine, avocado is not fine - I do know birds that have died from avocado poisoning.

cheers,

Mike

[vankarhi]

Robyn what is milkweed???

[scots001]

Sorry about the advise from the USA group. Something you have to keep in mind is that over here they seldom have parent reared chicks and so the breeders pull the young and hand feed till fledging, sometimes longer.
So that may be what the member was going by and yes it would be far too early in that case.
I never pulled chicks early, I let the parents raise them as long as they managed on their own.
What I don't agree with is not offering a varied diet. Fresh veggies galore, fruits whatever is in season in moderation, seed a good mix and sprouted if you are able then the usually legumes and grains. Junk food is not advisable especially galahs and their fatty tumors that can develop and human food if it is salted or high in sugar certainly off limits.
Seems like a lot of no's/dont's/stay away from, they thrive it is just better they thrive with a good diet and have a long life.
I've been tarred and feathered quite a few times and so don't let one persons advise keep you away from the group.
scots001

[scots001]

I love nutritional chats and I just read the grape issue.

One grape to a bird is comparable to you and I eating a watermelon or cantaloupe, a whole one.

Seems a bit far fetched as I used to give mine two at a time only to find out the only part of a grape that is nutritious is the seeds.

Otherwise high in sugar although natural, still damaging to kidneys that small.

I still buy them when I see a small package, and offer one every so often. Raisins are not advisable so where did we come up with the notion that grapes were fine?

BTW I can hardly find a grape with seeds!

[vankarhi]

yes they do love the seeds but I will continue to give mine grapes......it is not something they get regularly anyway.......I buy grapes only in summer time and not that often anyway.