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Post by loriluver on Nov 13, 2006 7:47:36 GMT 10
Hi all, I would like some advise on weaning moustache parrots. I have tried a few things but they are not eating enough and only take about a teaspoon of formular and then don't want anymore. I m concerned they will lose to much weight.
Thanks in advance
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Post by AussieBirds on Nov 13, 2006 9:16:08 GMT 10
Hi all, I would like some advise on weaning moustache parrots. I have tried a few things but they are not eating enough and only take about a teaspoon of formular and then don't want anymore. I m concerned they will lose to much weight. Thanks in advance Keep feeding them and add some peanut butter to their formula and thicken it up a bit that should help with the weight problem. It's been my experience that birds will let you know when they don't want any more feeds, how old are they now? cut the feeds down to one feed a day preferably at night, that should help. John |
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Post by loriluver on Nov 13, 2006 9:26:54 GMT 10
Hi John, They are 5 weeks. They only want a bit of formula of a morning or late at night. What do you suggest trying them on first. They have been playing with veges and soaked seed but not eating much of it.
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Post by vankarhi on Nov 13, 2006 9:30:30 GMT 10
I had the exact same problem with my male alexandrine Takoda. Little man would not give up the formula............but did not want to eat much of it either............but did not want to each much of anything else either for quite a few days. I was feeding him 3 times a day still..............then after some advise from John (Aussiebirds) and Petiel (breeder of Takoda) I cut him back to two feeds a day with peanut butter (morning and night for about 1 week) then 1 feed at night with peanut butter in it................then I noticed he was really chowing down on his seed and veges and not asking me for food anymore. It was very hard as he did lose soooo much weight but he is eating well now for about 1 week and he is now 13 weeks old.
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Post by vankarhi on Nov 13, 2006 9:36:47 GMT 10
I just noticed your post above mine............you must be online with me too ...................... 5 weeks I would be guessing is a bit young for them to be weaned. Maybe a couple more weeks. But keep trying them on frozen peas and corn or mixed veges (warmed up first obviously  ), I also put pine nuts in with them as it is soft and easy for them to chew on, as well as grated carrot, finely chopped apple and anything else like broccoli or capsicum etc. I also put rice cakes and or cracker biscuits in with them too. My adult birds love all of the above, and I found the babies love to explore and taste test most food anyway. At 5 weeks they are probably testing more than they are actually eating. Also try some millet sprays .............. all my birds love them and the babies love to chew and play with them too. Takoda loved his sprouts too. Good luck. I don't know when moustaches are supposed to wean but I would guess around 8 weeks.............so if it were me I would keep the formula up for a couple more weeks. Some birds wean easier than others. The other alexandrine I raised last year, actually weaned herself by 10 weeks. She was eating everything I put in her cage and at night her crop was almost full and she did not want formula anymore. Good luck  |
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Post by silvercloud on Nov 13, 2006 10:45:50 GMT 10
Everythin I thought of has been said so good luck with them. |
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Post by loriluver on Nov 13, 2006 11:02:11 GMT 10
Yes they are a bit early to wean or at least i thought so too, but they refuse to eat the formula any more except for a tiny bit in the morning and evening less than half a teaspoon full.
I have tried them on rice bubbles, egg and biscuit, sprouted mung bean, soaked seed and the fruit and veg. They will play with the fruit and vege but as i said they are not eating too much of it.
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Post by Jimmy on Nov 18, 2006 20:42:10 GMT 10
Lori luver, I have some myself that are now about 10 weeks old. At around the 5 week mark, mine did the same thing, stopped eating, but then after a few days of picking and choosing when to eat formula, they started again. I am sure it was them fledging. They are now almost fully weaned but they still have days when they eat heaps of formula and others when they do not. Give them plenty of seed, millet and warmed frozen peas and corn. They also like the dried fruit mix you can buy. Good luck with them from here on, they just love to fly off and do their own thing But you will have some wonderful birds when finished  I hope this helps. |
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Post by vankarhi on Nov 19, 2006 14:35:53 GMT 10
Great advise Jimmy |
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), I also put pine nuts in with them as it is soft and easy for them to chew on, as well as grated carrot, finely chopped apple and anything else like broccoli or capsicum etc. I also put rice cakes and or cracker biscuits in with them too. My adult birds love all of the above, and I found the babies love to explore and taste test most food anyway. At 5 weeks they are probably testing more than they are actually eating. Also try some millet sprays .............. all my birds love them and the babies love to chew and play with them too. Takoda loved his sprouts too.
