Would u bring home a un weaned baby?

[Karol]

Hi Everyone,

My TAG just turned 2 months old and SHE is down to 2 feedings a day.

Just looking for opinions, would you bring home a un weaned baby?

Why or why not?

[Copper]

I wouldn't, simply because I've never dealt with weaning. If I had to learn, I would, but since I don't..... lol

[Karol]

Originally Posted by Copper

I wouldn't, simply because I've never dealt with weaning. If I had to learn, I would, but since I don't..... lol

I have never dealt with it either.

I am learning to syringe feed now, but after doing research and picking the brains of more experienced Fid owners, I am leaning towards not bringing her home until she is fully weaned.

[Sashagirl]

Karol

I would say no to bringing home an unweaned bird.Even though I have experience in handfeeding and weaning.A lot could happen to an unweaned baby.It's even more of a risk if your inexperienced and you don't recieve any kind of guarantee.The bird could die if you feed it improperly it could get an infection among other things.

[Copper]

Originally Posted by Marcia D

Karol

I would say no to bringing home an unweaned bird.Even though I have experience in handfeeding and weaning.A lot could happen to an unweaned baby.It's even more of a risk if your inexperienced and you don't recieve any kind of guarantee.The bird could die if you feed it improperly it could get an infection among other things.

My point exactly! I could have brought Jeremiah home at 8 weeks.... but was a bit paranoid. 5 years later and he's a happy handful...
and I'm still glad I let them do it, and am still a bit paranoid.

[SDavid]

If the seller of the bird takes the time to show you how to hand feed a baby bird and tells you what to do as the bird makes the transition then there really shouldn't be any problem. Weaning is not rocket science but it's up to you to do it right. If you aren't confident then don't do it and wait-there's nothing wrong with that. Any bad thing that could happen is usually the result of personal carelessness or lack of knowledge.

Is your TAG still at the store? I brought my TAG home at 3 months old and I finished the weaning process. I did nothing differently than what would have been done had she stayed at the store until she was weaned. My TAG is pretty well socialized and happy.

My TAG was on two feedings a day as well and I was told to continue the two feedings all the while keeping fresh seeds, pellets, and fruits/veg. and water in her cage. I was also told that eventually she would start eating on her own and she did.

The only problem I encountered was that my TAG took to eating seeds only. I would have drastically limited the amount of seeds offered to her had I known this would happen. But the same thing probably would have happened had she stayed at the store. I'm sure every situation is different and you should really discuss it with the bird's seller.

As a result of my experience, I think that what is more important than "where" she gets weaned is "how." If she's not weaned onto the healthier foods right away, you might have a tough time getting her to eat them later (birds are stubborn). Again, talk to the seller about what solid foods your TAG will be weaned onto. I think that's more important in the long run.

[Cindy215]

Ditto Marcia D. No, never. And I have alot of experience but I still would not an would never recommend it to most people...it's frowned upon and illegal in some areas.

Too many mistakes can be made. In addition, the bird needs to be with it's family NOW especially other birds. Parrots are flock animals wired for constant companionship 24/7. Bringing a young parrot into a strange home young without it's flock is psychologically bad, IMO. The longer she stays with his original family of birds, the better, IMO because that's where and how she learns to be a bird. Not a bird trying to be a human.

[SDavid]

"Bringing a young parrot into a strange home young without it's flock is psychologically bad, IMO. "

A fully weaned bird is still very young and, from what I can see, most birds that are sold are very young (stores run out of babies quickly). So, weaned or not, if what youre saying is true, it would mean that most birds are being psychologically damaged. But, I don't think there's really a way to tell if a bird is psychologically ready to be sold-at least not from anything I've ever read or heard. Birds live a long time and if seperation from their kind is damaging at all then that's an argument to leave them in the wild altogether. Or so it seems. I was also told that a bird will consider it's human family as it's flock. I've never personally seen any correlation between a bird sold unweaned and psychological damage. Then again, there's always something to learn.

[Cindy215]

Originally Posted by SDavid

"Bringing a young parrot into a strange home young without it's flock is psychologically bad, IMO. "

A fully weaned bird is still very young and, from what I can see, most birds that are sold are very young (stores run out of babies quickly). So, weaned or not, if what youre saying is true, it would mean that most birds are being psychologically damaged. But, I don't think there's really a way to tell if a bird is psychologically ready to be sold-at least not from anything I've ever read or heard. Birds live a long time and if seperation from their kind is damaging at all then that's an argument to leave them in the wild altogether. Or so it seems. I was also told that a bird will consider it's human family as it's flock. I've never personally seen any correlation between a bird sold unweaned and psychological damage. Then again, there's always something to learn.

Yes years ago in the 80's - early 90's everyone thought if you imprinted a newborn parrot to a human it would be great. That the bird would see the human as it's flock and forever be thinking it was a human...or vice versa...that the humans were birds. NOW it's known that imprinting a baby parrot to only humans is not great. Parrots need other parrots to teach them things. Like bathing and eating and other behaviors. So what you have is a parrot sorta stuck in limbo. Not a human but wanting to be...not a fully functional bird because it doesnt have any other birds to learn from properly.

The psychological damage you see (or dont see/notice) is apparent, imo, from an objective point of view. Presented in all the common problems like wierd or fussy eating, lack of knowing or liking to bathe, biting, demanding attention, screaming, not knowing how to play or forage....all the things you see on message boards from people asking for help.

So now there's a dilemma. A compromise has been to "co-parent:...partially parenting by humans and partially with it's flock. Some breeders do this, others still pull really young like 10 days old.

You were probably told that by a breeder or pet store, imo. And why does a breeder sell an unweaned baby? Especially to an inexperienced owner? Money, of course...make a profit before you have to spend too much time handfeeding and going through the important process of weaning and fledging. IF they even bother to fledge.

And because the average person, especially one inexperienced, will take the bargain of a reduced price parrot on two feedings instead of waiting to pay full price for a weaned bird. And THEN the cycle starts all over again because unloading unweaned babies allows the breeder/handfeeder to bring in a clutch of NEW babies, even an extra clutch per season if they get the first clutch out the door early enough.

There can be MONTHS between a two feeding per day bird and a fully PROPERLY weaned bird. And there IS a way to tell if the bird is ready to be sold/weaned. They are fully eating on their own, enthusiastically...all types of food especially fresh variety. And in fact, refusing the syringe. And other solid bird behaviors instead of crying for the "mother" all the time.

Yes what I'm say may be considered controversial. But all you have to do is google unweaned babies to see the disasters that happen. And google forced weaning too. Also co-parenting.

Do a search here on My Scrawny Severe, about Cosmo, who supposedly was "almost weaned" to see the heartbreak of what happens with some of these parrots hatched and thrown to a broker/handfeeder who flips them like houses. Not a good thing. Ask any advocate.

And yes, imo, there is a very valid argument over whether parrots are best left to the "wild", although it's agaist the rules here to discuss that. (meaning against the rules to encourage anti-bird as pet discussions). Just think about the fact that birds are always happier in twos or a flock. Especially of their own kind. Evidenced by people worried that they'll lose their "tameness". Sort of a no brainer to me. Parrots are an undomesticated species and will stay that way until the 1000th generation...not any time soon.

[Abby]

Wait until bubby is weaned Karol. Cindy has brought up some really valid points. It's really better to have a fully weaned healthy baby without any further stress then going through the whole handraisng weaning experience which can be quite stressful for parront and bird in some cases.