Parrotlet I need help please. I can't get Parrotlet weaned

[Crickets MOM]

I have a Parrotlet that was born on 3/9/04. I can't get her weaned. When I get her she was being fed three times a day. I have been told that she should be completely weaned now. But I can not get her to eat seeds or pellets or any kind of fruits, veggies or pasta. The only thing she will eat other than her baby weaning food is millet spray.

I have tried everything mixing her pellets and seeds with the millet seeds since she will eat them but she picks those out and leaves the rest.

I have also been told that some Parrotlets and Parrots can take years to wean and some can never be weaned is this true? I really love her I want to get another one If I could find another one that has already been weaned would this help her to start eating on her own?

Thank you in advance for any help you can give me.

Lorie :?

[Monica]

Having her possibly see another bird eating the foods that she should eat may help her to get weaned. There are birds who do take longer to wean, and there are birds who are fully weaned but still loving to get their daily feedings of baby food...

[Crickets MOM]

Hi Monica,
I don't mind feeding her I actually enjoy it. LOL But I am concerned that she will not have her nutritional needs met just eating the baby food and also I worry about always being able to be home at her feeding time too if I can never get her weaned.
:) Thanks again for responding!

Lorie

[Joel]

Hello Lorie,

I never had a bird in 15 years that failed to wean or took much longer than normal and I have been a breeder of many species for many years now. I would cut back on the millet sprays and only put them in there in the early morning after sun up and late afternoon before sunset. I would put in as many other reliable foods as you can each day during the daylight hours such as some of the favorites: corn on the cob, crackers with no salt, fruits, try some Romaine lettuce (crispy but well cleaned-pat mostly dry), some scrambled egg (for an hour or two only), continue the pellets and seed mix too with sunflower......A teacher bird is always good to use also if possible, doesn't necessarily have to be the same species. You can also put an additional cage next to your bird with another bird or birds in it to show some good example especially while you are not home. Good luck & let us know what happens.....Btw, change the newspaper under the grate every day to examine closely what the bird is actually eating and what seeds it is cracking open etc....

[blueroseaviary]

Hi Lorie,

This is not uncommon for parrotlets. Single babies have a tendency to not wean by themselves. It is for this exact reason that I never sell an unweaned baby. Whenever I hear about a parrotlet failing to wean it is always a single baby.

Do you have another parrot in the house that you can place her cage close to so that she can observe the other bird eating? A teacher bird as Joel suggested is exactly what you need.

Millet sprays are a good starter food. They are easy to hull, and will give your baby the energy boost she needs especially if she not eating anything else. Along with the seed mix you can offer her dry Cede egg food - plus the fresh foods that Joel suggested. My parrotlets generally do not like fruit, try broccoli, they usually love broccoli. If she hesitates eat some yourself and let her watch, then offer her a small piece from your hand.

You can soak pellets in water or in fruit juice to soften them and feed them to her from your hand when she begs. This may clue her in that pellets really are food and are safe to eat.

Continue to hand feed her until you are sure that she is eating well on her own. Parrotlets are high engery birds and can eat as much as a cockateil in a day.

Another hit with my parrotlets is birdie bread. I puree veggies and add them to the bread and they devour it!

Please let us know how she is progressing.

[Crickets MOM]

Hi Joel,
I have tried just about everything you mentioned including checking to see what seeds she has eaten. But she has only eaten the millet spray. I do have her next to my Cockatiels cage but they are about a foot apart. I'll move them right next to each other. Hopefully that will help.
Thank you again for your help I have been worried sick about her. I'll be sure to let you know how she's doing.
Lorie

[Crickets MOM]

Hi Jill,

Thank you so much for the advice. And for telling about it not being uncommon for a lone baby being hard to wean. I was really beginning to think it was something I was doing wrong. I have tried to feed her by hand fruits and vegetables as well as pastas. And I have also moistened her pellets.I will try the puree veggies and bread also the scrambled eggs. I have the other egg that I give to my canaries I'll add that to her food also.

I never wanted to get an un weaned baby. The lady I got her from bought her from a breeder she has bought a few of her birds from. And I told her I did not want to bring her home until she was weaned. Because I know young birds like her can be very fragile. But when she got her down to three feedings a day she said she didn't have time to continue weaning her and that I would have no problem finish weaning her.
I don't have another Parrot in the house only 7 Cockatiels and 5 canaries. I will move her right next to the Cockatiels cage.

I love her so much and I'm dying to get another one. I'm I allowed to inquire about yours here on the board? where are you located? I'm in MI. I really want another one I looked for over year before I found her. for some reason they aren't real popular here and it's hard to find a breeder. Although I can't imagine why? I think they are the sweetest most adorable little birds.

I'll keep you posted thanks again so much!

Lorie

[okieparrots]

I'll admit up front that I don't know diddly about parrotlets but I would still be amazed if they are usually weaned by the time they are six weeks old. you said your baby was only born 3/9/04. It might be different for parrotlets but I don't expect any of my babies (even my 'tiels) to be weaned before they are 10 weeks old. I know parent raised budgies can wean as early as 8 but six weeks still seems really early to be weaned anyway.

Jill might offer some light on that...

[Crickets MOM]

Hi Brad,

Thanks for you input. I'll admit I don't know anything about weaning any kid of birds. Cricket is the first bird that I have gotten that was not fully weaned when I brought her home. And the last one too. Because I have just been worried sick about her after hear so many different stories. I also thought that 6 weeks is very early for her to be weaned to but the lady that got her for me and a few other people I talked to before I found this board all told me that by the time all her feathers come in and she loses all her pin feathers she should be fully weaned.
Now rather this is true I don't know? I my self have not rushed her. I don't want her getting weak or sick from not getting enough to eat. And it is no burden on me to feed her my self a few times a day. I'm just worried because of everything I have heard from people prior to talking to all of you. And worried about her health just eating the baby food.

So far I feel the best advice I have gotten has been from the members of this group.

Thank all again! :P

Lorie

[Joel]

I agree with what everyone said Lorie, your Cricket isn't fully weaned yet in case I was not clear in my first post. I suggest you continue the foods etc. that I mentioned to you as I have never had a bird fail to wean by using those foods and a teacher bird would help speed up the process IMO & IME. Do continue the formula however, if need be of course, as we don't want Cricket getting skinny, just cut back on the amount fed at each feeding. Good luck.......Having all of one's feathers is definitely not a sure sign of weaning so that lady gave ya some innaccurate info.....