What to feed the new Baby Greenwing??

[MandysBlackRoses]

Hey all, Ima new to this site, and the main reason why I wanted to be a member was to ask You all, what should I feed my 5 month old Greenwing? She will be coming home on the 10th of Febuary. She is on a pelleted diet, and the breeder says she might need comfort feedings...Im not to sure on doing that. I don't want to hurt the baby, or make it sick trying to use the fomular. Im sure I could figure it out if its something I have to do. But I was thinking of a diet ofboth pellets and some seed...I hear from alot of breeders that Macaws need the high fat that seed diets offer...I hear that pellet diets are good for reasons too...so how bout half and half? lol Sheesh this is harder then I thought... Now about fresh and cooked foods...What are some things I should be giving the new baby? I know she has had banannas, but are there "step foods" for Macaws? Or is she ok to eat just about anything? I know what to feed adults, but a new baby i have no idea. I would really love any advice I could get. I all ready know what not to feed as far as poisons and such. Mandy & Gypsy Rose

[The Outlaw]

Congratulations. Before you even pick up your bird, you MUST insist that the breeder teach you how to handfeed. Its essential for your baby may very well regress within the first month of coming home.

I would be certain to keep a fresh bag of macaw weaning formula (Exact makes the macaw special formula) and I'd also keep comfort foods handy. By that I mean the following:

Oatmeal, apple juice and apple sauce, sweet potatoes, peanut butter, Zupreem monkey buscuits, whole wheat Cheerios.

If your baby reverts (very likely, by the way) you'll need to be able to offer some warm mushy food. My baby happily ate off of a baby feeding spoon, but yours may require a feeding syringe. You can soak the monkey biscuits in some warm apple juice and offer it from your fingertips. Or, you can microwave a sweet potato and mash it up. Add the juice from 1/2 of a fresh orange and about a tbs of peanut butter and mix it up. Serve warm (about 102 degrees). Be sure to stir it up well and make certain there are no hot spots. Your baby will get seriously burned if you don't follow these directions carefully. You can also make him some oatmeal and use a little apple juice to loosen it up after its cooked.

I feed a totally fresh diet with some seed and no pellets. If you'd like to learn more about this approach, why not check out www.landofvos.com and see some of the nutritional information there. I have been successfully feeding this diet to 10 birds for about 6 years with no illnesses of any kind.

[KimM]

Congratulations. I have a Harlequin (1/2 Green-winged and 1/2 B & G). I chose to bring mine home after he was weaned. Fortunately, he weaned himself in 3 mos. I'm told Green-winged can take up to 6 mos to wean. Another site you can check out is www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com. The food is rather expensive, but it's extremely good for their health. I also learned they may eat the following: grapes, bananas, blueberries, raspberies, cranberries, corn on the cob, carrots, peas, pomegranates, sprouts, cooked pasta, broccoli, kale sweet potatoes, sweet red peppers,

forbidden foods are: chocolate, avocado, rhubarb, eggs, salty snacks, processed meats, sugar (candy, pastry), onions, garlic, alcohol, caffeine, dairy (birds are lactose intolerant). I found this in Birds USA magazine which so far has been a good source of info.

[Stizby]

I brought home my B&G macaw just days shy of his being 5 months old. I had visited him weekly for up to 2 hours each trip for more than 2 months prior to bringing him home. And even though he knew me and was somewhat bonded to me by the time I brought him home, he still regressed a bit.

For the first couple of weeks he was home with me, I put his food in a large basin in the bottom of his cage so that he would have easy access to it. My macaw has a very large cage and I was able to put the food basin safely away from any perches so that he would not poop in his food.

I also fed him apple oatmeal in the evenings and sometimes he got warm, mashed sweet potatoe. I started feeding him from a spoon but then went to feeding him directly from my fingers. He just needed that extra comfort.

I did this for at least 2 weeks and gradually stopped. Frankly, he got to where he did not want to take food from me but wanted to eat on his own like a big boy!

Good luck with your greenwing. Be sure to post us pictures of your baby when you bring her home. We all drool over macaw babies! You are in for the adventure of your life! (and I mean that in a good way)

[The Outlaw]

Kim:

How long has your baby been home? Three months is WAY too early for a GW to wean. Usually 4 months is considered very early and 6 months not at all uncommon. Be sure to weigh your baby with a gram scale at least once a week. It should continue to gain weight until it fledges. I really think that 3 months is more than odd. Be careful, please.

[MandysBlackRoses]

Hey Guys thanks for the quick response... Gypsy will not be home till Feb 10th, She is almost 5 months, I have been seeing her weekly for the last month and a half. The breeder says she is weaned, but that she may require "comfort feedings". This must be because of the regression you all are talking about. Just to make sure she has the nutrition, in case she wont eat right away? I get it now! lol The sweet potata,orange juice and peanut butter mash sounds Yummy to me! Is there anything saying that Mom can't have a taste? ~smirks~ I would show you all a picture if I knew How to load it in the posts...Im surprised I figured out how to work this whole post thing to begin with. She's a cuty for sure, she has a very calm personality, and such a snuggle bug. I have to set her cage up this week end. Low perches right? So for the first week soft foods only? And try some fomular with a spoon? I watched her use a large plastic syringe to feed her last week...What a MESS! then we just let her play in the bowl of warm water she used to warm the food up...yup, they look pretty funny wet. Ok, well Im gonna write a list of what to feed her over the first few weeks, Any more sugestion would be awesome. Thanks again Mandy & Gypsy Rose

[cfulhage]

forbidden foods are: chocolate, avocado, rhubarb, eggs, salty snacks, processed meats, sugar (candy, pastry), onions, garlic, alcohol, caffeine, dairy (birds are lactose intolerant). I found this in Birds USA magazine which so far has been a good source of info.

Wait a minute...I thought eggs were good to feed our fids (obviously in moderation). Are GW's just different? Also, garlic is a no-no?!?! Somebody on here gave me the idea to sprinkle a little garlic powder on Ollie's pasta/bean/rice mix, and she loves it! I'm just slightly confused now...

[cfulhage]

Originally Posted by MandysBlackRoses

Hey Guys thanks for the quick response... Gypsy will not be home till Feb 10th, She is almost 5 months, I have been seeing her weekly for the last month and a half. The breeder says she is weaned, but that she may require "comfort feedings". This must be because of the regression you all are talking about. Just to make sure she has the nutrition, in case she wont eat right away? I get it now! lol The sweet potata,orange juice and peanut butter mash sounds Yummy to me! Is there anything saying that Mom can't have a taste? ~smirks~ I would show you all a picture if I knew How to load it in the posts...Im surprised I figured out how to work this whole post thing to begin with. She's a cuty for sure, she has a very calm personality, and such a snuggle bug. I have to set her cage up this week end. Low perches right? So for the first week soft foods only? And try some fomular with a spoon? I watched her use a large plastic syringe to feed her last week...What a MESS! then we just let her play in the bowl of warm water she used to warm the food up...yup, they look pretty funny wet. Ok, well Im gonna write a list of what to feed her over the first few weeks, Any more sugestion would be awesome. Thanks again Mandy & Gypsy Rose

Is she being weaned onto pellets? If so, I would keep those available to her at all times. I also recommend the Zupreem Primate Biscuits that The Outlaw mentioned. They were a lifesaver when going through the weaning process with my CAG. If you decide to get them- you will probably have to order them online- make sure you get them only in the Zupreem original packaging. Soak each biscuit in warm water for 10-15 minutes until soggy, squeeze some of the excess water out, cut into small pieces, and watch your little girl devour it!

[MandysBlackRoses]

Ok I think I got the picture to come up...I wont know till after I send this, Yeah Monkey Biscuts, I have heard about them, I know they don't sell them in Maine...They have parrot ones though. Are those not the same? And what about gerber baby biscuts? I know they sell fomular at Pet Co. Thanks Again, Mandy&Gypsy Rose ( hope the picture comes up)

[MandysBlackRoses]

Nope I guess I dont know how to make Gypsy's picture show up on here, So I picked this one instead..It would'nt let me browse for my own...Hmmm But I did manage to put on in the main photo gallery under macaws....Thanks Again, Mandy& Gypsy Rose