My new Severe

[tajmo]

Hi there I just brought home a baby severe macaw 5 days ago - we are waiting to name when we find out the sex. Baby is now 2 months old (hatch date 10/1/07). It seems from everything I am reading online that this is a bit young to be fully weened. currently feeding a 'soak and serve' along with lots of fresh fruit, veggies, brown rice, oatmeal etc. What I am noticing is that the bird will only eat out of the cage and with us present or holding the bowl. Also concerned about water intake so I have been mashing the food together with lots of water to make it somewhat soupy and this seems to be tasty enough and the droppings appear to be normal that is solid green/white/liquid. I have an appointment with the vet tomorrow but just want some confirmation that we are doing the right thing and that at only 2 months it is okay to be fully weaned. Also is this eating habit normal out of the cage?
Thanks

[Tishrei]

Greetings, -- I also have a severe but I did not get him until he was 15 years old so I don't know anything about babies. Just wanted to say that Severe Macaws are AWESOME!!!!! I just love mine to pieces -- they are the funniest little critters.

[tajmo]

we are totally enjoying this new critter in the house. what fun. just still concerned about whether getting full nutritional needs.

[birdsnreps]

idk about having a weaned 2mo old severe...sounds too young to me. make sure you weigh the bird every morning. if he starts to loose weight, you might have to handfeed him.

[Monica]

8 weeks sounds too young to me as well.... and IMO, he should get supplemental formula feedings. Definitely get a gram scale as well to keep track of his weight.

Please let us know what the vet thinks!

[tajmo]

Thanks for the responses. I am looking forward to what the vet has to say - I did try to get a hold of the shop where I bought him but not open until tomorrow. We'll see how it goes and I will post what they say. Maybe this can be helpful to others as well.

[sassie]

awwe 8 weeks is very young for a severe to be weaned. I hope your vet gives you some good insight soon so he makes it

[tajmo]

Well vet seems to think our macaw's in great health. Weight is 320g and everything looks okay with stool excepting a bit high in yeast. Vet says a teaspoon of raw apple cider vinegar to 8 oz water and sticking to a pellet and fresh veggies, grains, etc. will fix that. Otherwise no problems. He thinks because she's already about a week off the formula and nutritionally seems to be doing okay no need for any supplemental formula feedings. Still doing the head bobbing and prefers to eat out of the cage but he thinks that will wane as she gets older. Good news and thanks to everyone for the advice.

[birdsnreps]

make sure you get organic ACV, i read that the regular ACV can burn their insides. you know what else works great for yeast? the plain, unflavored yogurt from walmart, with the active cultures in it. just mix some with formula for about a week, if your baby will still eat some formula. if not, you could try feeding him a little yogurt with a spoon or maybe put a little bit in a bowl or something. we had a bird with a little bit of yeast several months ago, our vet told us to either buy some nystatin, which we did use, or the plain active cultures yogurt. we used the nystatin for about 3 days. it made the poor baby nauseous and it made his face turn all red, i dont think he took well to that med at all, so we stopped taking it. i went out and bought the yogurt and fed it to him for a little more than a week, had him retested and no more yeast :)

[sassie]

Awsome yogart tip! Thanks for the heads up

Im really glad your baby doing well!