Severe Macaw Baby

[MiniMacMum]

Mardena,
Yes 3 times a day for handfeeding is good. Do you give any chopped up fruits or veggies? I always started my babies on this at around 8wks. even if they don't eat it, they learn to pick at it & eventually will eat it. I mix up a bit of corn off the cob, peas, cooked noodles, sweet potato, apple, banana, they love warm soft foods. I kept all my babies in a brooder that I put a cement perch in when they were 10 wks & older. They got the hang of it & loved perching. Just keep trying. They are clumsy, so keep it very low. Mine was only a couple inches up from the bottom of the brooder. Their nails get very sharp too. All my babies would get to where they didn't want to eat all their feedings at anywhere from 9-12 wks of age. Or sometimes they would want to skip half of one of their feedings. That's normal. They are very curious at this age, don't force them, just offer all their feedings whether she eats it all or not. She will return to normal feedings, all mine did :) Most all my severes weaned at 5 months of age. I let them decide when they were done with the handfeeding formula. I never force weaned any of them. You should post some pics if you have any :) Sounds like you are doing a good job :)

[MiniMacMum]

Oops, Nancy was I allowed to post here in the experts?? Sorry if I wasn't.

[mardena]

Thank you so much for answering. She is eating all kinds of things along with weening pellets and Kaytee Fiesta for parrots. And as I said earlier, three bottles a day. I was wondering if there is any one food as far as seed better than another. I have seen all kinds of brands and I really want to feed her the best. She did perch a little yesterday.
How do you know when to put them in a cage?
I do have pictures. If I can figure out how to post them, I will.
Thanks so much and please don't hesitate to tell me anything you feel I need to know. I want all the help I can get.

[Joel]

Maybe if your delima has been spread around in other threads, I may have missed it but are you feeding formula: Handfeeding Formula for Baby MaCaws (Kaytee makes a great one IMO).... If not, why not (?) and can you get some now. Most pet shops for birds will carry that, I believe, including Petsmart & PetSupermkt........ Ya really should be getting the PROPER amount of food/formula into your bird at each feeding, whether it wants it or not - that is why that breeder should have never sold you that bird until weaned - among other reasons too. I agree with Bob, you should have gotten after that heartless breeder IMO...... Remember the crop should be empty when you wake up in the morning shortly after day-break.....Continued good luck.

I would put the baby in a 1/2"x1" (aviary wire) cage as soon as it starts walking a lil bit or even sooner - if ya like - if ya have a way of keeping at least one area of the cage warm.

[mardena]

Yes, I have been feeding the Kaytee Handfeeding Formula three times a day. But, I just wanted to know what kinds of pellets and seeds were the best because she is eating other foods also. She is eating the Kaytee Weaning Pellets and Kaytee Fiesta now along with being handfed the formula. The pellets are in a dish for her to eat anytime she wants along with a dish of water and she is really doing good with that. I just really wanted to know what others fed their birds in the way of pellets and seeds, (brand names).
I also give her fruits and vegetables.
I have her in a playpen that I bought when I got her and she is now climbing up it and perching on the top, so does that mean it is time for a cage? She just started doing that a couple of days ago.
Here's a picture of her.

[MiniMacMum]

Awwww, she's a cutie!!! I wouldn't put her in a cage quite yet. You could do what Joel suggested for a cage though. Not sure what kind of cage you have for her? All my babies were in a cage & used to it by the age of 4 1/2 months. I put them in a little while at a time till they got used to it. Each day I let them play in it longer. She's still young & clumsy. If you want to try (supervised), keep the perches low to the floor or grate & just for a little while. I had a midwest floor cage & the grate was removable. I left the grate in but put it up high & kept the perches low to the grate. As they got older, I would move the grate lower & they then had more room to crawl around. Soon, they mastered it :) Then they spent the nights in it. That breeder is heartless!!! Hope I helped you some :)

[mardena]

You sure did. Thanks so much!!!

[The Outlaw]

Or, rather than lower the perches, you can raise the floor. Simply line the bottom of the cage with overturned cardboard boxes. The ones that cases of soda come in work quite well. Cover them with newspaper to keep them clean.