Severe Macaw Baby

[mardena]

I posted this in another place. but then realized this would proabably be the best place to post.
I just purchased a baby Severe Macaw, 10 weeks old, a few days ago. Actually, I went with a friend of mine to pick up his newly purchased B/G Macaw and the breeder brought this baby out and after about an hour, talked me into it. I have no knowledge of handfeeding a baby bird and after coming home and looking on the internet I think it was not wise for me to buy this bird, but hindsight is 20/20. I love it so much already and I want to be able to raise it right. I have called the only vets we have here and they do not treat birds. The lady assured me when I bought the bird she would be there to help me, but after calling her the first time after getting home with the bird, she acted very irritated with me and I could tell she was not the person she portrayed herself to be before the purchase (she was very nice while we were there).
I am so scared now because I don't know when to start weaning this bird, some articles say 12 weeks old, some say 6 months. I am hand feeding it 3 times a day right now, around 45 cc's (1 1/2 ounce) each time.
How do I know when to feed it more/less and when to start weaning. When do I start putting food in with it? When do I try it on a perch? Should I be giving it water in a dish? It was just in a small box when I got it. I went to Walmart and bought a playpen for it so it could see everything going on and it really seems happy now. I have a heating pad that stays on low all the time. Am I doing everything right so far?
Please, any help would be appreciated or if anyone knows of any good books I can buy to help me through this.
Thanks for taking the time to read all this!!

[The Outlaw]

I am so sorry that you find yourself in this situation. Its all too common. Your baby will let you know when its ready to wean. You can start offering it soaked weaning pellets. Understand that it won't replace feedings until the bird understands that this is food, too. You can also offer soaked monkey biscuits that you hold in your fingers. I would definitely have water in the cage at all times. The only water your baby will get is via formula. Make sure to really clean the baby's beak well after you finish handfeeding. If not, its very easy for yeast infections to develop.

You can also get some chopped frozen mixed vegetables and defrost a few tablespoons. They are small enough and soft enough for babies to eat. You MUST invest in a gram scale and weigh your baby daily. Baby birds are not measured in ounces, but in grams. Also, when referring to unweaned baby birds, you give their age in days, not weeks. Try cooking a sweet potato, mashing it up and adding about a TBs of peanut butter and the juice from 1/2 fresh orange. Offer it from a small spoon or from your fingertips. Don't force it into the baby, but rather let it eat off of the spoon.

For example, a redfront chick (that's as close in size as I have information for) would be getting 2 handfeedings a day (35cc) twice a day and weaning foods in between. However, its a process and some babies will require more feedings more often. Each species weans at different times. Did she provide hatch papers? If so you know the baby's age in days by just doing the math.

We really don't encourage buying unweaned baby birds and in most states, its illegal. I won't discuss specifics here, for to do so give novices the feeling that its easy. It isn't and its scarey. I you screw up, the bird dies.

Be sure to NEVER heat baby formula in a microwave. You may heat the water in the microwave and then add it to the feeding formula. If you mix it first, the microwave can create hot spots and that can cause crop burn.

Be sure to offer the formula at 104 degrees, not colder. Use a candy thermometer to be sure its not too hot. NEVER save any mixed formula and refeed it. It grows bacteria very quickly. Formula should be stored in an airtight container, unmixed, in the refrigerator or freezer. Discard any formula after 6 months. Macaws require macaw handfeeding formula. General formula isn't high enough in fat. I you are using unspecified forumula, you must get the proper kind. Many breeders send babies out with the wrong stuff. I like Kaytee Exact macaw handfeeding formula.

[featherduster]

I found this site. It may help a bit. http://www.parrotpro.com/macped.htm
I have bred various birds for a long time. Macaws are one of the easiest to feed. They love to eat. They are very curious about new foods too. Go at his pace and make sure to be careful while feeding. Make sure the temperature of the formula is between 103 and 108 degrees. (never higher or cooler.) Feed enough at each feeding. Make sure the crop is empty before you feed him again. Do not over feed. Good luck! Take pictures too. You won't believe how fast he grows. Enjoy this as much as you can. Severe's are great birds!

[featherduster]

My reply shouldn't be in Macaw Experts. I appologize.

[Winged_Victory]

Welcome!

The best advice in addition to the previous posts: read as much as you can about http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=abundance+weaning abundance weaning. Follow the link and read several of the articles. Basically they tell you to let the bird wean on its own terms, whether 4 months old or a year old. Several of our macaws took over six months to wean, a couple of the large ones took over a year.

Your best bet is to purchase a gram scale so you can chart your birds weight. This will tell you how well you bird is doing gaining weight and should there be a problem, you will most likely notice a weight loss. However you should expect about a 10% loss when the bird fledges. Please keep all your hand feeding utinsils clean and sanitize them after each use. A feeding syringe is going to be your best bet to feed the bird, have the breeder show you how to use it, also check on the web about handfeeding macaws.

I would check your phone book and find an avian vet should you need one. A few other things to purchase, a pint of Briggs apple cider vinegar, a probiotic like Benbac, Katee macaw handfeeding formula, syringes, gram scale, good thermometer.

If you need help we will be here for you..............

Have many happy years with your bird.

[Miro The Macaw]

My severe was a lot older than yours when he came to live with me- And he was suppoesed to have been fully weaned- but he regressed and DEMANDED hand feeding after we got him home. He took hand feedings for a few more weeks, though he was also eating his pellets and his veggies.

Like Nancy said, he told US when it was time to stop handfeeding- He just didnt want it any more....

Good luck, they are fun birds!!

-Andrew

[The Outlaw]

Karen:

Your response was appreciated and just fine here. This member needed immediate help and had also posted on other forums. Thanks. Just remember, NEVER give explicit handfeeding instructions on our forums. A misunderstanding of an instruction or a typo could result in the death of a baby bird.

[mardena]

Thank you so much for all your help. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. I have learned so much in just a matter of minutes reading this.
I am so grateful!
The baby was born on June 1st. She gave me no papers of any kind.

[candi4me]

I think this question came at the best time for me... I was going to post about rio weaning from 2 1/2 bottles down to 1 a day. it makes me kinda sad that he is doing this... my kids are almost grown so I kinda wanted him to be a baby a bit longer. i offer the bottles but he doesn't want the ones that are given during the day, only the one before bed. i am using alot of great recipes yall have posted, so he gets a large variety of cooked foods, fresh kayle and fruits. he loves to eat when we are eating dinner.
Candy

[mardena]

I just want to thank everyone for their help. Nalah (which is what I named her) is doing wonderful. I am still handfeeding three times a day, but she doesn't eat it all all the time. She is eating Kaytee Weaning Pellets and Kaytee Fiesta and drinking water now. She is a true baby, she loves to snuggle and play.
Just wanted to ask, is there any one food that is better than another? Should I feed pellets only or should I continue to feed both pellets and seeds?
Also, when should she be able to sit on a perch? I have tried her on one but she is very scared of a perch and can't seem to get a good grip yet. Is that normal? Any more advice you can give me about anything with her is appreciated. The advice before was so great, so I knew the best place to come back to, was here. She was born on June 1 so that makes her 99 days old.
Thanks!