Quaker losing weight????

[adavis]

I have had my Quaker for almost a month and just in the last couple days i've noticed that he/she is looking a little skinnier. Should i be worried? What should i do? He/she seems to be eating and drinking fine

[kellywess]

Was he completely weaned when you brought him home? If so for how long?

[adavis]

Yes the lady said that him and his brother refused their feeding 2 days before i picked him/her up and was eating seed fine. He had a little trouble eating the new food i got him but i got it the day i brought him home and now he seems to like it.

[Monica]

He ought to be 12 weeks old now? You've had him since he was about 8 weeks old? I'm sorry but just because a bird hasn't eaten for two days doesn't make it weaned! And birds in a new home will regress.

You need to go out and buy a digital gram scale (Walmart or Target, for example) to keep track of your quakers weight... Does your quaker beg? You might want to consider going out and buying a small bag of handfeeding formula, mixing some up hot (about 105° F), and seeing if he'll eat some off a spoon or syringe. If so, you may want to give him at least one feeding a day until his weight gets back up. You may also want to make some baby food (i.e. some cooked mashed sweet potatoes, maybe add in some steamed carrots, a little peanut butter) fed warm at night right before bed... or you could even buy some Gerber Baby food, no zinc, various types of veggies, and feed that warm, as well.

Of course, loosing a drastic amount of weight may be a sign of a health problem which may need to be seen by an avian vet, and could be a sign of something serious....

Although birds who exercise more may also loose weight.

[adavis]

I will go get one of those scales and keep track like once every couple days? He is pretty active and seems to be eating and drinking fine so thats y i was a little worried. He doesn't beg but every time i take him out for a while and then put him back he goes to town on the seeds.

[hugs28]

you should also give him a good natural pellet, not just seeds and fresh fruits and veggies, dried fruits and veggies are great also. But just seed diet is not good for any bird.

I agree, keep watch on the weight and if you have to give some formula. good luck

[adavis]

He/she is on a pellet/seed well i guess u wouldn't really call it seed it is a fruit mix with lots of dried fruits and stuff in it.

[adavis]

P.S. he is looking better

[hugs28]

thats great, sounds like a good mix then. I am glad he looks better. And I forgot to tell you that you don't have to spend a ton of money on a gram scale. I use a 3 lb postal scale that cost me $10-$15 from walmart. It has kg and g on it. good luck with your baby

[madisgiftpaiges]

I thought the same thing about Tippi (which for those that do not know, is from the same clutch) he constantly eats but he is also constantly moving. I took him in, he looked kinda skinny to me however, his breast bone is not bony, i can feel it but it is also meaty around it. She weighed him and checked him out and he has only lost, I think 2-4 grams. So as long as he is eating and his/her breast bone isn't sharp and pointy (no soft meaty feeling around it) I am sure he/she is fine just as Tippi is, call me anytime if you want, if you don't have my number anymore just let me know and i'll call you. I think it is just cause they are our babies and the slightest change scares us. Just keep an eye on him and make sure he's eating and drinking, make sure he's eating the bright colored pellets, I can't get Tippi to eat any fresh fruit or veggies yet, wants absolutely nothing to do with them and will throw them at me and holler until I get every piece off of his cage and out of the dish, lol.