Help!!! Baby parrotlet wont wean

[Ernst W.T. Bothma]

Hi...I finnally got my baby parrotlet. He is a blue celestial mutation and is very sweet. I got him at 3 weeks old and he took to hand feeding very well. At day 34 he started to nibble at the parrot food like seeds. At day 40 he started to eat the sunflower seeds. But its day 52 now and ge still wont leave hand feeding. He wil eat seeds but he still demand a fedding 5 times a day and wont just eat the parrot food. It is available to him 24/7. He wil eat sometimes but wont go completely. Pleas help

 

[theoldchick]

http://www.exoticpetvet.com/weaning-baby-birds.html

Good luck! Always consult with an avian vet to make sure your pet bird is healthy.

 

[Ernst W.T. Bothma]

Thx...he is healthy but stubborn about weaning

 

[JaeG]

It does no good to try and rush them off the hand rearing formula. Often they won't even attempt to eat until they've had at least some formula. Parrotlets don't fully wean until 2 months old, and that will just be an average so you need to follow your baby's lead. Withholding formula will lengthen the process of weaning as the chick will be insecure about food, and less trusting of you. I've had cockatiels take 10 weeks to wean off the formula, and they generally wean between 6-8 weeks.

The best starter food is millet as it is soft and easy for them to eat. You can also offer the egg and biscuit/softfood/Dutch formula/song restorer (it has so many names) for birds. Use your fingers to nibble at whatever food you offer and it should get them interested - they learn by watching what their parents eat so you have to take on that role - but give your baby formula first as a hungry baby won't try new things. Some babies wean faster than others and you really do just have to play along until they feel that they are ready to take that step and be independent.

 

[Ernst W.T. Bothma]

Thank you very much I still gocr him formula when ever he wants. I just wanted to khow if its normal for them to take this long

 

[JaeG]

Some are eager to wean, others not so much and because your one is on its own it may take longer than 'normal'. I found my first batch of cockatiel chicks took much longer to wean than the ones who had them as role models to copy.

 

[livealittle]

I don't know chickens, but I do know parrots. My specialty is parrotlets. JaeG is right, let the baby wean on its own time. One day when you are least expecting it, he will refuse to eat baby formula. Always have a good food available in the cage so he can choose to nibble if he wants. I do NOT suggest millet or sunflower seeds for young ones. It is much too fatty and should only be a very special treat. Parrotlets have problems with fatty organs, and you don't want him to develop a bad junk food habit early. Instead of seeds, consider a high quality pelleted food. It not only has the goodness of seeds, but also is enriched with vitamins and minerals they need to stay healthy. I like Harrisons, but many swear by Zupreems. Try not to get a food with tons of artificial dyes. The bright colors should be reserved for their toys.

 

[Rainbow Egg Lover]

Hi...I finnally got my baby parrotlet. He is a blue celestial mutation and is very sweet. I got him at 3 weeks old and he took to hand feeding very well. At day 34 he started to nibble at the parrot food like seeds. At day 40 he started to eat the sunflower seeds. But its day 52 now and ge still wont leave hand feeding. He wil eat seeds but he still demand a fedding 5 times a day and wont just eat the parrot food. It is available to him 24/7. He wil eat sometimes but wont go completely. Pleas help

Do you mean that the baby is not yet two months old? Baby Parrotlets don't wean so early. Usually after they are two months old, but weaning is more about nutrition than anything. A baby that doesn't get enough can wean late. A baby that also gets enough can wean slowly.

It's best to go about abundance weaning: letting the baby decide when to weqn, but offering a lot of fresh, varied foods at weaning age.