Feeding help for new owner

[Baba]

Hi

I got a cockatiel from a breeder and I think he/she is about 4-6weeks old, not really sure.

She didn't mention that he had to be hand fed..actually he has not been hand reared at all. Yesterday after i bought him home, we put the seed mix on the bowl at the bottom of the cage but he didn't feed at all. This morning I also placed a Trill Honey stick seed mix and he has been pecking at it all day, pretty much non stop.

I wasn't sure if he would be over feeding? Is it normal for a young cockatiel to be finishing those honey sticks in one day?

Also he makes this funny noise after eating, like there is something stuck he is beak. I'm a first time bird and cockatiel owner and don't want to make any mistakes :(

Any help would be so so appreciated.
Thank you!

[Plukie]

4 - 6 weeks old is very young for a tiel to leave the breeder. As for hand feeding, there are far more people on here that will give you all the advice that you need. Until they come by, just do what you are doing, as long as he is definitely eating all the seeds, he'll be ok. As a first time bird owner and a first time tiel owner, I think your breeder should have known better than to let you have one so young...that's no disrespect to you at all, but I know you want to do your best by him, but they can be quite delicate things when they are so young.

[Baba]

Thanks Plukie - I might try and ring the breeder and get more details.
I hope i'm wrong and he is a bit older, actually I know someone who is more experienced and if he is that young I might ask them to help look after him for a while.
I'd rather that he be safe...

[sweetrsue]

That weird noise you are hearing is most likely begging. They will sort of bob their heads and make a sort of raspy whine. You could try soft foods as well as the honey stick. He may not be actually eating it. The best thing for him at this point would be softened pellets. You need to soak them 'till they are soft then warm them up just a bit when you offer them to him. My birds will only eat Zupreem fruit blend pellets. It's best to buy the parakeet size. It's easier to eat and there is less waste. It is the same formula as the Cockatiel size. What I would do is make sure the baby is actually cracking and eating the seed! if he's just tearing the honey stick apart he's not getting anything out if it.

[Baba]

Levin's (i've finally name him :D) food dish is at the bottom of the cage (next to the lower perch)...do you think that is the reason he never goes there - as he has never tried to get to the lower perch.
The seed blend i give him - has seeds / pellets / dried fruit.. I picked out the pellets and softened them as you suggested, but he hasn't looked at the food dish :(

He doesn't liked to be touched at all, hissing at me if my hand comes too near.
I offered the pellets in my hand, but he then flies off the perch onto the cage side..I guess in an attempt to get away from me.

Levin is eating the seed though, I watch him closely - a lot is going on the floor, but he gets most of the smaller seeds.