# Best food to fatten up a Young Tiel



## Kerry78 (May 25, 2009)

Ive had my Sandy over a week now and the last 2 days ive been stressed at her appearance shes become so frail and thin, but she eats and drinks,
ive been so upset over this I even rang the RSPCA which they didn't give me much help told me to ring a £1.50pm number to get assitance 

Anyway monday I frantically went to my petshop and had a look at the food in there, I found some Egg Food and of course bought 10x Millets for a £1 Bargain lol, got home and put some Egg Food into the dish she wasn't intrested so to make things more intresting I picked her up and she sat on my hand then I hand fed her it she loved it, she loves Millet anyway beforehand but lately all she has been eating is Sunflower seeds out of the Cockatiel and Parrot mix I buy anyway her appetite is picking up and im hoping she will gain more weight by the end of the week and get back on track!

I have tried Fruit, Sweetcorn with my birds but there not having none of it,
one thing that Teallie does like though is Salad leaves but now ive got this egg stuff he doesn't like it :blink:

ive got that much food in the cage for both my birds btw Teallie is dead fat and earlier i caught him spitting out seeds I hope im not over feeding them I thought they only ate when there hungry not cos it's there for the fun of it..

btw I wanted to know what is normally the best food to feed a young tiel I get the impression my Sandy was removed from her home to that petshop too early and was still feeding from Mom, cos why is she taking food off me any advice guys girls


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

do you have a scale that weighs in grams? digital is best 

that way you can weigh her (early morning before eating is best) and it is best to weigh them a few times a month, because a change in weight is the 1st sign of illness. and if you'd start weighing her now and get her "basic" weight you'll know in the future if it lowers something is wrong 


as for they only eat when they're hungry - - if that is true some one needs to inform my birds. because if it is something they like they'll eat it until its gone, rather they're full or not 


but if yours is spitting up seed that isn't good - and being over weight isn't good. I'd cut back on the amount of food put in 

the recommended amount is 2 tablespoons per bird this is for seed and pellet. if you offer both in separate dishes and have 2 birds it would be a total of 4 tablespoons of seed and then 4 tablespoons of pellets if you use say 2 dishes per bird one for seed one for pellet - so you'd have a total of 4 dishes, you'd put 2 Teaspoons of each food into each bowl (still getting a total of 4 tablespoons per dish)


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## Birdlette (Feb 25, 2009)

I wonder if the little guy is properly weaned yet??? Maybe he's young enough to still need hand feeding? As for foods they like, mine are fond of eggs, either scrambled or hard-boiled, steamed rice either brown or white, broccoli and carrots both raw and steamed, fresh spinach leaves, cheerios cereal, whole wheat bread and home-made birdie bread(see numerous recipes in this forum)


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## Kerry78 (May 25, 2009)

I don't have a Scales but to look at Sandy she is thin anyway,
Teallie is very fat ive been putting seeds upto the top of the dish Sandy eats everything and often bites Teallie cos he wants some when shes on the dish eating herself,
im gunna limit the food when she gains more weight btw having alot there atm is benefical for her to eat!

I tried rice on her earlier she took a nibble then left it 
don't think she likes it my birds are fussy things lol 

btw im still handfeeding her abit she must be not fully weened as ive said beforehand,
she has started chewing at the cuttlefish and calcuim block im just glad she is getting better phew!


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

I would keep an eye on her, if you think she is losing too much weight. I would take her in for an avian vet check up. Here is a link with signs of a sick bird http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-die...-conditions/recognize-bird-illness-signs.aspx


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## Kerry78 (May 25, 2009)

Thanks for that link it was a good read for my knowledge!
im defo keeping a eye on her she is perking up alot now back to how i got her nearly 2 weeks ago 
1st pic below was when I got her,
2nd pic was taken a while ago 

btw is it normal for her to keep preening her feathers?
she might be going thru a moult atm but ive not seen any pins anywhere yet,
will these cause her to itch will they if there coming thru?

I don't know her age I thought she was 6mths really but I think shes only a few weeks old now,
hence the weening situation anyway!

how do you understand the leg rings?


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

Preening is normal, fluffing up all the time is not. Molting and getting new feathers will make them itchy sometimes, so baths will help with that. A leg band will usually have the year the tiel hatched on it. Here is a link with more info about leg bands http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww5eiii.htm Can you call the breeder and ask her hatch date? I hope she starts eating properly on her own soon.


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## Kerry78 (May 25, 2009)

She isn't fluffing up anymore, she's very fidgety and I can often hear her flapping about to the next perch late at night infact shes doing so now and eating Millets,
Teallies infact lol she does eat on her own accord but i think she just needed a helping hand!

I bought her from a petshop and they didn't know anything about Cockatials just told me they were very young birds and didn't know if they were male or Female!

the ring on her leg is Purple and has 09 on it so she must be a few weeks old be good if they put the Birth date on the rings it would make it easier for us lol


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

Do you have a night light for them at night? I have one for Spike and it helps keep night frights away. She could also just be exercising her wings. When I took Spike home I would hold a dish of food and water for him sometimes and he seemed to like me holding it for him. Mabey that will help her eat more.


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## Kerry78 (May 25, 2009)

I think it's cos shes hungry often at night but once the lights of shes quiet,
she does annoy Teallie infact shes becoming quite dominant over him pecking him, 
he's been in a mood today and ive just caught him bite at her cos she wanted his Millet and perch, ive had to get some cotton buds with water on and bathe her nose as he's made her bleed it's the second time he's done this since ive had her, he's a naughty bird he even attacks me hates any contact what so ever!

btw ive been placing food in my hands for sandy and shes been nibbling it so i'll continue it for a few weeks and see if she starts eating moreof the dish food!


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## Abigail2009 (Jun 22, 2009)

My breeder suggested I put pellets high in the cage as that is where they usually stay when in the cage. I put the pellents on the bottom and I give them the egg food but mix it in with the seed mix. Also you can get fruit and veggie food in the petstores. Mine will not eat out of my hand but they do eat alot. I wt them once a week and keep a log of any changes that way if I bring them to the vets I can give them a baseline of wt. I do not feed iceburg lettuce no vitamins in it. They seem to love broccolli slaw with carrots in it. This seems the easiest way to buy it for me. Less spoilage.


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