# Confused about weaning...



## Cannuck2007 (Feb 29, 2008)

O.k, I though that I was doing things right with Snuckums, doesn't seem ready to be weaned yet or moved in to a "real cage". 
I have him on 3 handfeedings a day(13-15 cc's each) and still in the brooder box. He will be 4 weeks on Tuesday. His weight is good at around 109 grams.
I have been told that he should be fully weaned and in his own cage by 4 weeks?
My understanding was that the weaning process took up to 10 weeks??? 
I refuse to force wean him and am suspicious that this is what is being suggested to me.

Am I doing things wrong? He is almost fully feathered, just a few bare spots under the wings and a small bald patch on his head. I am however not sure that he is ready for the "big cage" yet.

Could someone please reassure or correct me. When should the weaning process start?

Thank you!


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## kimmikefids (Aug 2, 2008)

well I am not a breeder by any means but i agree not to force him to wean...just keep doing what ur doing till he is ready to move on.....Skittles is only just weaned and he is almost 2 months....admittedly he was parent fed and in their cage but maybe he is just a little slow??? hopefully sue or one of the other breeders will see this and help....the fact he is 109 would mean he hasnt started to lose weight to fledge yet....is he eating all of his feedings? Being fully feathered i think he would be ok in a smaller cage with somewhere for him to snuggle up in like a box with a side cut out.....he wont be perching yet? so will hang out on the bottom but u could put seed/pellets across the floor for him to learn to nibble on....i think the cage will likely help him grow up a bit...just my opinion tho


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## Cannuck2007 (Feb 29, 2008)

kimmikefids said:


> well I am not a breeder by any means but i agree not to force him to wean...just keep doing what ur doing till he is ready to move on.....Skittles is only just weaned and he is almost 2 months....admittedly he was parent fed and in their cage but maybe he is just a little slow??? hopefully sue or one of the other breeders will see this and help....the fact he is 109 would mean he hasnt started to lose weight to fledge yet....is he eating all of his feedings? Being fully feathered i think he would be ok in a smaller cage with somewhere for him to snuggle up in like a box with a side cut out.....he wont be perching yet? so will hang out on the bottom but u could put seed/pellets across the floor for him to learn to nibble on....i think the cage will likely help him grow up a bit...just my opinion tho


Thank you! That is good advice. He is learning to step up and perch on my hand but I have'nt tried him on a real perch yet. He hasn't started to loose weight yet, just gaining it steady. He weighed 70 g when I first brought him home at 3 weeks so he is gaining well I think. 
He eats like a pig at his feedings.Not a lot of mess albeit there is some spillage though.
I have caught him several times playing with the larger wood chips and climbing on his teddy bear as well as preening it. He still sleeps on his tummy though.
I hope I'm doing things right and not messing it all up, I guess everyone does things different though.


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## kimmikefids (Aug 2, 2008)

i dont think ur messing it up....some tiels are just on a different schedule to the rest of them!! im sure others will give u more tips tho...mine are gathered from observation rather than experience....tho i hope to remedy that next year!!


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

I feed babies 'till 12 weeks sometimes. It's not good to just cut them off by some schedule I have never seen a bird weaned at 4 weeks. It probably would be damaging to force them to wean too early. They end up very needy. I'm sure they are ready for a cage now. as long as they have feathers they can go into a cage. I baby them a little be putting a heating pad under one corner of the cage but that's just me. I baby them. They generally will start to eat less when the start to fly so don't worry. Just keep feeding them as long as they still want it.


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

My 3 babies started weaning when they were 2 months old, they went into the 'big cage' when they were about 2 and a half months maybe 3 months I can't quite remember.

By the sounds of it you're not messing anything up. Some babies just take a bit longer then others. I'd just keep hand feeding and perhaps soak some pellets and offer them to him, you could try a little bit of seed.. when he's ready, he's ready and you'll know when he is. You've got your head on your shoulders and you're doing the right thing by not forcing him to wean, waiting is the only thing you can do.


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## bigmikey36 (Aug 5, 2008)

look at it like this...if the worst your doing is giving him some formula then ur doing just fine. like they said sometimes they take a little longer, throw some seeds or small pellets on the bottom of the cage and see what happens

Mikey


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## allen (Aug 25, 2007)

ok with mine small fry just went home to his/her new home at 8 weeks but he/she i weaned and drinking and is the youngest but his/her 2 older siblings are weaned but not drinking water yet so they are still here with me till i feel they will be ok to leave not only do they need to be weaned but drinking and able to perch as well


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## allen (Aug 25, 2007)

before they start to eat the seeds they will play with them on the floor of the cage


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## Cannuck2007 (Feb 29, 2008)

Thank you everyone! I feel better now.

I will move him in to the big cage with a heating pad. (I baby just like you Sue 
Then I will put some cracked seed and soaked pellets out for him. Then we will see what happens. I am not in aa rush. I *like handfeeding him so I don't care if I do it for 2 mos 
Thanks!*


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## Cannuck2007 (Feb 29, 2008)

She is in the big cage now! Learning to perch really quickly too!


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

looks perfect!


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## Cannuck2007 (Feb 29, 2008)

sweetrsue said:


> looks perfect!


Thanks Sue! He has no interest in the ladder but loves that toy I gave him
He is so funny watching him perch. Getting up and staying up is no problem, it's getting down:blush:


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

You're probably getting that hang upside down action to get off the perch huh? They are so reluctant to let go of their foothold. It's really a good idea to give them toys at an early age. You'd be shocked how many 'tiels came to me not even knowing how to play.


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## Cannuck2007 (Feb 29, 2008)

sweetrsue said:


> You're probably getting that hang upside down action to get off the perch huh? They are so reluctant to let go of their foothold. It's really a good idea to give them toys at an early age. You'd be shocked how many 'tiels came to me not even knowing how to play.


Yup, that's exactly it, than face plant in to the shavings, lol!
Trust me I have seen birds in pretty sad shape. Our amazon came with no toys and a diet of peanuts. He is just recently begun playing with toys, but really fears alot!


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## kimmikefids (Aug 2, 2008)

that cage looks great...and she is gorgeous!!! they grow up too fast!!


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## Cannuck2007 (Feb 29, 2008)

kimmikefids said:


> that cage looks great...and she is gorgeous!!! they grow up too fast!!


Thanks! I can't believe how big she is gettingAlmost looks like a real tiel now!


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

It always amazes me how fast they grow.


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## Cannuck2007 (Feb 29, 2008)

He's chewing the seeds! I'm not sure that he is actually eating them but he is trying. Still won't touch the pellets though. He is also climbing the cage bars and acting as though he is trying to fly. So sweet!


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

As long as you're doing a little hand feeding you can add softened pellets to the formula. I soak about a teaspoon. You can do it overnight and add it to the morning feed or you can soak some in the morning for the evening feed. They should dissolve completely. That way they get the taste of the pellets and are more likely to try them.


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## Cannuck2007 (Feb 29, 2008)

sweetrsue said:


> As long as you're doing a little hand feeding you can add softened pellets to the formula. I soak about a teaspoon. You can do it overnight and add it to the morning feed or you can soak some in the morning for the evening feed. They should dissolve completely. That way they get the taste of the pellets and are more likely to try them.


Worked great! Can I add some pureed veggies too? He was chewing on some last night, not really eating but chewing. He's also eating some seeds as well and fledging too. Lost a bit of weight and had his first attempt to fly. Just a small little float from the chair to the floor!


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## SweetSimmy (Sep 1, 2008)

yeah i think 10 weeks is about right. 
before that, they'll fall out of the box just trying to look at the world out of the cage. 
the parents still feed it, i got my tiels when they were just 2 months (a little early to leave home i think, but they were eating and doing normal tiel stuff on their own)


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## Cannuck2007 (Feb 29, 2008)

Oh Yay! Update! Snuckums was eating, rather slowly and distractedly. Then all of a sudden began flapping his wings as he normaly does and took his first clumsy flight around the room! He is starting to eat more of the seed. He is fully feathered now too and looks almost as nig as the other tiels


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

I wouldn't puree veggies in it. You might end up with loose stools. The last thing you want is a baby with diarrhea! Especially if they're going to fly around the room!!! Try hanging some bok choy in there. they are usually curious about stuff and will probably investigate it with their beaks.


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## Cannuck2007 (Feb 29, 2008)

sweetrsue said:


> I wouldn't puree veggies in it. You might end up with loose stools. The last thing you want is a baby with diarrhea! Especially if they're going to fly around the room!!! Try hanging some bok choy in there. they are usually curious about stuff and will probably investigate it with their beaks.


Very good point! Stella's Big Prego poops are more than enough for this house!:wacko:

She likes her newfound flight ability though. She also ate a few crushed pellets today too. I mixed a few in with the seed and ran the rolling pin over it a few times to crack the shells. She is starting to eat  Now when I feed her it takes longer cause it's eat a bit, play a lot, oooh what's that? Gotta chew on that thing, why aren't you feeding me I'm starved, Wow I wonder what that does... ect... Lol! Do baby tiels have ADD?


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

She's coming right along! Have you tried soaking pellets for her? I find mine eat it even without soaking it at this point. They are about 7 weeks now.


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## Cannuck2007 (Feb 29, 2008)

sweetrsue said:


> She's coming right along! Have you tried soaking pellets for her? I find mine eat it even without soaking it at this point. They are about 7 weeks now.


I have some soaked for her but she wants nothing to do with them. I have soaked some and mixed them in with the formula and she took to that pretty well. These ones that she was eating were just crushed a bit under the rolling pin so they were smaller than normal, I would guess budgie size? She seems to like them, and all of her new toys too


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

I have switched over to budgie size for all my birds. It really does seem to be a more appropriate size for a 'tiel.


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## bigmikey36 (Aug 5, 2008)

ALL tiels suffer bouts of ADD lol
Mikey


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

As in Attention Deficit disorder?


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## bigmikey36 (Aug 5, 2008)

yep yep
Mikey


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