# New baby cockatiel...is he retarded?



## stacie01872 (Jan 19, 2015)

Hi everyone. I have 3 cockatiels, two females which I adopted together as adults and a male. It was hard for me to get a history about them. My home is their third home. Anyway, I've had problems with them and egg laying. I bought dummy eggs and would switch them out whenever this would occur. Well I got sick and was in and out of the hospital for a few weeks and just didnt' do what I should have. And I decided to let this female keep her eggs for a change. I guess I thought raising a brood would help curb her tendency to want to breed (which it didn't). Now i'm proud new mom to 3 beautiful baby cockatiels. Two of them are wonderfully healthy and intelligent birds (they are probably between 5 and 6 weeks now). The third, however, was the smallest and weakest of the bunch. The poor thing is so tiny. The parents still feed them but I also feed baby formula. I am convinced that something is wrong with him. He's terrified of everything. He is extremely small and clumsy (I know that it's natural for babies to be clumsy but not like this). He finally started to fly and it's a nightmare. He runs into windows and walls and I'm terrified to let him out. However, I feel as if i have to encourage him to be normal because the other two left the nest box and he was all alone and just seemed like a very sad little bird. And he did perk up when he was able to perch in the flight cage with his siblings for the first time. I could just see his confidence grow. the other two are obviously a little clumsy too, but not like this. There is something really wrong with this bird. Does anyone have any insight into this? It would be greatly appreciated.


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## JoJo's Mom (Oct 20, 2012)

Hi and Welcome to the group from Milo and I! I am not sure I have anything to contribute to your problem, but I do think that over time he will catch up. Have you taken him to a vet? It would seem to me that it would be a good place to start. I know my Milo took quite a while to catch up, he was only 8 weeks old when I got him. It took time for him to even learn to get around his cage. I think each one has his own rate of growing. Just my thoughts.


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## TamaMoo (Jan 12, 2014)

Joey was 8 weeks when he moved in with us. He was still clumsy and crashed into walls and windows for a while. When he got the feel for the place, he knew to turn before he got to them. We moved at the end of April, when he was 1 1/2 years old, and he was back to crashing into walls and windows for a short bit until he got used to his new home, where the walls were and where the furniture was for landing on. 

I'm no expert either, but I agree with JoJo's Mom, I also think each has his/her rate of growing, much like human children do. Hopefully someone with more expertise will be along soon.


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## shaenne (Apr 19, 2014)

Being a stunted baby (smaller and weaker than the others, didn't grow at the 'normal' rate), he is gonna be behind for quite some time, but if he is given the correct care, he will be just fine! Is he still being formula fed now?

I would suggest weighing them all if you haven't already, and this will give you an idea of where he should be weight wise. Also feeling his keel bone will give you a good idea of whether or not he needs to put on weight. 










If you think he is underweight, you may need to offer him more formula for a while until he gets up to weight, and then start weaning him off. I would also strongly suggest taking him to the vet for a check over, just to make sure there's no bacterial infections or anything going on in there that could be slowing him down.

My Zoe was a very stunted baby, at 3-4 weeks old she was just barely getting her pin feathers, and she didn't learn to fly until she was 6 weeks old. But she is now a happy and healthy 10 month old! Stunted babies can have perfectly normal lives, you just have to put a bit of extra work in while they're young


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## Colorguarder08 (Sep 13, 2014)

Riley is a year old and STILL is the most clumsy bird I have seen. Some birds just don't learn well


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