FINCHforum

I have a juvenile zebra who still wants to be fed by his mother. His siblings weaned almost 2 weeks ago. Is this normal. My other 4 the same age are also weaned. He just won't eat on his own. Also, he sits on the perch all day and has his eyes closed, or open a little like he's falling asleep. He looks like he has narcolepsy. He does this every day...all day. I never saw anything like it. He has a heat lamp. He is getting Hearty Bird vitamins in his water and NV powder. He gets eggs...which I did see him eat...and I saw him eating millet sprays, but that's all I saw him eat. I put parsley flakes in with the food and Herb salad and also vegetables, salad, etc. just in case he would eat it but only see his siblings go for it. Anyone ever see birds fall asleep constantly? Shouldn't he be weaned by now? He's not acting sick otherwise.

This is really bizarre. I'll be interested to hear what the more experienced breeding gurus have to say.

Is he drinking on his own yet?
I'm wondering if it could possibly be thirst that's driving him to beg, as I know that's usually the last part of weaning (and you said he is eating independently.)

Didn't you also mention some oddity with his feathers or another aspect of his development?

I've never seen him drink. I sleep a lot and mostly during the day, so I may be missing it. I've only seen him eat egg and the tiny millet spray seeds, not the seeds in the bowl even though they're tiny. It's really weird that he's always falling asleep. I never had a finch with his eyes closing so much. He actually looks drunk or something. He looks like he has narcolepsy. I've seen parakeets nap, mine doesn't but this bird naps almost every minute of the day, when he isn't screaming to be fed. I keep hoping each day is the last day he will do it. Tomorrow I will make sure to get some fluid in him and see what happens. I always worry about aspiration. Uggg!