Hanfeeding Question

fairydogmother · Post by **fairydogmother** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 2:41 pm

Hi, I am new to the board and am needing advice. I am not sure if this question should be under health or breeding.

I had a pair of gouldians for about 18 months. The first time they nested I think they sat on the babies, but did not feed them and I lost them.

The second time they were great parents!! We went on vacation and I had a family member look after my birds (I have about 30). While we were gone she forgot to lock the cage shut and my cat got both parents. I was mortified.

Anyway, the babies were 2 weeks old and still alive - so I began handfeeding them. They are now 5 weeks old and have seemed healthy, but now one of them has a messy vent and all have runny poops. I am still feeding them at least 3, sometimes 4 times a day (if they beg).

Do you think I may have an illness, or is the runny poop from all the liquid formula that I am still feeding them. They are starting to eat seed, but I have not yet seen them drink. I do have another adult gouldian in with them as a teacher bird. Should I just cut their feeding to 1 or 2 times per day as they are 5 weeks old?

If they need medication - can this just be mixed with the handfeeding formula?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Pam

Post by **Hilary** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 9:52 pm

I can't help with the runny poop, having never handfed, but I wanted to wish you the best of luck! So sorry about the lost birds - I always worry when I leave town....

EmilyHurd · Post by **EmilyHurd** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:00 am

I think it could if your handfeeding formula is to watery. It should be much thicker at that age. Have a tried putting a very large shallow dish of water in their cage to interest them in drinking?

Post by **Sally** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 10:34 am

I have only handfed once, and my little guy didn't make it, so I can't help much. I agree with Emily, could the formula be too watery at this point? Have you given them spray millet? That is much easier for them to learn to eat seed. How about eggfood? If you do have to medicate, I would think adding it to the formula would work.

Sorry about the loss of the parents. My cats once got access to my hospital cage, and I came home to find it on the floor, empty. Looked everywhere for the bird, a Star hen, no luck. Later, when I opened the hood to my 55gal aquarium, there she sat, on the crossbrace at the top of the aquarium. She must have flown in the backside, which is open. She was fine, but must have felt like she was lost in a raft on the ocean! Good luck with your babies.

fairydogmother · Post by **fairydogmother** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:06 pm

The babies have millet and seed and I am offering other things too (eggfood, birdiebread, etc) But they seem to only eat the seed and the millet. They pick at it, but I don't know how much they actually eat. I have a water bottle (I want them on this eventually), a small drinking dish and I ususally give them bath water once per day. So there are plenty of opportunities for anything they want.

I have been feeding them 3 times per day for a couple days now. They will be 6 weeks old next week - so maybe I am just feeding them too much formula and they aren't hungry enough to eat that much other stuff. Maybe I will try to cutting back to twice a day for a few days and then just at night for awhile. I have fed them now for almost a month. It would be really sad to lose them now.

I was so sad to lose the parents! I have a screen door with a spring in my birdroom - so the cats can't get in and escape birds can't get out. But I have a few pieces of nice oak furniture that we have converted into small cages in the livingroom. I actually have little paddalocks on these as my 4 year old granddaughter loves to mess with them. When we were on vacation one of these was left off - so the cat was able to open the door and get in.

I think I'll board the cat with the dogs next time we go on vacation!

Pam

Post by **Sally** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 2:16 pm

It sounds like you are doing everything possible. I looked under species info at FIC for Gouldian wean date, and it says 6 weeks, so your babies are getting close to the time they would be on their own even with parents. I would do just as you are doing, and keep a close eye on them. We've had several members successfully handfeed babies, so maybe one of them will see this posting and have some advice.