First attempt at hand feed.

[kyle]

Fraza Babs lem2bert
Thanks! I'm watching blueberry to make sure he drinks. I was so concerned with whether he was eating or not it never occurred to me that he may not be drinking from the water silo. And I can't say for sure that he has. Things have been crazy here so I haven't been paying as much attention as I should. But I will watch the next couple of days. I've cut his feeding back two three feedings a day. I don't want to discourage him from eating so I feed him about two-thirds of what he can eat at a feeding. From a distance he looks great and acts normal it's only when I get close he begs. I will continue on feeding until I see he is drinking on his own.

[Babs _Owner]

kyle

Try putting out a regular bowl for water. You may be right. he may not have discovered the silo.

Or he may just be using you for a meal. ;) I love this little guy. He's a clever one.

[lovezebs]

kyle

Hi Kyle,

If you watch weanlings with their parents, they will be eating on their own, but when they see their parents, they will still beg . In fact they will sound like they're starving, lol. Some will follow their parents, screaming and demanding to be fed , some will even peck at the parents when they are ignored; but ignored they are at some point as the parents simply fly away.

I would make sure that there is food and water readily available, then slowly cut back on the feedings, along with slowly feeding less at each feeding.

Good luck.

[Babs _Owner]

kyle

How's blueberry doing?

[kyle]

Babs
Hi Babs.
Thanks for asking. Blueberry is doing well. We have had our ups and downs over the last month. She finally stopped hand-feeding about 2 weeks ago.Thank goodness! Their were 3 fledglings from the same parents of blueberry about 2 months older. One of them was blue. For some reason she and blueberry the only two blue babies I had came down with something. I thought I was going to lose them both for sure. Blueberry sister passed away three days ago and blueberry herself recovered and is now behaving normally eating well and feathers nice and tight. Because she was so ill just as she was coming to the end of our hand feeding I had to continue to be sure she had food. Once she got her strength back she had no more interest in the hand feeding. The downside to this of course is now she has no interest in me. If I try to make her step up she will fly to another perch. This is all the better really as it is quite a commitment to keep a finch tame. And she is so much safer in the cage.

[Babs _Owner]

kyle

Im sorry you lost one of the fledglings, but very happy that Blueberry pulled through.

Every gouldian except 1 (Hammy) that I hand fed reverted to wild. And one hen I handfed (Bubbles) is now a fantastic mother.

So in the end it's better they learn how to be a gouldian anyway. ;)

Great job on the handfeeding and also on getting Blueberry well again.

[lem2bert]

kyle

I am so sorry you lost your little girl. I am also glad that blueberry made it !! After all your hard work he now gets to be a bird in his bird world. Great job !!

[lovezebs]

kyle

Hi Kyle,

Glad to hear Blueberry pulled through, but sorry about the other little one.

Do you know what they came down with?

[kyle]

Babs lem2bert lovezebs
Thanks girls. It was a strange thing they got sick. None of my other finches were affected. First it was blueberry and then 2 Days Later her sister. By the third day I could pick up blueberries sister and she would stay nestled in my hands. She was never hand-fed that's how sick she was. They would eat and remain fluffed up. I provided heat of course but not knowing what the cause was I was afraid to give any medication. I'm really grateful it didn't spread.