Little piglettes weaning!

[afinch]

I can finally confirm that our babies are eating and drinking on their own. Of course I still offer them formula, and they gladly accept it. But it's good to know that they can already feed themselves and are no longer completely reliant on me. So far, pellets, eggfood, protein mix, and spray millet have been on the menu. Not giving seed much attention yet, but I'm sure that will come in due time. Right now their exploratory and foraging behavior is peaking, and anything I put in front of them is game for beak-testing (including clothes, body parts, skin, and facial hair. Ouch! lol).

[afinch]

Oh, and their beaks are already changing color!

[DanteD716]

They look great! Congrats!

[afinch]

Thanks DD :] I'm one proud papa.

[KarenB]

Seed mix is in the same family as millet, so it shouldn't be too long before they try it. Have you tried hand feeding some seeds? Like put a few between your finger and thumb and offer it so they know it's edible?

[lovezebs]

afinch
I see what you mean. They are so cute. Some part of me is saying: I want, want, want....

[afinch]

Well, I weighed them today and I think they're obese :/
They will be 7 weeks old tomorrow. Spot weighs 15 grams and the chubbier one, Messi Mess, weighs 16.5!!!! I don't get it. I cut back on feedings from 4-5 per day to just two, and I'm feeding them a lot less volume. I still feed them because when I watch them try to eat, I see that 99% of what they put in their beaks falls out. They also act super desperate when I come home at might, so I give them the second feeding (first one when I wake up). What is a healthy weight range for 7 week old zebras? Should I bring them down to just the nightly feeding? I don't like force weaning but I don't want them to be overweight!

[Sally]

I googled what is a normal weight for Zebra finches, and found it is 10-16g. I think that in the U.S., the English-type Zebra has been mixed in with the American type, and the English is larger, I believe, so some Zebras may be running a bit heavier these days. Fledglings almost always sample spray millet and egg food first, even veggies, and seem to go to the seed mix last.

[afinch]

So I shouldn't be terribly concerned about their weight? I'm going to bring them down to only one feeding per day. Thanks Sally.

[Sally]

I should have mentioned too that handfeds are much more likely to stay dependent longer than parent-raised babies. They usually don't mature quite as quickly, and they are often more reluctant to break that bond by weaning completely. I'd let them have one a day feeding as long as they still beg, especially if you are wanting to keep that bond. They'll decide when they don't need it any longer

[afinch]

Thanks Sally. I have brought them down to a single feeding. They seem to be very healthy and active. Hopefully they'll shed some weight in the next couple weeks as they transition to full weaned.

[MiaCarter]

Don't worry about the weight right now.

Just like human babies, the extra weight isn't necessarily a bad thing. It can be life-saving if they get sick, as it gives them caloric "reserves" so to speak. (Adults would normally have muscle and fat as reserves. Babies don't have the muscle; only the fat.)

Once they get stronger and more active flying, they'll grow more muscles which help to burn off the fat.

Also remember that they may not be drinking as much as they need to to sustain themselves yet, so just ensure you're giving enough fluids.
Drinking is the last thing they learn.
I've heard a couple cases of hand-raised birds that passed away because they weren't getting enough fluids and the effect is cumulative over time.

[afinch]

Thanks MC. Ironically, drinking was the first thing they leaned. And they do it quite often. They seem to enjoy it. Otherwise I wouldn't have even considered cutting back on feedings It can get hot during the day.

[afinch]

I looked this morning and their crops were full of pellets
Their faces were also smeared with the various colors, red yellow and green lol
Messi must prefer the red pellets. He keeps eating them all the time. His poop turned a bit reddish since he started gorging on them. Spot seems less discriminant.

I'm using this. They both seem to love it. I'm happy that they got used to eating pellets so early one, though I know ZF's should primarily be seed eaters. Hopefully soon enough.



I also noticed that the smart little buggers often take the pellets and dunk them in the water drinker, then pick them up once they've softened lol. I thought only my conure was smart enough to do that.