Please help guys I need advice!!

[Jess_Heli]

i just got a 4wk old baby love bird two days ago, today is day three. I rescued from my friends bird who would not feed it and she wasn't confidant enough to hand feed it so I done tons and tons of research and watched a ton of videos on how to hand feed. I got all the items needed to feed this gorgeous little darling (His/her name is now Helicopter or Heli :) now this bird come straight from the nest two days ago and I am currently feeding it 3-4 times per day anywhere between 6-10mls of formula. However, hand feeding this baby is such a tedious task and takes quite awhile. I'm not sure whether the baby is so use to its mum and is still trying to get use to me. From yesterday, baby's poop has been runny green! With white. The bird itself seems happy and very very active but again because I have never don this I don't know whether the baby is scared or active??? What signs should I be looking out for? When I feed the baby it guzzles nicely a few times then stops and pulls away. If it gets formula on its beak it shakes it off and makes a heck of a mess. I'm so scared of aspiration but the bird seems to be breathing quite fine. I am booking him in today for a health check at the vet. But honestly guys I just need some help and support to ensure I am taking care of him the best I can. Should I be handling often to get him use to me? Or let him settle? I forgot to also mention... He loves nibbling on pallets more than the formula. I have a small amount in his container for him to help himself to if need be. His crop seems to be full after a feed but not overly balloon full. Please help :(

[Jess_Heli]

Can someone tell me what signs of aspiration are? I'm so scared I'm not doing this properly. I have emailed a lovebird breeder who told me to keep going how I'm going and don't force feed him. At this age to offer pallets or bits of fruit/vege. So I have been doing that. She said as long as he's eating and popping and overall quite happy He should be ok. She said he is probably still getting use to having formula and not mums food and that can upset tummy. So just keep going how I'm Going? I think I have read way way way too much info from different people and now I'm just confused.

[Jess_Heli]

Sorry guys one last thing.... I know they should also be getting feed at the right times everyday but is it ok for me to just try him when I can just to get use to feeding from th syringe? Like at no particular time!? I'm just so wondered about him. My partner thinks I'm overreacting haha. I just want him to get all the nutrients he can.

[Jess_Heli]

He only really shows interest in eating out of the syringe in the morning and night time feeds. He shows not much hunger during the day?

[linda040899]

Sorry it took me so long to find your message!

OK. Take a deep breath and relax. I'm an experienced hand feeder and I will give you the information you need. First of all, this baby is used to being fed by its parents. A syringe is a completely different animal and he needs to learn how to use it. Mom's beak fits nicely around his and the temperature is always perfect. Hand feeding is different and it requires patience on both sides.

First of all, what formula are you using? If you are using Kaytee Exact, please go online and see if you can get some Zupreem Embrace. I just took in a baby Quaker that was being fed Exact and it was not thriving. You want Embrace, not Embrace Plus. Baby lovebirds need the higher fat content.

Second thing. What temperature is the formula? Being older, this baby is more sensitive to temperature than a younger one. Mom feeds at 106F and that's the temperature the formula needs to be. You can use a meat thermometer to see how warm but 106F will not burn the crop. Baby Fischer's Lovebirds want their formula between 108F and110F and that will not burn the crop, either.

At 4 weeks of age, you should be feeding 4 times/day, first feeding starting at 6:00 am. That's breakfast time int he nest box. Do NOT feed more than 8 cc at any feeding. That is overstretching the crop and will make weaning harder at the end. After each feeding, follow up with a few drops of warm water to clean out the mouth so a fungal infection does not develop. Depending on how large the parents are, this baby could weigh anywhere from 45 - 50+ grams, unweaned weight, of course. Babies come out of the box at age 6 weeks and dad will teach them how to eat on their own. So, starting between age 5-6 weeks, you may see a decline in appetite because the baby wants to eat by itself. Try putting a spray of millet in the container where you have him. At first he will beak it but he will get the hang of it.

Can you please post a few pictures so we can see what he looks like? I'd like to see front and back (including tail feathering). To post photos here, upload them to an online storage site and post a URL link here.

[Jess_Heli]

Thank you so much for replying! I am currently using a formula by vetafarm (I am located in Australia and this formula was advised my the pet store however I am keen to change it if I have too!) this is the link so you can view pictures of my gorgeous baby

https://www.dropbox.com/sc/t0nhb8sdb2sif0q/AAB772NbWB3X1v7cAennoxQua

I hope it's just him adjusting being away from the nest. He is very shy but can be very active and just want to climb on me always!! He's so cute. I don't want him to die and I want him to have the best chance in life. Sometimes he will eat fine (takes him a few goes) but other times he just wants to hide and play or nibble on pallets. He loves nibbling on pallets! Can I start instroducing fruit and vege now?

Can you please tell me what you think of his look? I think he look healthy. I can send updates pictures tonight. These ones were taken last night.
Thanks heaps
Jess

[linda040899]

Your formula is good. No need to change!

Your baby is gorgeous! Species is Agapornis Personata, Masked Lovebird for those in the US. He appears to be a violet masked and age is spot on. Length of tail is what I needed to see.

I would introduce small seed, millet and you can start letting him have veggies. Lovebirds are native to Africa and they have a higher dietary fat need than other parrots from around the globe. I use maybe 10% pellets. The rest is seed and fresh veggies. You can try fruit but lovebirds are not big fruit eaters.

He looks very good to me. Your description of his droppings sounds pretty accurate for what you should be seeing. Masked Lovebirds tend to be more shy than other species but they can make wonderful pets! Since he's a baby, he needs cuddling that he would get from his clutchmates and parents. Lovebirds are very social and it sounds like yours is no exception!

I will help you as much as I can. I know the feeling of wanting a baby to survive!

[linda040899]

One quick comment on hand feeding. I would try to space the feedings anywhere from 4-6 hours apart, unless he's letting you know that he's hungry. The crop of a lovebird only needs to empty once/day and I let that happen overnight. The crop of a baby lovebird is different than that of a baby Tiel. Tiels need empty crops between feedings.

[Jess_Heli]

I feel like giving you a hug! there is SOOOO much information on websites etc and a lot of it conflicts it's sooo confusing. I just needed someone to actually ASK questions haha.
do you think it is normal for him to be shy at the moment and not very playful (like if I try play with him he's not really interested in the toys just wants to snuggle into me and poke his little eye out so he can see everything still LOL) and as soon as I put him in his container he just try's to hide under his blanky.
Also, his poop is like a lime green kinda runny (but not watery), do you think this is due to change in diet from his mama?

[Jess_Heli]

Sorry one more thing.... so sorry if I'm being annoying I am just paranoid. LOL. Is it also normal for him to shake his head when I'm trying to feed him? He only does it when the formula drips out of his beak, it's like he's trying to shake it off because it's annoying him? And can I give him cooled down boiled water to rinse his mouth after feeding?
When I feed him I place the syringe to the side of his beak (left side) and he opens fine and once he realises theres food he guzzle around 1ml then will stop and shake his head and this continues until we're done feeding. Then he will sit and nibble on pallets and just absolutely enjoys playing and nibbling in his mouth. I also put a couple of pea shoots in his bowl this morning.

[linda040899]

How well I understand the overload of information on the Internet! Unfortunately, it's not only conflicting, some of it is downright incorrect! What I tell you is based on my own experience and what has worked for me. :)

Sounds like your baby does not like a messy beak so he shakes off what bothers him. A clean eater is always nice because dried formula on feathering is like cement! He's too young to be on less than 4 feedings/day because he is still growing. I had mentioned tail feather length. The tail feathers are completely grown in when babies reach 6 weeks and come out of the nest box.

Your lovebird is a baby and babies at his age would be in a nest box with their parents where it's dark and safe. Babies also sleep a lot at this age and will cuddle with you, falling asleep while you hold them. The go from hatchling size to adult size in 6 short weeks and that's a LOT of growing! Being active would take away energy used to get bigger.

Hope all of this is helpful.

[Z28Taxman]

I just want to say that you've got one very cute lovie there. :happy: