How long do you feed a baby conure formula?

Question

I have a baby conure that the breeder told me if 5 months, he's almost all weaned off of baby food- he only eats it once in the morning and once at night- and he's starting to get used to seeds- so far I have fed him once this evening but he only ate 3 cc's of formula- I'm not sure what he weighs but my other conure seemed to eat a lot more when it was a baby.

All the stuff I read doesn't say for how long conures need to be on baby conure formula- but he's basically got all his feathers except for a bit on the back and he's 5 months old- I would have figured by now he would be old enough to eat only seed and adult food- am I wrong?

Answer 1

about 12 weeks. give it soaked pellets he will learn to eat that also give it millet.

good luck!              IM A BIRD BREEDER

Answer 2

First off, SHAME ON ANY BREEDER THAT SELLS A BABY BEFORE IT HAS BEEN WEANED!!!!!!!

A baby finch needs more than 3cc's of formula. That baby needs more than 3 cc's of water at a time. That bird isn't 5 months old. The breeder lied to  you. A bird 5 months old should be fully feathered weaned and eating a varied diet. You need to make sure that you are using the same formula that the (sic) breeder used. If in doubt mix it up on the juicy side. They will just want to eat more often but you will be sure to get enough water in the baby. They will dehydrate if you don't give them enough water. The feathers will feel brittle. You might have to get a crop feeder if the baby doesn't let you feed it.

You need to call the breeder and find out what type of method she used to hand feed the formula. Have you ever had any baby hand feeding experience? Make sure that your formula in not over 108 degrees or under 105 degrees. Formula can burn a baby's esophagus and crop with formula that is 110 degrees.

I can't write enough to help you to hand feed the baby. It is something that you need someone to show you a couple of times and then you need to do it. You don't buy a baby that needs to be hand fed and then learn how to feed it. It is a very tricky way to buy a bird. The odds are against you.

Answer 3

You are right.  Your bird should be fully weaned.

Are you sure that the bird is 5 months old - or is it 5 weeks old?  You should verify his hatch date with the breeder.

Your bird should have been weaned and fully feathered a long time ago - 13 weeks max, or about 3 months.  There shouldn't be any bald spots.

If your bird is really 5 months old, and it's not fully feathered, you should consider making an appointment with an avian vet, to rule out possible health concerns.  Here's a link to find one in the US:

http://www.aav.org/

As long as your bird is eating on it's own, there is no reason to continue hand-feedings.  Just be aware that most birds experience a small amount of weight loss during the weaning process.  You may want to monitor his weight with a scale.

If you must hand feed, cut it back to one nightly feeding, just before bedtime.

Many people offer seeds to youngsters - I don't.  Seed-only diets are very unhealthy.  Imo, seeds are the last food you should be offering to your bird.  Seeds are nutritious in many ways, but many are also high in fat - bad for caged birds.  They also lack vital nutrients found in pellet diets and fresh foods.

Seed only diets are like bread only diets for humans.

Your bird should be given a variety of foods every day, including high quality pellets, fresh foods like veggies, fruits, cooked pasta, rice and beans, nuts, other proteins and some seed.

Pellets formulated for weaning, and unsweetened human cereals like Rice Krispies, Cheerios, and Chex very helpful when converting from hand-feeding to solids, and when converting from a seed-based diet to a pellet based diet.

It's important to offer a healthy diet while your bird is still young.  The good habits that you establish now, will last for a lifetime.

Best of luck to you and your bird!