| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 388.1 | CONGRATS! | SWEETP::EAGER | | Wed Jul 25 1990 18:32 | 20 |
|
Congrats Debbie. I have two Nanday chicks that area just about
weaned. I don't think you can do much to hurt them by hand feeding.
I use one of the Gerber's dry mixes and make up a paste by mixing it
with one of the fruity mush that comes in the jars. I use a syringe
with the end cut off and just slowly pump the stuff into their mouths.
It may take a couple of trys before they understand what is going
on but once they catch on you'll have no trouble.
I make up the mix in a bowl and keep it in the fridge. I load up
the syringe and let it warm up by holding it in a glass of hot water
before feeding the chicks.
As long as the parents are feeding them, there's no sense doing so
yourself. Make sure that you handle them every day so they will get
used to people and things should go OK.
Congrats!
MARK
|
| 388.2 | watch the fridge | GLASHR::MOEHLENPA_ED | | Wed Jul 25 1990 19:40 | 15 |
| I woudn't put the mix in the fridge and reuse it. There is way
too much chance of bad bacteria forming in it (especially for
newborns). I'm not convinced that's the way to go. This is what
I did: I mixed up a lot (use a good baby formula, like Roudybush
3 or something, add Gerber's if you want), then froze it in ice
cube containers, and heated up a cube or two for my macaw. This
is probably not even recommended, your vet would probably suggest
mixing from scratch each time. Just don't leave formula laying
around at room temperature particularly. I do give my macaw leftovers
now, but I'm very careful about how it was treated beforehand.
Just my advice...
Ed
|
| 388.3 | Father is getting edgy.. | DIZZY::GRADY | | Thu Jul 26 1990 11:33 | 17 |
| Thanks for the advice... I was a little disturbed this morning when
I was looking in on the babies the father came rushing in and roughly
grabbled the biggest baby... He always stayed out of the nest box
before when I was handling the babies... I'm not sure what to do
now. I don't want him to hurt them... I'll close off the opening
to the box next time I check the babies and if they look like they
have been roughed up I will remove them. If this happens what kind
of setup do I need?? I know they need to be kept very warm.. A
heating pad on low with a light blub above them?? Does anyone know
how long conures take to be weened?? I hope the father doesn't get
wiered... He's always been very aggressive. Guess I shouldn't let
him see me handling his kids.
Thanks for any advice for this nervous grandparent...
Debbi
|
| 388.4 | Long-winded reply.... | CLOSET::COMPTON | Linda DTN 232-2441 ACO/E47 | Thu Jul 26 1990 19:58 | 39 |
| Depending on the age of the chicks, the father may want the nest
emptied of the young ones so he and 'mom' can start another
family, which would perhaps account for his behavior. Keep a
close eye on the babies. In Note 389, the author says she
had to take the father cockatiel out of the nest for the sake
of the babies. That may be an alternative for you. Re: keeping
warm. An inexpensive fish aquarium (5, 10 gallon, depending on
number and size of chicks) does a decent job. Buy the mesh top
that goes with it, especially if you have cats or dogs or small
children around--keeps the babies in and them out. Use a heating
pad under 2/3rds or so first, when the chicks are small. Put a
thermometer near the chicks to monitor the heat level. I have used
a handtowel or dishtowel with paper towels on top (handtowel insulates
more -- dishtowel is doubled over to provide about the same depth).
Others use pine shavings and no towel, but I worry about the chicks
getting on the hot glass. Temp recommendations vary with age of
chick. 85-90 seems an average, with the higher for the younger and
the lower for the older ones with their own feathers for insulation.
You can gradually move the heating pad so it is only under 1/2 then
1/4 of the tank, then not at all, then to a small holding cage with
perches placed very low in the cage and food dishes on the bottom
of the cage at first. Perching practice in the aquarium can be
offered by cutting a dowel down to about 6 inches and putting the
ends of the dowels into 1 1/4 inch squares (for small conures-sizes
may vary depending on birds)...looks like this from the side |====|
...helps the babies avoid problems with toe development. For extra
warmth, drape the aquarium (and when first transferred to it, the
cage). Again, a small towel is fine. You need to keep part of the
top uncovered at all times for circulation of fresh air. If you put
the food dishes in the aquarium under the section of the top that
will be left uncovered, also have that be the part that does *not*
have the heating pad under it. Saves on dehydrating the food or
water and possibly accelerating spoilage.
Robbie Harris's book called, I think, Breeding Conures, has all this
stuff in it and more. Saw copies at Sea World in Salem, NH and at
Doktor Pet in Nashua, NH recently.
Linda
|
| 388.5 | Foster parent is prepared.. | 3D::GRADY | | Fri Jul 27 1990 11:34 | 13 |
| Thanks a lot Linda! I slide a piece of cardboard over the nest box
entry when I check the babies and have limited my touching for the
moment. They seem to be doing fine and the father is ok if he cant
see me touching them. I will continue to monitor them. I will be
going out for the book you mentioned and have all the supplies needed
if I have to remove the babies in a hurry. I also have formula (my
mom raises cockaties & lovebirds) plus some gerber baby food for
feeding if the babies are removed.
Thanks for all your help...
Debbi
|
| 388.6 | They are growing up! | 3D::GRADY | | Wed Aug 08 1990 15:24 | 13 |
| Hi! Just a update... My babies are from 3 to 4 weeks old now. They
are all doing fine. The parents are still taking care of them but I
take all three out two times a day to get to know each other. they
are growing lots of pin-feathers now and cluth my fingers when I'm
holding them. My husband holds the babies to so they get used to
men and women.
If all continues to go well they'll be in the "for sale"
note in a few months (if I can part with them...)
Deb
|
| 388.7 | Nanday Prices.... | SWEETP::EAGER | | Wed Aug 08 1990 15:52 | 15 |
|
Sounds Great! Mine have been coming out of the nest box on their
own for almost a week now. Sometime next week I will separate them from
Mom and Dad. They will be in the cage next store so it shouldn't be too
rough on them.
If you do sell yours, I'd be curious as to how much you get and
where you are located. I'm in Colorado Springs and here you can get a
nanday at the stores for about $50.00. Of course these suckers will
Bite!. I won't put mine up for sale until I have them to the point where
they will sit on a person's hand and let them pet them the first time
they meet.
Have A Nice One,
Mark
|
| 388.8 | Everything is more $$ here | DIZZY::GRADY | | Thu Aug 09 1990 12:12 | 14 |
| Hi Mark...
Thanks for your reply. How old are your babies?? Just curious
as to when they are weened. I believe the stores get about $150.00
for Nanday Conures (at least tame ones) around here (Massachusetts).
I'm not sure what I'll ask for them. Maybe $100.00 a piece. They
are so cute. I'd like to put the $$ I get into a larger cage for
my Blue Fronted Amazon... But no big deal. I'm just glad they are
doing well and the parents are happy (for the moment).
Keep in touch...
Deb
|
| 388.9 | Colorado Nandays... | SWEETP::EAGER | | Mon Aug 13 1990 19:53 | 11 |
|
Mine just turned two months old and finally started coming out of
the nest themselves. I believe I could have separated them at least two
weeks sooner though, but didn't try. Tonight I will be moving them to
another cage, which doesn't have a nest box for them to hide in.
They are already tame enough to pick up without being bit, and can
be petted but they don't care much for that part yet. I figure I will
put them up for sale in another two weeks or so.
Have A Nice One,
Mark
|