Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 2:47 am Post subject: In need of advice...
Hello all. I got my first kakariki on Monday after about a month of waiting for him to sprout feathers but I have a few worries.
I ran a few searches which gave me lots of useful info but nothing that specifically answers my queries.
I do apologise if they've been covered before.
I have no clue what gender or age the bird is. All I know is that s/he is very young. A month ago yesterday s/he was slightly covered with white down. The breeder I bought him/her from had 4 in a tiny cage where they huddled at the back when I picked him/her up. He was also hand-rearing them using egg food, parrot seed and millet.
He told me that I would have to feed the bird egg food two or three times a day for a couple of days and that by Saturday s/he should be fully independant.
However, after keeping my eye on the bird after getting him/her home, I realised s/he wasn't eating at all when I wasn't giving him/her egg food. His/her tail feathers were filthy and stuck together and it would barely move.
I upped the number of times a day that I fed him/her egg food to 5 and encouraged him/her to eat millet, raisins and brussel sprouts and I let him/her have lots of time out of the cage which has improved how active the bird is (though by no means does s/he do as much as other people's birds on here seem to) but I'm not sure what else I should do.
S/he seems to have trouble aligning his/her toes and his/her feathers are very dry which I'm guessing is down to a poor diet (the parents were fed mainly seed so the bird won't touch much fruit or veg, I've been trying all I can get my hands on).
After not touching water all week I managed to get him/her to bathe this morning and got some of the gunk out of his/her feathers.
I don't know what I'm supposed to do to grow this chick into a happy bird. S/he doesn't do anything unless I'm there. I don't really know what I'm asking either.
I just need some advice. I've never raised a bird before so I'm just guessing at what I'm supposed to do and worrying that I'm getting it wrong, I guess.
Thanks in advance!
I'm quite shocked that the breeder sold the bird to you that young! Especially as youve never hand reared. Even after being fully feathered and have left the nest they are still dependant on the father (you) to feed them for at a few weeks at least.
I would suggest keep doing what your doing, feeding egg food mixed with chopped veggies maybe and try and keep the bird clean as you are doing.
Ive never hand reared a chick though, really just posting because im disgusted at the breeder.
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