I just got a 4week old cockiteal and he won't open mouth to eat formula

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I just got a 4week old cockiteal and he won't open mouth to eat formula

by Tony's
(Indiana )

I got a baby cockiteal last night he's 4 weeks old the breeder I got him from said she was hand feeding them I used to raise them when I was little. But this little guy does not want to open his mouth what's so ever he was fed good before I took him last night but now he won't open for me at all I'm scaried he's going to die will he relax and be ready to eat when he's comfertable or will he just starve because he's to scared its been 10 hours since he had a full feeding he's just nibbled every once in a while help

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I just got a 4week old cockiteal and he won't open mouth to eat formula

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Dec 11, 2011

4 week old Cockatiel & he wont eat formula
by: Anne

Take this baby back to the breeder & demand that it is fed until properly weaned for you otherwise, yes you are going to have serious problems & sorry to say even a death on your hands if you don't act NOW.

Dec 10, 2011

baby cockatiel
by: Anonymous

Nothing against YOU personally, but I am saying this next statement in general.. Nothing frustrates me more than when people are allowed to take baby birds home who are not weaned. It is almost always set up for disaster..people might as well purchase a dead bird. Babys are so fragile and need to weighed every day to make sure they are gaining weight, and then maintaining. At 4 weeks old this little guy probably SHOULD be eating at least 4 times a day. Being weaned too fast or improperly can and will affect their mental well-being as well. As an adult, they can regress back to baby stage where they will stop eating and only want to be hand fed, and for the novice bird owner, this typically ends in the bird starving to death. What I would suggest to do is call this breeder back ASAP or better yet bring him right back there. And I agree with Tracie.. let this baby be properly weaned before you go and pick him up. It is just totally unfair to the baby bird as it has no chance of survival otherwise.

Dec 10, 2011

Cockatiel not eating formula
by: Tracie

Please call this breeder back right now! Take this bird back and let the breeder finish hand feeding the bird and don't take the bird back until it has been eating on it's own for 2 weeks.

Also, if this breeder does not take their birds to an avian vet for health checks, find another breeder to purchase a bird from. It will be heartbreaking to get a bird only to find out a couple of years or months down the road that it is diseased or has other health issues from poor breeding practices.

Please read our To Wean or Not To Wean article written by our avian vet.

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