Handfeeding Using Plastic Squeeze Bottles

Seems there is a video on youtube with someone using a plastic ketchup or mustard bottle to hand feed chicks.  This type handfeeding method is new to me.  Got me to thinking though, why not try it?

I LOVE MY LITTLE PLASTIC BOTTLES

I went to ebay and started shopping for plastic bottles that would be easier to handle. I found small squeeze bottles that people use for cake and candy decorating.  They were food safe and cheap. 

I bought some see through, squeezable bottles, snipped the tips to the right size hole and fell in love.  I have videoed me using bottles to share with you.   I have never had chicks this clean using the old method.  I have not had to rinse off their crops one time!  No more daily scrubbing parrot feathers for me!

I mix my formula as usual, pull the formula up into the bottle, soak the bottles in the right temperature water and feed.  I have learned that the tops need to be on tight to get good suction.  I have also learned that if you put too much water into the bowl, the bottles will float . . .duh.   You only need enough water to cover the amount of formula you have in the bottles.  I never go anywhere but from the kitchen to the dining room table when feeding, but I imagine that traveling with a capped bottle of formula would be convenient.

I used colored tape wrapped around the bottle to distinguish one from another. This keeps me from getting confused later on and using the same bottle for more than one bird. They each have their own.  I really don’t like the idea of spreading bacteria between chicks if, heaven forbid, there is a problem with any one of them (or clutch).

I use a thermometer to get the water the right temperature. I feed at 103-105 degrees. Too cold, they don’t want to eat it. Too hot and you can “crop burn” your chick and need veterinarian help. Just right and all is well. To me the extra step of using a thermometer has been worth it. I have never had crop burn.

You can disinfect the bottles using a bleach solution of 5-10 percent per volume. Just don’t soak them too long. A quick soak is all you need to do. You also can run them through the dishwasher. Or from what I’ve read, the microwave is great. You have to make sure the bottles are wet. The inter-reaction of water to microwave is what sterilizes. 2 minutes are recommended if you choose the microwave method.

Pellet Diet

There are so many opinions to the question of what is the right diet for my Parrot?  Here’s mine:

PELLET

I’m done.

Seriously though, everyone loves to share tips on feeding.  There are a lot experts in the arena of parrot feeding.  Diets come and go pretty regularly.  If someone were to take all the articles off the net about the right parrot food and print them I bet there would be a book the size of an elephant.

I’ve met and talked with a lot of pet bird people.  I have come to truly believe people should adjust their birds to pellet and have a bowl available in the cage all the time.  I feel that pellet should be the main part of the diet.  I wean all my babies to pellet.  Don’t misunderstand me here, fresh foods are a must and mine get them regular.  I could list a page of stuff my birds like to eat and pretty much get to.  I garden just for my birds.  No body, including me, likes the idea of feeding a parrot the same food every day.  I’m not suggesting you do that.  Part of the fun of even having a parrot is watching them eat.  BUT, let’s face it, some days you can’t do all the things you did the day before.  When they have pellets in their bowl you can relax and know they have been well fed.

If you haven’t already, read the label on a bag before you toss the idea of a pellet diet aside.  The manufacturers have studied, hired real experts, and worked to produce pellet for us.  Disregarding all their research to me is foolish.  Parrots probably could live long and prosper just on a pellet diet.  I really don’t know for sure but, I think so.  I know my dogs and turtles do well on food from a bag.

AND

(Gasp) . . . drum roll please, here it comes . . . 

pellet is not only super clean, it is “convenient.”  There I said it.

SO

If you decide to introduce your bird(s) to pellets and they aren’t real thrilled at first, you might try chopping it into fine pieces and mixing them with what they are used to eating.  Hand pieces to them if they are tame enough to eat from your hand.  Put pellets on top their foods so they have to taste and feel the texture even if they toss it to the floor.  Just don’t give up. 

Every time I read of someone being frustrated switching their birds to pellet it reminds me of the battles I used to have getting my kids to eat new foods, like peas and carrots.  It’s worth the struggle.

Coffee Grinder for Pellet

 If you have a bird that won’t even try pellet, you might want to use a Coffee Grinder (that will teach him).  

Take the ground PELLET and sprinkle this over their regular food.  When s/he gets use to the taste you might have success.  The grinder I use was super cheap at about $14.00 or so.  It gets the job done.  The pellets turn into a fine powder that resembles handfeeding formula.

 


I use a hard type pellet that my birds like to “crack”.

Wing Clip

Or not to clip . . . that is the question.   Okay, a little dramatic but this is a touchy subject and a little humor might help.  Remember, wing feathers grow back.

If you are planning on flying your bird in the wide open spaces outdoors over empty fields or deserts and have the opportunity, time and energy to train your bird like a pro. . .  well, okay, leave the wings intact and have a ball.  If you are planning on having a pet that spends the majority of time at your home sitting on its cage top or portable perch playing with its toys, you might seriously think of keeping the wings clipped.

I too have seen the numerous videos on the net with people flying their small parrots from perch to perch in a large indoor room.  If you are devoted, have the space and feel that this is for you, go for it.  Looks like fun.  But, from what I have noticed most pet people don’t do much regular training after a while.  In time the bird becomes a regular member of the family and lives its life hanging around just being adored.

I like having my bird(s) out of the cage.  With full wings there are just too many dangers in a home setting.  I’ve seen more than one flighted bird get startled, fly full force into a window and drop straight to the floor.  It wasn’t much fun to watch and I have a hunch it didn’t feel so great for the bird.  Chasing a bird down from the top of the curtains with a broom isn’t a lot of fun either.

If you decide to wing clip don’t let anyone guilt you for providing the best care you can for your bird and your life’s situation. It is YOUR bird.  Personally for me I like the comfort of not being on constant red alert when Hermes is out of the cage.  I don’t worry if someone opens the door to get the mail.  The decision to keep her wings clipped is an easy one for my family.  Chances of recovering a lost bird are about nil.

Wing clipping does not hurt a bird.  Full grown feathers are empty shafts with no feeling, sort of like our fingernails.  When you see birds freaking out in videos during wing clipping, you’re seeing fear not pain.  Restraining a bird for any purpose scares them.  They just don’t like it.

Please, if you are going to take your bird outside with full flight wings or clipped, you should train it to wear a harness.  Without one, it is risky. Why chance it?

How to Wing Clip

You probably will need to towel your bird.  I know it takes two of us to trim Hermes wings.  Word of warning, she bit me through the towel last time.

You need to only cut 5-6 flight (primary) feathers.

Leave the red and remove the blue

If your bird can still fly up, cut one or two more feathers.  It should be able to fly a few feet down and this will cushion any falls. Clip both wings.  Use sharp scissors and try not to leave any jagged edges that might irritate the skin.

Blood Feather

When an old feather gets worn and is molted (shed) a new feather will grow in its place.  The new feather shaft is full of blood until it is fully grown in.  Be sure and check the wing feathers first so you don’t make a mistake and cut a blood feather.  They are very easy to see because the shaft is fat.  Should your bird accidently break a blood feather, don’t panic.  Towel your bird, find the feather, use tweezers and pull the feather out.  Once the feather is removed the bleeding will stop.

If your bird breaks a blood feather too close to the body to get a hold of, use cornstarch and apply pressure until it stops bleeding. 

Also if you clip a toenail too close or it gets broken use cornstarch and apply pressure until it stops bleeding.  Personally I don’t clip nails.  I use cement or sandy type perches and don’t have too much problem with over-grown nails.  Every now and then I do have to blunt the tips a bit and use an emery board.

The Stand

This is made from ½ pvc pipe.  It takes 13 ½ feet for the frame (I used a wood dowel for the top perch).

Cut 7 pieces of pvc to 16 inches each for sides and cross (brace) piece.

Cut 4 pieces of pvc to 10 inches each for base.

Takes 6 elbows

And 4 t’s

I used pvc glue (no other glue will work) on all pipe and connectors except the top perch.  I didn’t glue the top elbows to the stand.  By not gluing the top elbow pieces to the base you can switch to cups.

 I didn’t glue the perch in the elbows either so I can change it from wood to rope wrapped pvc or add toys to it. 

PVC Ratcheting Cutter

Making cups to fit is simple.  Use two T’s turned sideways and glue an end cap to it.  Attach the t’s to the stand base with the middle hole holding the perch.

I painted my stand with pvc (spray) paint.  The stand is 37 inches tall which makes it the right height or me to sit and be at eye level with my bird.  Of course you can cut the pvc pipe shorter to lessen the width or height of the stand. 

Hermes says Hello and Goodbye Y'all

Teaching Hermes to Talk Using Hand Signals

You know when people ask “does you bird talk” and the answer is “yeah, but not around other people?”  Well, I kind of stumbled onto something that I think will help with this problem. 

It started by accident.  I wasn’t paying attention and apparently I had been pointing at Hermes, my African Congo Grey parrot and saying “hello.”  I didn’t even realize I was doing it.  Maybe I was pointing to get her attention, I don’t know.  But I started noticing that every time I pointed at something she’d say “hello.”   Well…hmmm.  Okay, let’s try hand signals.

I wanted to work on something more.  I decided on the song “I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly.”   It had animal sounds and I didn’t want to do Old McDonald.  There is a fly, spider, bird, cat, dog, goat, and cow in the song.  Seven sounds all together plus the ending.

First problem with the song was a spider sound.   My daughter has a laugh when she gets going that had tickled Hermes funny bone.  So I’m thinking, I will use that for wiggle and jiggle and tickle inside her.   It worked.  Now I needed to get Hermes to associate a hand sign with the laugh.

My first mistake was being so thrilled that she got it I let her do a very small, quiet type “ha ha” on the tee-stand.   I needed it louder and more defined so others would recognize it as a laugh.    I sat there and cackled over and over again.  When in her cage she was perfectly loud so I’d give her a treat.  On the stand it was still too soft.  I just kept laughing loud and when she did her soft sound I didn’t treat her.  Finally she got what I wanted her to do.  I have to admit though from time to time like on the youtube video, I still get a soft laugh.   I learned, you should get the sound or word just right before you treat or be willing to accept less than what you want.

Another mistake I made was saying things while we practiced.  I’d say “you can do it,” or “good girl” and she would do a sound and say “you can do it, good girl”   A Congo learns sounds or words that interest them pretty easy.

I have dogs, so barking was real quick.  But again I’d goof and say “dog” and hand signal.  She would repeat “dog” and then bark.  I really had to watch and use the hand signal for only the sound I wanted.  I think I was trying to teach her like you would a child who’s beginning to learn to read.  She only needed the sound and signal not an explanation.   “Meow” was very quick.  We don’t have a cat now,  I guess she just liked the sound.  

The hardest sound I worked with of all was the fly “buzz.”  She just didn’t care for the sound which was pretty important to the song.  I swear I wore a blister on the front on my tongue.

At first I was just working with Hermes for the heck of it.  But as time went on I started working with her every day.   It took a year.  I believe had I been more serious in the beginning, it wouldn’t have taken that long.

I’d like to mention too that there was a time she just wasn’t into it. The song is a bit of a bore.   Being the more intelligent of the two, in desperation I decided to take her food bowl out.  I was thinking that if she was some hungry it would make her more enthusiastic.  It didn’t.  She just yawned, puffed up and sat there. I learned it isn’t the food so much as the treat.  So much for me being the smarter.

I didn’t remove sunflower seed and peanut pieces from her regular food until we were months into the song.  I’m sure if I had taken these out of her regular food sooner she would have learned faster.    How you train your bird is up to you but I will say without a doubt our sessions are much, much better now she is getting these foods only as a “treat.”

I love to make my birds (breeders and pets) happy, always.  Not letting her have her sunflower seed and peanut pieces except for rewards was a little nerve- wracking at first.  I found myself giving her extra apple pieces after practice in the cage to compensate.  Of course she just hated that!  But as we progressed I begin to think she enjoyed the treats better than if she had access to them all the time.  In others words, I convinced “me” that this was a good thing.  Besides, maybe she was eating too many sunflowers seed anyway.

I like to switch up treats from time to time.  She likes crackers and yes, I watched the intake of salt. I also learned to use very small pieces.  If I gave too big of a treat it took too long to eat and like me if Hermes gets full she wants to take a nap.  I don’t treat every time she does a sound.  You don’t really have to. 

 I like to practice hand signals out of sequence just to keep us both fresh.   Sometimes I sign at random while she’s in the cage. 

We do have a routine though.   All I have to do is say “let’s go to work” and she jumps to the cage door and is ready.  We snuggle after we work to make sure we don’t get too tense on what we are doing.  It’s not always the same every day for either of us. The whole idea is to enjoy the interaction between us. 

I might mention too that the hand signals I use I just made up.  It is two finger whiskers for a “meow”, index/little finger horns for a “moo”, etc.  I use the left hand for the sign and the right hand for treats normally.  She keeps one eye on that right hand!  The nicest thing of all is anyone can signal these signs to Hermes and she will give the right response.   It was so much fun watching my daughter’s boyfriend signing Hermes, then getting the right words and sounds.

 

To see video, go to http://youtu.be/3d1KiR1zJo8