Still hand feeding

[EgypSwiftLady]

Gabbi is almost 3 months old and still getting his breakfast hand fed to him!

I have tried the "Tough Love" approach and he's lost too much weight, I'm still trying to get the weight back on him.
I watch the li' booger peck at seeds but seldom does he actually swallow any! Raven, our dove, has been showing him how to eat seeds and Gabbi has seeds available 24/7 to eat but refuses to eat them.

Gabbi doesn't have parasites or any other reason, except being spoiled!, that would stop him from eating.

Is'nt 3 months old too old to still be hand feeding?

Attached is a photo of the resident brat waiting to be fed.

[Trees Gray]

What a cute spoiled brat!

What are you hand feeding him?

[EgypSwiftLady]

Originally Posted by Trees Gray

What a cute spoiled brat!

What are you hand feeding him?

Thanks I think he's a cutie too, my husband calls him brat!

Kaytee Exact, I've tried handfeeding seeds but the darn bird doesn't want anything to do with them.

[Trees Gray]

You have to introduce the seeds and even put a few inside the beak behind the tongue because they have to develop a taste and pallet for it. It also forces them to work the muscle in their tongue-that takes the seed to the back of the throat for swallowing.

You might want to give up the kaytee and force her to go on the seed/legume diet. Do you have any other pigeons he can learn to eat with?

[EgypSwiftLady]

Originally Posted by Trees Gray

You have to introduce the seeds and even put a few inside the beak behind the tongue because they have to develop a taste and pallet for it. It also forces them to work the muscle in their tongue-that takes the seed to the back of the throat for swallowing.

You might want to give up the kaytee and force her to go on the seed/legume diet. Do you have any other pigeons he can learn to eat with?

I have handfed seeds, actually putting them in his mouth and making him swallow many times and I have a dove that also tries to show the pigeon to eat seeds, the pij will peck at the seeds watching the dove but doesn't swallow enough.
I just worry because he is very lite in weight.

[Trees Gray]

Is the keel bone sharp?

If she is is getting a few down, then she needs more practice and she needs to develop an appetite for seed.

Continue to hand feed her seed, soak it down and drain it, if she isn't drinking and make sure she gets a tablespoon per meal, then continue to keep her interest focused on learning to eat. Make sure to soak only what you will give her and throw out any left overs, as you can't feed it to them later.

[EgypSwiftLady]

Originally Posted by Trees Gray

If she is is getting a few down, then she needs more practice and she needs to develop an appetite for seed.

Continue to hand feed her seed, soak it down and drain it, if she isn't drinking and make sure she gets a tablespoon per meal, then continue to keep her interest focused on learning to eat. Make sure to soak only what you will give her and throw out any left overs, as you can't feed it to them later.

Yep, thats what I've been doing. I've done this before with other birds

Just seems like this pij likes the attention

Thanks, I'll just keep hand feeding seeds and formula until he decides he's old enough.

[TAWhatley]

Lovely bird, Robin .. ask Margarret about Rosie

Terry