Most people I suppose will get a parrot when it is still a baby. What is a good age to sell them and what age are considered cut off ages for proper bonding?
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2 Answers
This is an excellent question, and an area of some controversy right now. I'll stick to the main non-controversial points here, and will offer some personal experience. I won't try to settle the controversies, but hope that these reflections are useful for helping you in using your best judgement.
(1) Do not ever buy a baby parrot that is not weaned unless you know what you are doing when hand-feeding baby birds. (Hand-feeding poses the risk of aspiration, in which food can get in the baby's trachea and drown it.) Even then, wait until the baby has enough feathers to be able to regulate its own body temperature. This is not only to ensure that the baby can be handled safely--it also allows the parents sufficient time to feed the baby so that they can transfer antibodies to it and boost its immune system.
(2) Be aware of state and local regulations. In California, for example, it is prohibited to buy or sell and unweaned parrot.
(3) The received wisdom that an adult bird will not bond as well to its human as a baby has come under some criticism lately. I have adopted some adult birds from some unfortunate circumstances (one is on my shoulder right now), and have purchased some adult birds (one of whom loves to sleep leaned up against my cheek). I have found that, with patience and love, they have all become loving pets who have bonded with me.
When I raise birds, I start helping to hand feed them when their pinfeathers are well emerged, and I share the feeding responsibilities with the parents. (This technique, called shared socialization, requires some trust be built between the breeder and the parents, of course.) My birds have all gone on to bond with their new humans (the birds I could bring myself to give up, that is).
Parrots are highly intelligent, and their relationships with their parents might be more important than we currently understand. Since a weaned bird will happily bond with its humans, it may be prudent to leave the babies with their parents for a longer, rather than a shorter, amount of time and let them develop some confidence in their parents' care. A more grown baby will also have a more developed personality, and it will be easier to tell if the individual bird is a good match for the person involved. (How? The bird will tell you by it reactions to the humans.)
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With hand feeding I assume offering solid food by hand? Also, in your experience, when will they be self sufficient then? (i.e. feather covering and approximate age). Commented Apr 6, 2016 at 6:42
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1Renier, Hand-feeding requires liquid food. Once they're old enough for solid food, they're eating on their own (although parents will often demonstrate the 'tricks' of opening nuts and seeds). Also, self-sufficiency depends on species. As a general rule of thumb, larger and long-lived species have longer childhoods. In the wild, many youngsters of larger species (many macaws, etc.) stick around as 'helpers' for the next year's nest and so get to apprentice from mom and dad. Commented Apr 7, 2016 at 20:26
Since the Google search lands here, sharing my personal experiences with you all.
If you want to buy or want to take a baby parrot for your home - try to get at least 2 to 2.5 months baby, because (believe me it's extremely hard and very difficult to care 10 days or 20 days baby parrot) of the below reasons -
1. Baby parrots are very soft and totally depends on caretakers
2. If you are a beginner and do not have any past experiences and do
not know how to take care of baby parakeets
3. Then it's a very difficult job for you, even a small carelessness
will cause you your baby parrot to lost
4. They are very weak and they do not have a strong immunity to handle
changes/temperature/food
5. Their digestion system is also very low and can not afford the
surprises, that's why mother feed them with half digest foods
6. They need extreme care in terms of temperature, water, cold,
weather, medicines, infections, touch, etc.
Do
- Take 1 to the 2-month baby if you really want
- Feed them with 3 times 7 AM, 1 PM and 6 PM
- Give them only Hand Feed Formula Food (Buy online)
- Give them little water (lukewarm) to drink (3 to 4 drops) twice a day
- Use warm water to prepare food (Hand Feed Formula) and wait until it's lukewarm
- Protect them from mosquitos
- Protect them from cold air
- Protect them from cold (very very very important)
- Use 40 watts bulb and hang upside of the shelter (Keep 2 feet distance from the bulb to shelter)
- Place a mosquito net around the shelter
- Place a paper on shelter in case they want some rest from heat/bulb light
- Use wood chunks/peals, paper cuttings/dry grass to cover their box floor
- Feed them with a spoon (do not use syringe)
- After feeding them check their crop if they are filled 70 to 80%
- Give them lots of love but don't touch them too much
- Wash your hands before feeding them and before touching them
- Regularly check their poops and colour - if colour is green, consult with the doctor
- Regularly check if they are active - if not check their temperature, poops and feather
- .. will add more
Don'ts
- Do not take 10 to 15 or 20 days baby
- Do not feed them homemade food
- Never feed them forcefully
- Never overfeed them
- Never feed them in the night
- Do not give them a bath until they are 4 to 6 months old
- Do not give them cold water
- Never give them sugar, chocolate, solid food (Baby)
- Do not use cold water to make their foods
- Never show them Direct Sunlight (Mild Sun Light is Okay)
- Never keep them in an open space
- Never place them on the cold floor
- .. will add more
