PRACTICE TIP
Top Out Chart for Hand-Feeding of Birds
April Romagnano, PhD, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Avian) Animal Health
Clinic Jupiter, Florida
Once hand-fed psittacine birds reach their twice-a-day feeding, they should no longer be fed based on body weight (BW) alone but should gradually and carefully be increased to a predetermined maximum for their species.This maximum amount should be extrapolated to less common species, of similar body weight and beak size, with extreme caution.
Top Out Chart
| Budgerigars |
5 cc
|
| Lovebirds |
7 cc
|
| Cockatiels |
10 cc
|
| Sun conures |
20 cc
|
| Ring-neck parakeets |
30 cc
|
| Smaller cockatoos (Coffins, Ducorps, red-vented) |
35 cc
|
| African greys (Congo African greys) |
50 cc
|
| Larger cockatoos (Umbrella and moluccan cockatoos) |
60 cc
|
| Mid-sized macaws (Blue and gold, scarlet, and military macaws) |
110cc
|
| Larger macaws (Hyacinth, Buffons, and green-winged macaws) |
140 cc
|
° At two feedings a day, the juvenile
birds should be offered solid foods such as weaning pellets or puffs,
juvenile or adult pellets, fruits and vegetables, and safe nuts such as pine
nuts and almonds.
° Water bowls should not be introduced
until birds are at one feeding a day.
° Once birds are drinking and eating
on their own they can be moved into larger cages or outdoor flights as
space and weather permits.
° Fledgling birds should always be allowed to flap and fly before their first wing clip.
° Baby birds should always be weighed
and monitored closely during the weaning process.
° A weight
loss of up to 15% is expected during the weaning process.
Any loss in excess of this amount should be monitored carefully and treated
medically as needed.
° Birds should never be force weaned. Instead, each bird should be treated as an individual and weaned at its own pace.