Parrotlet Babies Dieing at Weaning

Hey Sandee, We recently bred our Parrotletts and hatched 6 babies. We kept them with the parents until they were 19 to 22 days old. They were all very big and healthy looking and starting to get feathers except one which stayed kind of small but was still healthy looking and getting feathers just like the others. We removed them from the brood box as they became old enough to start hand feeding them so they could get used to being handled. They would be hand fed three to four times until their crops were full and they seemed fine. Once they were taken away from the parents they stopped chirping like they were asking for food. It has been about 7 weeks since they hatched and we lost two this past week. The others are also looking like they are not getting any nutrition even though they are eating until their crops are full. They are being fed the same food through a syringe that the other baby cockateels and parakeets are being fed with and they are doing fine. The person feeding them and taking care of them is an experienced handler and has raised all types of baby birds to weening with no problems on the same food she is using now. It is a mixture of Zupreme for baby birds some peanut butter and vitamin supplement blended together until smooth and soft with no chunks in it. Is there something they should be given or do you have any suggestions? Thanks Richard and Linda Dear Richard and Linda: So sorry to hear about the loss of your parrotlets. Baby parrotlets need to be fed 5-6 times a day not 3-4. Also, they need to continue to be fed while they are weaning. Most parrotlets are not beggars or criers like cockatiels therefore it is imperative you watch their weights not just go by begging as they will starve to death. You can’t tell if they are gaining weight by looking at them, only by weighing them. They should be weighed daily before their first feeding. If they are being fed enough food 5-6 cc’s at a time and are being fed at least 5 times a day, I would have them checked by a vet. They could have polyoma as the symptoms you describe are consistent with that viral disease. Also, it is NEVER a good practice to mix various species of birds together particularly cockatiels, budgies and lovebirds which are often asymptomatic carriers of polyoma and beak and feather. Best of luck with your birds! Sincerely yours, Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S. The Parrotlet Ranch, Owner, www.parrotletranch.com A Chattering Bird Builds No Nest. Camaroonian Phrase