Raising Baby

She came to me when she was just 7 weeks old, a strangely compelling creature that looked more porcupine than bird. But the large dark eyes, and the massive, shiny black beak gave her away. The peach-tinged feathers were erupting, stiffly encased in their sheaths, all over her little body. Her crest feathers were becoming a beautiful deep salmon color. She made a pathetic, raspy whine that begged for attention.

Little did I realize at the time that this helpless and endearing baby Moluccan cockatoo would take an enormous amount of energy, attention and worry for the next three months. As a new bird owner, I didn't realize at the time what I was getting myself into.

I asked one of our avian veterinarians here at Harmony Animal Hospital to check her out. Besides the complete physical exam and lab workup (see box on page 2), blood was drawn for a DNA test to determine my baby bird’s sex. When the test result came back and I found out I had a little girl, I named her Tuli after a mythological goddess of wild birds in Indonesia (the Moluccan’s native home). Everything seemed peachy!

Or so I thought. Weeks of three-times-a-day hand feedings in an already hectic schedule started to become burdensome. But I continued adjusting all other things in my life to give her the necessary exacting care she deserved.

I followed instructions to the letter. She was weighed, and her crop was checked before each feeding to be sure there was no crop stasis and she was gaining weight properly. The handfeeding formula (I like the Harrison’s) had to be stirred carefully after microwaving so that there were no hot spots which could cause crop burn. The formula was fed at a specific temperature (100 to 105 degrees F)and checked by thermometer. After feeding, I swabbed Tuli’s mouth out with dilute Oxyfresh Mint Mouthrinse so that there was no bacterial or fungal growth. I cleaned and disinfected all feeding bowls, syringes and her living quarters with Oxyfresh Cleansing Gele (a product I highly recommend you use to clean and disinfect your bird's cage and dishes safely and without fumes). I kept her environment at the appropriate temperature as well (90 to 95 degrees F), and draft-free.

If I was starting to wonder what I had taken on at this point, I was totally unaware of what was yet to follow when I tried to wean my very attached, clingy and dependent little charge. Cockatoos are known for being very difficult to wean because they crave almost constant attention. We struggled through weeks of her regurgitating her hand feeding formula, and extreme weight loss (hers unfortunately). There was also an incident with sour crop and that had to be treated as well. If not for the constant attention and advice of our avian vet, I am not sure if Tuli (or I!) would have survived.

I now know that already weaned birds bond beautifully with their new owners. It is not necessary for you to hand-feed.

If you are thinking about purchasing a parrot I highly recommend it; they make incredibly enjoyable pets. Tuli has been so much fun. But learn all you can about the type of bird that will fit into your lifestyle. And most of all, unless you plan on seeing your avian veterinarian often, I recommend that you buy your bird already weaned. It will love you just as much and you will be able to enjoy your bird with much less stress and worry!

Further information about weaning your bird:
When it is time to wean, stop the midday meal first. Offer plenty of a variety of foods in easily accessible dishes. Once your bird is eating these foods, stop the morning feeding. Offer a bowl of formula mash for the bird to eat in the morning. Gradually change that to moistened pellets, then dry pellets. Do not leave the mash in the cage for too long or it will spoil. Also, avoid getting your young bird used to seeds. Seeds should make up 15% or less of the diet. Once your bird is eating well, stop the evening feeding.