Taking care of newborn parrots (Monk Parakeets) is a wonderful experience. The general name for newborn Monk Parakeets is Baby Quakers. It requires knowledge and dedication. To minimize health concerns, we should purchase baby parrot ( Baby Quakers ) only after they have been weaned and we must fulfill the requirements of the baby.
But on the other hand, it is also interesting to keep them with you in your space. Monk parakeets are bright green in color with mixed tones of grey and greenish-yellow. They are social birds and very intelligent generally. When they are raised and kept as pets, Monk Parakeets learn vocabulary, words, and phrases. It has surpassed the cockatiel as the most popular bird to teach to communicate due to its early speaking skills.
In the blog you will get to know about:
- Baby Quaker’s Home Necessities
- Maintaining environmental temperature
- Methods of Feeding
- Hygiene and Baby Movement
- Tips and tricks to avoid bad hygiene and contamination
- Medical Checkups
- Baby Quaker’s stages of age (Baby Parrot life cycle)
Baby Quaker’s Home Necessities
Placing the baby Quakers in some kind of cage can be harmful to them. Try using a plastic clear box or a fish tank. Always clean the storage area before putting the baby Quakers inside. Always keep some holes on the cover or some small holes on the container or box to keep the ventilation going for them. The size of the home depends on the size and quantity of the baby Quakers. According to research and to maintain a happy living, put these baby parrots in an area of 0.75 sq feet per bird until they are 6 weeks old.
Always keep the box in a safe place where predators can’t reach it and keep the box out of noise or traffic area of your house as it can damage the senses of a baby parrot. Keep in mind to keep the baby Quaker away from your other pets for additional safety.
Maintaining environmental temperature
The baby parrots are very sensitive birds and they easily get ill due to slight changes in the environmental temperature that they are held in. A constant temperature needs to be kept inside the box in order to prevent them from getting sick. There are many ways to keep the temperature constant but the most essential way is to place an infrared heat bulb inside the box. It is required to put a red light instead of a white light because white light hampers the sleeping of the bird. White light can be installed in the box when the baby changes its state to a grown-up. Because grown-up Quakers doesn’t get ill due to change in temperature.
Until they are mature enough to eat dry pellets and seeds, weaned baby parrots should be fed soft seeds, fruits, and vegetables. They must be kept in a clear and clean box or a tank and the temperature inside the box must be maintained at 65°F to 85°F. When selecting a cage, we make sure that the distance between the bars is not excessively large. Mothers care for their young for at least a year in the wild. This entails more than just feeding because parrots teach their chicks to be self-sufficient. You will need to play this role if you have a baby parrot as a pet.
Methods of Feeding
Feeding young parrots can be done in a variety of ways. When the corners of psittacine chicks’ bills are stroked, they produce a feeding reflex. The glottis closes as a result of the rocking action, and the food flows into the crop. Spoon feeding is the common method to feed them. Feeding formula using a folded teaspoon is possible, but it is a time-consuming and difficult process so spoon-feeding is preferred as it can result in a more docile bird. Have a look at some common methods and techniques in detail below.
Spoon Feeding
Spoon-feeding is the favored technique of feeding for some of the world’s most experienced poultry breeders. But the drawback is that spoon-feeding may increase the risk of disease transmission. Because the spoon may touch the mouth of the baby and then dips into the formula, the food of other babies.
Plastic pipettes
Another technique to feedstuff is plastic pipettes. To feed smaller babies, some breeders utilize little plastic pipettes. These pipettes can barely hold a few milliliters of liquid. They need to be dipped in the food container several times. Which exposes them to the same risk of disease transmission as spoons.
Syringes
When it comes to feeding baby birds, catheter tip syringes of various sizes are becoming increasingly popular. To slowly drop the prey into the bird’s mouth, use a syringe. The syringe is easier to use and allows you to measure the amount of food. Black rubber syringes survive longer than silicone rubber and “O” ring syringes. A circular syringe with a concave tip and no rubber gasket is preferable. Between feedings, soak in a mild iodine disinfectant.
Food is frequently injected into the bird’s crop using syringes. To lightly grasp the baby’s head, place a finger on either side of the beak and the back of the head. Then, on the left side of the bird’s mouth, place the feeding syringe’s tip, and then shoot the food towards the back of the head once the bird responds to feeding (head pumping). This process is relatively safe, but it takes some practice to get it right. The benefit of syringes is that one may be used for each brood of babies, ensuring that if a couple has a sick child, the disease does not spread to subsequent children.
To prevent food from flowing down the trachea, a small, syringe’s tip can be fitted with soft rubber tubing and stowed further back in the mouth. However, because this is the least natural of all feeding approaches, it can have a behavioral influence on the baby and prolong the weaning process.
Hand-feeding the baby Quaker
Quakers at this age are unable to eat from a dinner dish on their own. Until they reach adulthood, they should be fed by hand. Feed them a store-bought formula that contains all of the nutrients using a tube or syringe designed for this purpose.
Serve fresh fruits and veggies, leafy greens, nuts, and wholesome dinnerware. Include Root vegetables, peppers, and colorful meals in their diet. In the morning, give these birds 3 tablespoons of tablets and at least 1/4 cup of fresh fruit and vegetables. Wean and feed soft seeds, fruits, and vegetables to newborn parrots until they grow enough to eat kernels and dried seeds. The temperature should be between 65- and 85-degrees Fahrenheit.
Hygiene and Baby Movement
Taking care of hygiene is the most difficult task. The good the hygiene, the best will be the growth of the birds. The feeding methods also affect the hygiene that results in the growing process and body movements. Talking about the syringe method, it is the least natural of all feeding approaches and it may cause a behavioral influence on the baby. It also prolongs the weaning process. Cross-contamination can affect the health most.
Cross-contamination
Flow of baby parrots within a nursery can help reducing Cross-contamination. There should be no crossbreeding of parent-reared children. If the parents look to be in good health and have spent several years with the breeder. Vertical transmission of diseases such as Psittacine Beak and Feather disease, Polyomavirus, and others are possible (through the egg). They are also more likely to be transmitted horizontally to babies in the nest by subclinical carriers. If these babies are pulled and not carefully managed in the nursery then it may result in significant mortality. The risk of parent birds infecting their offspring may be reduced by increasing the number of hatchings that are produced from artificially incubated eggs. For the first few days in the unusual nursery, older chicks will be anxious and may refuse to be fed. They will tolerate normally occurring after around 12 hours.
Tips and tricks to avoid bad hygiene and contamination
- If the chicks are sufficiently hungry, then we should be hand-feeding to them. Baby parrots should be removed from the nest box when they almost grow up to three weeks of their age. They should also be removed from the nest box when the pin feathers begin to appear on the wings.
- We should wash our hands before and after each feeding, as well as while handling various newborns and clutches.
- Each group of babies can wear different disposable latex gloves.
- Disinfect hands without irritating the skin. It is not recommended that babies be taken from their containers.
- When weighing the babies, place a clean paper towel under each one.
- Always keep track of how much food each bird consumes daily, especially if they are housed together.
- Provide fresh water daily.
- Provide fresh fruits and vegetables daily.
- Clean all food and water dishes at least once a day.
- A bird that rejects food one day may accept it the next. Continue to try!
- Fresh fruits and vegetables should be provided to the Monk parakeet’s babies.
- Nuts should be provided only on rare occasions due to their high-fat content.
- Seeds are considered a well-balanced diet.
- Clean water must be provided to them on daily basis.
Medical Checkups
A baby parrot needs to get a regular medical checkup to ensure that the bird is all well medically. Make a routine from the beginning to check the baby parrots health medically with the veterinary doctor. Prevention is always and will be always better than cure.
Stages of Age of the Baby Parrot
Baby parrot’s has various stages through which they age. Starting from egg to new born, then imprinting stage, fledgling stage, weaning stage, juvenile stage, and finally the adult parrot stage. These parrots enter the adult stage at the age of 2 to 4 years. In this time, their hormonal activity changes, they can stay independent even in the wild because there is no danger for them in the adult stage.
Now you can shift Quakers inside of a cage but the cage should be large enough for their activities and to keep Parakeets happy. They start listening and interacting with their owners more and it is a good sign for their mental health and growth. It is advised to make more interactions with the bird in order to prevent mental blocks.
Last Word
Taking Monk Parakeets as pets is not an easy peasy lemon squeeze task. It requires full attention and time to take care of them. They are very sensitive, so gear your seat belts before deciding on having them in your space. You have to take care of their feeding especially.
Baby parrots of Monk Parakeets should be fed soft seeds, fruits, and vegetables until they grow up and enable them to eat pallets and dry seeds. They should provide fresh water.
Keep Baby Parrot the Quakers in a cleaned storage box with cover or the box must have holes drilled for ventilation. The suitable temperature is between 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit and the temperature inside the box should be maintained to prevent them from getting sick.
The food of the baby parrot should be kept at a temperature below 45 degrees centigrade. You should provide a well-balanced diet to them. Take your Baby parrots to the vet for medical check-ups regularly. So, it is a full-time job, and opt for it if you are ready!