If you follow my blogs and news letters you will be aware that I always suggest you keep your parrot on a cereal in the morning.This is because if you ever have to hide medication this is an easy way to hide it. Birdies are hungry in the morning and generally eat all their breakfast.

When you get your little bundle of feathers to take home he will probably still be quite small, and will probably be weaned by the breeder — ready for fruit and veg — I urge you to keep giving the cereal what ever it is.

Here are a few things to be aware of when feeding birds cereals, and remember these problems are not just found in very young birds but can be encountered by any aged parrot.

CROP BURN….
Crop burn is a serious problem! it can actually kill your baby bird. Make sure the cereal is warm, but not hot. Test it yourself first to make sure of the temperature. Crop burn needs a vet quickly!The burn could go all the way through to the exterior of the birds chest which will need to be treated, there could also be an infection that needs anti biotics. PLEASE check the temperature.

SLOW CROP….
If the food is cold, or if there is an infection in the crop it will not empty properly. It will need to be flushed out by a vet. DONT try and do this yourself!

STRETCHED CROP…
If you overfeed the bird the crop can become distended. Bacteria thrive in these conditions and will need to be treated.

INFECTION…
Make sure that everything you are using to feed the bird is clean! If the bird does not eat the whole amount that you have prepared, throw it away, DONT keep it for the next feed. Do not reheat food.

DEHYDRATION…
If you dont put enough water in the cereal the bird can become dehydrated.This is serious in any bird, and will need a drip to get the right amount of fluid back into the bird.

TIPS…
1. Always feed slowly, dont over stuff the birds beak.
2. Make a fresh batch at each feed.
3. Try and feed cereal at least once a day.
4. Keep a towel handy– this is a messy job for little birds.
5. Allow the small bird stand where he is comfortable at feed time.
6. Keep all the feeding equipment in one place, all together.
7. Children should not be allowed to feed the bird.
8. Be patient at feed time – the the small bird set the pace.

That is all have a good weekend
Till next time..
Beryl