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PHIggysbirds
at Wed Jan 14 20:03:55 2009 [ Report Abuse ] [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by PHIggysbirds ]
The tameness does all depend on socializing and care which they do get socializing when handfed, I was just trying to point out that this wasn't the only way to go about it. A handfed bird will not be tame if all the person does is feed the bird quickly and put it back down taking no time to hold it, touch it, talk to it and get it used to you. Also they will go through a stage where they test you. They may nip or thrash around to get away even if they have been handfed and socialized. They want to see what they can get away with and how much attention they will get just like a child would do. Many people decide at the first nip, that they don't want to be nipped and instead of working through it, using time out or ignoring, placing on the floor etc they just put the bird back in the cage never to be handled again.
I actually have two birds I handfed myself and are sweet wonderful birds (there were extenuating circumstances though) they are both very tame and will let most anyone handle them. I also have a bird (well my 14 year old son does) that was co parented instead of handfed or completely parent fed. He was kept in the cage and nestbox with his parents who fed him but he was taken out several times a day for a few minutes (gradually getting longer) and given a bit of extra food, held and talked to and he is every bit as tame as the two handfed birds. That being said I have a wild caught amazon surrendered to the rescue that was surrendered when he was at least 26 years old and being wild caught he was of course parent fed with no people around, no socializing etc and he is actually more tame than all the other three birds combined, It all depends on their care, how much you want to work for it and of course the individual bird.
Not sure what specifically you are asking about fledging. The age? The temperment? How to help them/work with them while fledging? The age is around 3-5 weeks and then around 8-10 to wean. The temperment, some will become a bit wilder, it can be harder to "convince" them to stay still when you are feeding and eat enough, and they will at times be clumsy, crash around and fall. To help work through this try to keep them with lower perches or closer to the ground so when they try to fly and take off if they crash it won't be a long fall. They will lift off into the air and may gain height, make sure there are no mirrors for them to crash into, no ceiling fans on etc. Let them have time to fly and hold their wings to their sides not tightly but securely when feeding so that they will eat instead of taking off. Make sure your breeder shows you the correct way to feed, the correct temperature and DON'T FORGET TO TEST TEMPERATURES!!! I have seen to many horror cases with crops burnt from too hot food, even complete holes through the crop from the food burning through it. That doesn't mean to get the food too cool either or they will not digest it and it will become stagnant in the crop, rotting and keeping them from eating more in effect starving them. I always spoon fed, some gavage feed,some syringe feed, whichever way your breeder does make sure you feel completely comfortable with it before you take your baby home to do it yourself.
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