Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi - I posted below about handfeeding my babies. They are almost 6 weeks old yet and we are still co-parenting! I am down to 2 feedings per day. They are getting fussy about taking it from the syringe but are still hungry and eating the formula.

We live in a smaller city and we don't have bird formula here! So I was visiting a larger city a couple days ago and picked up another bag of formula as i was running low. I was in a hurry and did not check the expiration date - it expired November, 2008. I did not notice the date until i opened the bag and it smelled funny and was not the same color as the other. I then checked the date and found it had expired. I do not want to feed the formula to the birds as I don't think it is good for them - am I right or being paranoid! I can't get to any other formula for a couple days and even though they are being fed by their mom and dad and are eating some seeds, millet, avicakes - I am afraid it is not enough. I am concerned that they still need their formula. (They are only eating about 2 cc's twice a day of formula) Is there anything I can do in the next couple days until I can exchange the formula? Any advice is again, greatly appreciated!

Carmen

Since they are still parent fed and are also starting to eat on their own, I do not see a problem in waiting until you can get more food. Make sure they have plenty to eat, maybe have some softer foods offered as well such as birdie bread/muffins etc which might entice them to eat more.

I would not feed expired formula. First even if it hasn't spoiled (which it sounds like it has) it will lose nutrients. The shelf life is only a suggested date, some items are fine for a while after, others actually spoil before the date given. There is no guarantee but if it doesn't look and smell the same as it has in the past, Don't Use It!!

Glad you noticed before feeding them some it sounds like you are doing really well with your babies.

Thank you as always for your advice. I have new formula on the way - my mom lives in the city where i had bought the previous formula - she went there today and all the bags were expired so she advised the workers and their reply was "oh, ok". That was it! She is couriering me some new formula. I had bought some brown cheerio looking food that is for weaning - you mix it with warm water and it is supposed to imitate regurgitated food - they seem to be taking to it ok - i make sure they have fresh water and different types of food available - mom and dad are both feeding them - but their crops don't appear full full like they did when i was feeding them formula. I will keep my eye on them. Thank you again!

Hi! So I got the new formula from home and the babies (now 6 weeks old) basically told me - "ah, mom, we are onto bird seed now!" and they don't really want alot of formula anymore! But that is ok! Better to have some than not. So they are picking away at seed, avicakes and millet. Is it too soon to introduce pellets to them - mom and dad are eating the Zupreem Avian Garden Pellets and seem to like them. So can i introduce the pellets to Grasshopper and Tulip (the babies). Also when can you begin introducing veggies, etc. to them? Thank you!
P.S. they started flying a couple of nights ago - it was very cute! Tulip wasn't sure of landing on my arm so she landed on my cheek!

The sooner the better on introducing new foods. The more variety of shape, texture, and taste they get used to now the easier it will be in the future. Add some shredded carrot or bits of greens etc in with their seeds, add a bit of pellets in as wel and they should start picking at the new things as well. We don't breed birds but have had babies here for different reasons in the past and we always try to wean them into as many differet good foods as possible. When they are weaned onto only one item or just a couple it makes it that much harder to switch them later. As long as the items you are wanting to add in are healthy (which the ones you mentioned are) then start adding them now.

That's great they are flying. I love to see their first clumsy flights or more like clumsy landings LOL! The last baby I had hear was Gizmo the goffins and she was so funny when she learned to fly she would want me to take her and would end up crashing into my head instead Or else she would try to turn in midair and it was like she would forget what she was doing and crash into the sofa or recliner LOL! Lots of fun and good wishes for you babies.