Page 594 - Hand rearing birds second

Wild Parrots 595

­ Hand-feeding­Formulas

There are some excellent commercial hand‐feeding formulas on the market specifically for
Psittacines, including Tropican (Hagen Inc.), Nutri‐Start Baby Bird Formula (Lafeber Company),
and Kaytee Exact Hand Feeding Formula (Kaytee, Inc.). With macaw chicks, a higher amount of
fat will be required; use a high‐energy hand‐feeding formula formulated for macaws. The availabil-
ity of these diets may vary by region. The author’s facility supplements these diets with an (off
®
label) formula made of Mazuri Parrot Maintenance commercial pellet (Mazuri) plus Prime
®
(Hagen Aviculture Research Institute, HARI ) (or other avian) multivitamin, papaya, and apple
juice. The authors have found that banana is not very palatable in the mash, and some blended
fruits and juiced vegetables, like cucumber and mango, can go rancid very quickly. Papaya seems
to be the most stable fresh ingredient and it gives the food a fluid quality that makes tubing and
syringe‐feeding easier.

Recipe

450 g Mazuri Parrot Maintenance pellets (or other available parrot pellets)
●
2 cups (473 ml) hot apple juice
●
1¼ cups (296 ml) water
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300 g papaya
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2 teaspoons Prime avian vitamins (Hagen)
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1 teaspoon calcium carbonate powder
●
Combine the parrot pellets, apple juice, and water in a bowl and soak for at least 1 hour. Add the
rest of the ingredients and blend in a food processor until smooth (2+ minutes).
When ready to feed, mix two tablespoons of commercial hand‐feeding formula to a smooth paste
with warm water and add to 200 g of Mazuri mix. Additional water may be added to the mixture if
necessary. The consistency should be similar to a thick soup or apple puree. If it is too thin, the
chicks will not gain enough weight, but if it is too thick, it could slow emptying of the crop and
promote dehydration. It must be blended well or it won’t go through the feeding tube easily, and
that’s frustrating for all and very messy. Supplement or thicken this formula with any amount of
commercial hand‐feeding formula.

Heating­Formula

Temperature is critical as crop motility can be slowed if the food is not warm enough. Colder food
in a slow crop promotes bacterial growth. When syringe‐feeding, many chicks will refuse the food
if it is not warm enough. On the other hand, food that is too warm can severely burn the crop,
causing major injuries and possibly death. Ideally, warm the water to the correct temperature
and mix it quickly when using powdered diets. Food should be fed between 103–105 °F (40–41 °C)
and can be kept warm by placing the syringe in a container of water heated to the target tempera-
ture. Microwave ovens should be used with extreme care. The uneven heating of microwaves
commonly causes crop burns when gavage feeding and, if used, caregivers must ensure there
are no hot spots whatsoever in the warmed formula. Stir extensively to homogenize the mix.
Check and then check again, stirring multiple times with your finger along the sides and bottom
of the bowl to minimize the risk of feeding overheated formula, or use a thermometer to check
the temperature.