Letter
I really need your advice. I pulled a baby tiel this weekend at 12 days of age to begin hand feedings. I immediately noticed that the parents had overfed this baby. It's crop was packed!!! It took about 8 hours for it to empty enough so that I could start handfeedings. I mixed the formula very watery and massaged lightly after feeding. It's crop only seems to empty about 1/3 before it stops. It (the crop) is very saggy and it droops. I don't know what to do. I have waited skipping feedings to see if the crop will completely empty but it will not. Do I just feed frequent small amounts? I can't stand to see it beg. Is there anything I can do? Have you ever experienced this problem? I have gotten really attached to this guy. I must check on him every 10 minutes or so. I don't want to loose him. If you can offer any advice I would REALLY appreciate it.
Reply
Tiel parents will typically pack their chicks full of food, sometimes so much that it looks as if the chicks are going to burst! I have never experienced any problems due to the fact though. Tiel chicks are most likely designed to tolerate this kind of stretching. I too have noticed that it can give chicks a somewhat baggy crop that doesn't always empty completely. Continue to feed normally, just don't pack the crop as much as the parents did. Eventually the crop should go back to normal though it may take a while. Don't fret over that little bit that doesn't empty in the meantime.
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