baby tiel needs help

[channi]

Hi I am new here,
I just bought an 8 week old cockatiel... my problem is that once i got him home I noticed (after a while ) that he was attempting to eat my finger ...but not his food, and thus i discovered that my new friend is too young to be with me .
I have soaked some parrot pellets in water and administered it though a syringe. He seems happy to be eating this (i think he is happy to be eating at all bless).
I am concerned about him as I have no experience with unweaned birds so I don't know how much to feed him...whether i have to stop when he has had enough or to just feed him a certain amount. How many feeds should he have a day? Am I feeding him the correct thing? How do I get him to eat pellets, seeds and veges?
When I fed him when I came home from a short shift at work I stopped before he was really ready to but he didn't chase me for it....I am not sure if this is right but i didn't want to over fill his crop.
Any help anyone can give me with this would be appreciated.
chantel

[charmedagain]

Hi at 8weeks old your bird should be fully weaned, Did the breeder tell you what the bird was eating before you got him/her.

try millet spray see if the bird accepts this most birds will without any problems. PLace some in your hand do this with pellets aswell as seed and veggies you will find he/she will soon eat it.
For the first couple of days of a bird coming into a new home they usually go off there food and this is normal until they settle down and relax in there new home.

Hand feeding older birds is alot harder as you can not see the crop because of the feathers so you do not know how full the bird is, I would get some egg food which is designed for handfeeding and weaning of young birds this is called EMP or CeDe you can get this from any good petstore Mix it with a little warm water and also place some dry in a dish and see if he/she will eat it.

Mike

[channi]

Hi Mike,
Thanks so much for your quick response. I have bought some seed (before reading your reply, beside no pet shops open on sunday night) and he has been fiddling with the sunflower seed (but not cracking them).

The breeder didn't say what food he was on before but i will give him a call today at some time and just check.
Again thank you for your help.
chantel

[charmedagain]

Hi fiddling with the sunflower seeds is a good sign he will attempt to eat on his own always make sure you use the same type dishes and water drinkers as the breeder used as if they are differen this will confuse the bird and stop him from eating.

Please let me know how he/she gets on

Mike