baby parrot care

Question
I recently got my first baby parrot. He is 2 weeks old and has absolutely no feathers. This brings me to my first questiion, should I cover him because he seems to be shivering at night? I would also like to know what to feed him because i read on various websites that parrots should not be fed milk. Also should I leave him to sleep with a light on?

Answer
Hello,

I am not a breeder and have very little experience raising baby parrots. This question would be better directed at other experts on this website.

I am concerned that you were given a parrot you are not prepared to care for. Getting a parrot, especially one as young as yours, should never be an impulse decision. It should be done with as much education as possible before obtaining the bird. Where did you get this bird from? A reputable breeder should be a resource for you as should your avian veterinarian. Hand feeding is a delicate process that if done improperly can easily result in death to the bird. I am sorry you have been put in this position. You need to find someone who can help you through this process, this is not something you can learn from a website. You must see it done by an experienced hand feeder.

You didn't mention what species you have. Conditions such as heat and lighting need to mimic as closely as possible the parrots natural conditions in the wild. For most parrots they live in a dark enclosed hole (24 hours a day) for a nest. An unfeathered bird does need heat and humidity appropriate for it's particular species.

Birds do not posses the ability to produce or digest milk. That is a characteristic of mammals only. You need to make or buy a formula that contains all of the nutrients needed for the species you are caring for. Again, a question for an experienced breeder.

Jennifer