Hand feeding conures

Question
He is 5 weeks old I am using, formula one plus and it says to add 1 part exact, 2 parts water so I was not sure on how much water to add to the formula, I also wanted to know if you have any advice on caring for baby conures?

Thanks
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Followup To

Question -
I recently bought a baby nanday conure and I want to make sure im hand feeding him correctly, now for the formula it says to make sure its creamy, now what is the measurement for the formula and the water?

Answer -
Hi, Megan.  Thanks for posting.

How old is this baby and how much are you feeding?  The measurement differs depending on how much you're making and the brand you are using.  You have to make it fresh at each feeding...don't reuse any formula.

Start with a heaping tablespoonful of handfeeding formula in a cup or mug.  Add hot water with a temp of about 105 degrees F to the formula until the formula looks like a malt or milk shake or cake batter.  The formula will continue to grow in size as it soaks up the water, so the formula will get thicker as you stir it...you might have to add more hot water until the formula stabilizes (or add more formula if you got it too runny).  

If a heaping tablespoonful is too much or too little, adjust the amounts accordingly.  You have to ensure the formula is 102-103 degrees F when FED TO THE BIRD or the bird may not be able to metabolize the food.  Therefore, once you get the formula mixed and into the handfeeding syringe, you need to feed it ASAP or have a way of keeping the syringe full of formula warm enough.    

Come back with any questions.  If you're not sure what you're doing, visit my website for some information:

http://www.angelfire.com/falcon/birdinfo/index.html

Chrys

Answer
Hi again, Megan.

1 part formula to 2 parts water means, for example, if you use 1 teaspoon formula, use 2 teaspoons water.  However, it's not really that simple!  Use the info I provided and you will be fine.  The exact amounts to use depend on how much you are feeding the baby.  At 5 weeks of age and not weaning yet, you should be feeding about 30-40 cc's (give or take a little bit) of formula every 4 hours.  However, you'll need to tell me if the baby is refusing some feedings or not, as at 5 weeks, you should start the weaning process and some babies at this age refuse some feeding(s), especially if they are eating other things.  There's info on my website about weaing.    

All the information you need about caring for conures (or any other baby bird) is on my website.  If you need specific, additional information, you are welcome to contact me again or any other expert on this site.

Chrys