I'm buying a handfed parakeet from a local breeder, she tells me she's done breeding before, so I'm assuming she's not lying.. But she just sent me some pictures of the little guy who just got weaned onto seeds. She sent me some pictures which I assume she took after she fed it a weaning formula with a syringe because the feathers below the beak look wet and stained brown. Is that what happens to babies after they get fed a weaning formula? They spill a little and get their feathers dirty? I'll put some pictures. Help!
Thank you

well her original ad I responded to was posted 4 weeks ago. I responded to it 12 days ago and she said the babies she's raising would be ready in 1-2 weeks. The one I wanted (the one shown in the picture) was off of the weaning formula last friday, but I'm picking him up this saturday. I would assume he's 5-6 weeks but I'm not sure. I don't know how long it takes to wean parakeets. Heres the link to her ad:
http://pets.oodle.com/view/hand-fed-baby-parakeets/2475241303-yuba-city-ca/

I believe he's a white based recessive pied, so he would have few markings on the body. She did say that he had a blue patch on his lower back under his wings. I'm calling it 'him' because she told me she thought it was a boy but I'm not totally sure.

well double check to make sure it is weaned...and the age...and have her clean that bird up before you pick it up which she should of done after feedings anyway...then you wont have to do it...and dont be shy asking her to do this for you ...just say you would rather she do it where the bird is use to her. oh yeah ask her also if the bird is weaned and eating out of food cups....and drinking out of a cup or fountain

and doggone it lol..i dont believe it,, more spangles in her add...geeeeeeeesh...sigh

have her tell you what the color specific is and what the parents were ...if its split to anything...etc.

it should not be leaving if only 5 weeks old and really shouldnt at 6 weeks either...7 or 8 weeks ok but not any younger really..even if she is trying to downsize she still has a responsiblity to make sure those birds are well on their way to eating and drinking on their own

She is trying to downsize her parakeets and focus more on cockatiels, she tells me. She even tried to sell me more than the one I wanted. lol.

But she told me that it was fully off the seed and that it started to fly last friday. She wanted to get me to pick it up right when it started to fly. I'm going to be going to look at it this saturday and buying it if I like it. If not, I'll just go to The Bird Shop (a specialty bird store in sacramento) and buy one of their hand raised cockatiels. They're so darn cute!!! But I do have my mind set on a parakeet and have been researching it for quite a while.

I'll send her another email asking some of those more specific questions. This will be the third email I send before without a response! Although she takes a while to respond, I've learned. It's not a big deal if its young to me. As long as it can eat seed, drink water, and fly, I'm happy. I want it to start bonding with me as soon as possible anyway!

Hmmm.... I'll ask for the specific color and the color of the parents. She isn't one of many words, so I wonder if she'll even give me all the info I want. haha

it will be bonded to humans being hand fed...and for someone being anxious to downsize...eliminate the budgies ...id think she would respond quicker to you...

well if she wants to sell those birds she will answer your questions...if not ..go elsewhere... and stick around and watch to see if the bird is eating at all...dont let her rush you...

and like i said it wont be a matter of the bird bonding with you...it will cuz its been bonded to the human that hand fed and will see humans that way...BUT when you first get it home...best just leave it be for several days at least ten as hard as it will be ...it will have enuf to adjust to ...with being away from the others and new surroundings and sounds and a new cage etc ...its overwhelming for them ...if they seem to just step up and be calm dont fool yerself its cuz they are scared to death to move...

so just let the bird settle for a good week to ten days.

I didn't get my hand fed/hand raised parakeet til she was around 11 wks old and we bonded just fine so don't worry about that. It's more pet store birds that you want to get younger so they can get used to people. This bird is already used to people.

I had to do some face cleaning on Birdie after I got her home, so yeah if the breeder will do it, that would be better. Also the breeder should be able to tell you exactly when this bird was born so that should answer that question.

Like Illusive said, make sure this bird has been totally weaned. My breeder likes to keep her birds at least a week after weaning to make sure they are eating seeds and thriving before she lets them go.

Good luck

Listen to Illusive As she said, if it's not fully weaned it can be a whole lot of work and stress for you. I know this because I am hand raising an orphaned parakeet lol. My little guy is 5 week(ish) old and he is still very much a handful, and not only do you have the stress of trying to get him use to you hand feeding him, there is also the expense involved with the supplies you will need if you end up having to hand feed (tools, and formula)

So as Illusive said, I'd be double and triple checking he is very much fully weaned. Just wanted to say that, as I know how hard it's been for me and the worry/stress involved...

Alright.. sent another email to her. haha! I think she's just one of those people who doesn't rely very much on technology and goes on the computer once every other day or so. Here's the email I sent her:

1. What's the brown below it's beak in the pictures?
2. What's the date it was hatched and how old is it currently?
3. Is it fully weaned onto a seed, fruits, and vegetables diet? Can it drink on it's own out of a bowl or a cup?
4. What specific color mutation is the bird? What colors are it's parents?
5. How much human interaction have you been giving it lately?

I also apologized for sending so many emails and telling her I just want to make sure it's a good bird that she's raised right and it's ready for me. I hope she doesn't get upset! hah!

I really am partial to light colored bird... I hope I get a good birdy!

I just received a pet carrier I bought from Dr. Foster and Smith that I would be using to pick up the burd in 4 days. In the picture it was shown as blue... The one I got is neon pink... lol. And it's warped, so the top half of it doesn't fit onto the bottom. but Dr. Foster and Smith's customer service is so great they told me they would send me a new one for free with 2 day air shipping, send me a prepaid box to send back the defective one, and request it in blue!

well i know your young...and you being young are possibly very impulsive...best to make sure she takes time to answer your questions...all of them...and asking for a date if it isnt banded there is no proof she would be telling you the truth...

also thought you read up on things keets dont really eat any fruit its a very rare bird/keet that would and then not often...at alllll....most babies are not on veggies either at that age......soooooo

take this time and read a lot more about keets in here...there is a wealth of info...just click up top on forum list then general keet chat and pick a lot from there to read.

glad for ya on the carrier that they will ship one quick for you...thats great...

good luck
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welcome to the forum

She said she's been weaning it onto veggies too. When I go see the bird on saturday I'll be able to determine whether or not the the bird is ready and I'll ask questions. What kind of things should I look out for?