Hi,
There is no set age for a cockatiel to be weaned. Some wean as young as 8 weeks, some still need formula supplements for 8 months. He should not be weaned until he is ready. If he is losing weight, he is most likely malnourished. He can easily starve to death is he isn’t eating well on his own. Forcing a bird to wean is not a good idea. It causes insecurities and food issues. It can result in behavioral issues, too. You should continue to hand feed him until he is eating and maintaining his weight on his own. Being hyper means he is desperate and frantic for food. You are causing him a lot of stress and this can affect his health. You need to offer a variety of food first thing in the morning, before you hand feed. You can offer pellets, soft food like cooked rice & mixed veggies, some thicker formula in a bowl, fresh water and a small amount of seeds. Seeds are not a good diet, so it is better if he weans onto pellets rather than seeds. You can try soaking some pellets in warm water before putting them in the cage. Put several types of food in the cage and then leave the room. You need to be where he can’t see or hear you, for at least an hour, to give him time to explore the food. After about an hour, you can offer some handfeeding formula. Repeat this in the middle of the day and then in the evening, or an hour before each hand feeding. If you are around, he is not as likely to learn to eat. So give him time alone with a lot of different foods so he will try them and learn to eat. Eventually he will be eating enough on his own that he doesn’t want hand feeding formula. Please review our feeding guide for ideas on what to offer him.
Thank you for asking Lafeber,
Brenda
