View Full Version : Help, bird nestling found
newsquirrelmommy
06-12-2015, 09:15 PM
Hi all. It's been a while since I've been on. I hope everyone is well. Squirt and I are doing great. So today my co-worker found a bird nestling. He said it was laying on rocks with no nearby trees for at least 8 hours and it was crying. So I picked him up and took him home. I've contacted 2 rehabbers with no call backs. I put some lactated ringers on my finger and rubbed his beak. I also have him on a heating pad on low, half under his box. He's warm now and is taking some mushy dry cat food. He finally pooped and it was brown. He's becoming active now. I know this isn't a squirrel emergency but if anyone can direct me on how to go about helping this little guy it would be much appreciated. I can email a picture if you need it. Thanks again all.
HRT4SQRLS
06-12-2015, 10:03 PM
Hi NSM, it's good to see you again. :wave123
Sorry, I can't help you with a bird but I'm sure it would be helpful to know what type of bird it is. If you could post a pic
I'm sure the 'bird people' will know what to do based on the type of bird. :thumbsup
newsquirrelmommy
06-12-2015, 10:27 PM
Hi HRT4SQRLS. I don't know what kind of bird it is. Here is a pic if I post it right.
HappyLittleSquirrely
06-12-2015, 10:46 PM
I've raised orphaned Sparrows ,Mockingbirds and Jackdaw's to adulthood with canned dog food and just a little couple drops of water every day or so. Folks say the regurgitated food like bugs .plants from the mother are the only way because of enzymes and such, but as long he's warm and keeps his mouth open and feels safe and fed. you'll have a very tame friend i think. I've lost a few as well too. But I would go with caned dog food or something similar.
HappyLittleSquirrely
06-12-2015, 10:55 PM
Oh. Now that I remember. I would mix the canned dog food with a little milk and keep it in the fridge ,then warm it up a little before feedings.
newsquirrelmommy
06-12-2015, 11:03 PM
Oh. Now that I remember. I would mix the canned dog food with a little milk and keep it in the fridge ,then warm it up a little before feedings.
Thank you so much for responding. I've only ever owned cats so cat food I know. And of course squirrel food. Dog food I've never bought. Do I buy a certain brand or kind of canned food?
Shewhosweptforest
06-12-2015, 11:16 PM
Oh my gosh ...he is a little one :Love_Icon I've raised a few birds also :grin3 I use to use soggy dry dog food...I would just soak it in water. More recently I've used food from the pet store...they sell it in powder form and you mix with water to get the right consistency ...once he's a little bigger we'll be able to tell "what" he is and you can supplement with what he'll need naturally....at this stage they all look alike to me "a face only a mother could love" :eek thanks for saving him :grin3 I love birds...and they grow up fast :thumbsup Oh and you don't need to give him water...just the moisture in the food will do:thumbsup he will have an area on his throat that's called his crop....you will see it fill up when you feed him....go by that...don't fill it all the way out...just till you see that it's noticeable :thumbsup Good luck! :Love_Icon
Chickenlegs
06-12-2015, 11:26 PM
Go to "Starling Talk". They should be able to help identify your little bird and there's a "Starling Diet" that's suitable for most baby birds. A nestling needs a LOT of attention. Check it out. As I recall a tiny bird needs food every half hour or so when newly hatched and maybe every 45 minutes to an hour when the size of your baby. Put him in a margarine cup or something resembling a nest with tissue in it. He'll poop every time he eats. The poop is encapsulated so clean up is easy. Just change the tissue. As I recall the temp for a nestling is around 95 degrees. They'll know. Good luck!
newsquirrelmommy
06-12-2015, 11:34 PM
Oh my gosh ...he is a little one :Love_Icon I've raised a few birds also :grin3 I use to use soggy dry dog food...I would just soak it in water. More recently I've used food from the pet store...they sell it in powder form and you mix with water to get the right consistency ...once he's a little bigger we'll be able to tell "what" he is and you can supplement with what he'll need naturally....at this stage they all look alike to me "a face only a mother could love" :eek thanks for saving him :grin3 I love birds...and they grow up fast :thumbsup Oh and you don't need to give him water...just the moisture in the food will do:thumbsup he will have an area on his throat that's called his crop....you will see it fill up when you feed him....go by that...don't fill it all the way out...just till you see that it's noticeable :thumbsup Good luck! :Love_Icon
Hi and thanks. I'm so glad you mentioned his crop on his neck. To be honest I saw it get bigger as I feed him and thought it was a broken bone or something....lol..so thank you for that info:grin2grin2
newsquirrelmommy
06-12-2015, 11:38 PM
Go to "Starling Talk". They should be able to help identify your little bird and there's a "Starling Diet" that's suitable for most baby birds. A nestling needs a LOT of attention. Check it out. As I recall a tiny bird needs food every half hour or so when newly hatched and maybe every 45 minutes to an hour when the size of your baby. Put him in a margarine cup or something resembling a nest with tissue in it. He'll poop every time he eats. The poop is encapsulated so clean up is easy. Just change the tissue. As I recall the temp for a nestling is around 95 degrees. They'll know. Good luck!
Hi Chickenlegs, thank you for responding. I did notice his poop was covered in this white like substance. I will check that website out too. I have read about the feedings every 20-30 mins, that's gonna be my biggest problem. If these rehabbers don't call back I'm not sure I can keep up with these feedings. I did read that they don't get fed at night, so at least I can sleep. I'm just gonna have to try my best to feed this little guy.
pixiepoo
06-13-2015, 12:02 AM
Awww so tiny! I've raised a couple different nestlings/fledglings with success. I've used the soaked dog food mix as well as just mealworms cut into pieces. They did great on the mealworms but the dog food always did the trick in a pinch.
I was told to never give a bird any sort of water to a nestling because they can easily aspirate. Not sure how true that is but my guys never had issues learning to drink on their own or becoming dehydrated. :)
he is so tiny! He will grow up so fast! In just a week he will have that grouchy baby bird face I love so much! <3
newsquirrelmommy
06-13-2015, 12:11 AM
Hi pixiepoo, thanks for responding. Dog food seems to be the choice I'm gonna make. I think I just found out what type of bird it is too. It looks to me like a sparrow for sure. I found some online pics of sparrows and their identical to my little guy.
HappyLittleSquirrely
06-13-2015, 12:19 AM
Hi pixiepoo, thanks for responding. Dog food seems to be the choice I'm gonna make. I think I just found out what type of bird it is too. It looks to me like a sparrow for sure. I found some online pics of sparrows and their identical to my little guy. I used canned dog food in loaf form.I always thought the can as opposed to wetting dry food was better.No brand really matters i think.
Shewhosweptforest
06-13-2015, 01:31 AM
I used canned dog food in loaf form.I always thought the can as opposed to wetting dry food was better.No brand really matters i think.
:thumbsup Well the canned makes sense....no waiting for the dry food to get soggy :grin3 I've just always had dry dog food in the house...so it was the go to. I'm so glad we have so many bird lovers :Love_Icon I sure hope this baby makes it :Love_Icon
newsquirrelmommy
06-13-2015, 07:33 AM
Good morning everyone. Well he made it through the night and was a jumpy little bugger this morning waiting to eat mouth wide open:thumbsup I had to give him some pate canned cat food because the dry food takes too long to mush up. When you say loaf form dog food, is that the pate kind?
Mommaluvy
06-13-2015, 07:56 AM
I had success with Laverbe
or mazuri hand feed.
I would NOT use milk. But cat or dog food is ok mushed with water.
The white stuff in and around the poo is the urate and is normal . Looks like reptile poo.
pappy1264
06-13-2015, 08:33 AM
Looks like a sparrow. In a pinch, you can use the exact handfeeding formula from petco for now. NO MILK! They are very easy to raise. Make up a little nest using a very small dish that is just a little bigger then him. Put toilet paper in (he will back up to poop on the edge/over the edge, so the tp you can change out constantly). Put half the container on low heat (critter keepers work great). Should be eating about every 20-30 minutes at that age. Use a 1 cc syringe and tap on top of beak when he opens his beak, put a small, pea sized amount of the formula (it should be relatively thick, not watery, but thin enough to use a syringe with) on his tongue, towards the back of mouth. Let him swallow and keep repeating. You should see his crop (on the side of his neck) filling up. Don't overfill, aim for anywhere between a plain and peanut m&m (at this age, make it about a small peanut m&m size). They eat often, poop often and grow fast! I love raising sparrows. (f you can get the mazuri, that is better.) Wish I was closer, I would take him!
newsquirrelmommy
06-13-2015, 08:40 AM
Hi pappy 1264, thanks for the info. He was more active today but not taking much food. He eats a little then goes quiet in his box. He wiggles alot, is that normal? I wish you were closer too as come Monday and I'm back at work, I'm not sure how I'm gonna feed him that often.
pappy1264
06-13-2015, 08:43 AM
Where are you, maybe I can find someone closer to you?
pappy1264
06-13-2015, 08:53 AM
He should be eating. Can you get the mazuri or the exact handfeeding formula?
newsquirrelmommy
06-13-2015, 08:57 AM
He should be eating. Can you get the mazuri or the exact handfeeding formula?
I'm in nj. I'm going to petsmart in a couple hours so if they have it I can get it. He does eat but only like 2-3 little pieces of food then he just moves his little tongue around and what looks like he's swallowing it.
pappy1264
06-13-2015, 10:02 AM
I am not a big fan of using dog food. I know many have, but I have seen baby birds choke on it. The formula is better. If they have the mazuri, get that, but in a pinch, you can use the exact (although think it does not have enough protein, so you would be better to get the mazuri). They grow really fast. Feeding only takes about 30 seconds to a minute, so it is easy. Needs to happen often, but.....I have taken baby birds to dr. appts. with me! lol
newsquirrelmommy
06-13-2015, 11:18 AM
This little guy has now been quiet for almost an hour. He sounds like he's clicking. I'd there anything I can do? When I touch him he does move quite a bit, just not chirping anymore and breathing slower. He is still pooping good.
Mommaluvy
06-13-2015, 11:30 AM
Looks like a sparrow. In a pinch, you can use the exact handfeeding formula from petco for now. NO MILK! They are very easy to raise. Make up a little nest using a very small dish that is just a little bigger then him. Put toilet paper in (he will back up to poop on the edge/over the edge, so the tp you can change out constantly). Put half the container on low heat (critter keepers work great). Should be eating about every 20-30 minutes at that age. Use a 1 cc syringe and tap on top of beak when he opens his beak, put a small, pea sized amount of the formula (it should be relatively thick, not watery, but thin enough to use a syringe with) on his tongue, towards the back of mouth. Let him swallow and keep repeating. You should see his crop (on the side of his neck) filling up. Don't overfill, aim for anywhere between a plain and peanut m&m (at this age, make it about a small peanut m&m size). They eat often, poop often and grow fast! I love raising sparrows. (f you can get the mazuri, that is better.) Wish I was closer, I would take him!
Ditto. This is basically what I do. After they jump the nest ( about a week give or take ) the feedings can go farther apart. But it must be a fledge by then.
I got my Laverbe from pet smart.. I think they Cary exact there also.
See if you can find someone close to you.. Cause they really do need those feedings.
Pappy.. Can I pm you?
Mommaluvy
06-13-2015, 11:31 AM
This little guy has now been quiet for almost an hour. He sounds like he's clicking. I'd there anything I can do? When I touch him he does move quite a bit, just not chirping anymore and breathing slower. He is still pooping good.
Hmm wonder if he/she aspirated ?
pappy1264
06-13-2015, 11:36 AM
Yes, you can. It does sound like it aspirated. Unfortunately, not alot you can do, but wait and pray. Keep him on heat.
newsquirrelmommy
06-13-2015, 12:07 PM
Ok he's still quiet but is moving. He pooped again, this time more liquidy. He's nice and warm. I tapped his beak with food but it didn't open so I didn't force it.
pappy1264
06-13-2015, 02:51 PM
Were you able to get the formula?
newsquirrelmommy
06-13-2015, 03:07 PM
Ok so none of the stores by me have mazuri. So I'm having someone pick me up the Kaytee Exact feeding formula. This guy is still quiet no chirping, and we'll not take food unless I open his beak slightly and place is on his tongue. I'm noticing some bruising on top of one of his legs too but the bone doesn't seem broken. He is no longer making the clicking sound.
newsquirrelmommy
06-13-2015, 04:32 PM
Finally I got some kaytee exact in him and I did also buy high protein dog food too. He still wouldn't open his beak but I got some in and he was eating it. He still is not chirping but is no longer clicking. He wiggles like crazy when I pick him up but I don't think we're out of the woods yet.
pappy1264
06-13-2015, 05:45 PM
Ok, he may pull through. Keep doing as you are doing. Sent you a pm with a listing for licensed NJ rehabbers, so hopefully you can find someone near you.
newsquirrelmommy
06-13-2015, 06:47 PM
Here is a pic of his leg.
pappy1264
06-16-2015, 06:37 AM
How is this little one doing? How is the leg doing?
newsquirrelmommy
06-16-2015, 06:45 AM
He is doing better thanks. His leg is better too. The swelling has gone down alot. He is chirping and opened his eyes. I think the leg maybe dislocated not broken. I've been trying to move it around to see if it pops in but it hasn't yet. He moves the leg quite a bit so that's a good thing. They grow so fast. Have you ever heard of DMSO?
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