I did something stupid, now I need help

[TheofficialParakeet]

UGH!! Im doing something wrong Another one passed X(... Help! the last baby ate 3 ml, and and the crop is flat!!!!! I NEED HELP!!

 

[ravvlet]

I’m so sorry for your loss. Like I said, they are very fragile when they are this small. If you can’t find someone local to help you do this (perhaps an avian vet) there isn’t much we can do besides offer information.

Are you sure you are feeding them often enough? Are you following the instructions for feed dilution, temp, and sanitation as outlined by the various guides we provided? I know it’s a lot, but neonates like these little guys are very difficult to raise by hand. You should have been feeding them roughly every hour, or every time they beg for food, whichever is sooner, and you have to keep feeding them until they stop eating and settle back down - then re-sanitize everything. Sometimes this means you’ll be feeding them again as soon as you’re done cleaning up. I’ve been there - I once raised pinky mice. I swear I didn’t sleep for a week!

Here is our vet resources thread if you don’t already have it. I would call around immediately and see if any of them will see wildlife. Be clear with them that you hatched these yourself; some clinics are not seeing wild birds (if they even did in the first place) due to the bird flu outbreak.

Avian Vet Resources

After a suggestion by a member, @Abu Colo, the Mod Team decided to create a list of veterinarians around the world who see birds. This was something we had discussed a few years ago, but the task seemed so large that we didn't get very far. However, the need is there and we decided that the time...

www.parrotforums.com

 

[ravvlet]

Also - worry less about the amount they’re eating and more about if they are still asking for food! I made the same mistake with mice - I fed them the amount that the guides suggested but it wasn’t enough; fortunately I reached out on a forum like this one and provided photos and was told they were underweight and needed to be fed more! The instant I started doing that they all began thriving. I didn’t lose a single one, which I chalk up mainly to luck.

Please remember also the babies need to be kept warm and their bedding needs to be clean!

 

[TheofficialParakeet]

the chick stopped asking. I can't figure out how to keep the formula hot

 

[ravvlet]

It doesn’t need to be hot, just warm (if you have a food thermometer you can check the temp against the feeding guide). You can bring formula back up to temp (or keep it at temp) by suspending the container it’s in in a bowl of warm water. It’s a trick I used when feeding baby kittens and baby mice. Mice are syringe fed also, so I’d put the formula in a small take out container or sauce dish, and then put that inside a bowl that had hot water in it - not enough that it would overflow into the formula, but enough that the bottom and sides of formula were surrounded by the hot water so it would stay warm throughout feeding.

If he stops asking for food, clean everything up and watch him; as soon as he asks for food again, give it.

Direct crop feeding is very dangerous especially if you don’t know what you’re doing, so unfortunately it sounds like you may need to just hover and feed him as soon as he’s interested. You can try to entice him by offering him the food on the edge of his beak.

If he’s not warm enough he won’t want to eat. If you do not have access to a heat pad or heat lamp, you can put rice inside of a sock and microwave it until it’s warm. Wrap the warm sock in a dish cloth or similar and put it into a plastic bin with the bird. A critter keeper works well for this, as it has a lid that’s well ventilated but can trap heat. Make sure to have a thermometer visible near where the baby bird is so you can be sure it’s the right temperature (95 degrees).

Please do not place him directly on the heat source if it’s a heated rice sock or heat pad! Make sure there’s a fabric barrier of some kind so he doesn’t get burned.

 

[HeatherG]

I am not sure you did anything wrong. You aren’t a finch and a lot of little chicks don’t make it. But I am sorry this has happened. Now I’m more glad I didn’t try to hatch and raise the eggs left after my gouldians died. It sounds sooo hard and unlikely. ((Sorry))

 

[TheofficialParakeet]

I ordered a syringe attachment and its working much better. I just fed him for hte last time tonight and it took 2.4 ml... I might wake up in the night and feed. Still NO sign of the crop. It looks like it just goes down his throat and dissapears.

 

[Littleredbeak]

How's your little finch doing ?

 

[MealyZon]

So, Im willing to pay the fine whatever. I took house finch eggs off my porch, birds like to lay eggs randomly on my porch. Umm and well now I have a baby bird. all three pipped, one is hatched. 2 on the way. I have a formula as they eat parrot formula. all of the rescues in my area are shut down, and from experience, transporting a baby bird this young kills them. so umm any help? how to feed, how much to feed, hygene... EVERYTHING.. im so stupid for doing this.. I should have just let nature take its course... well I didn't so please dont give me criticisim for this.. I just need help.

I’m so glad you collected the eggs! My thoughts are that “letting nature take its course” is definitely an option, but humans are part of nature too. We are actually just another animal on the planet. Animals actually help other animals. So why are we any different? You kept the the babies from suffering until they died by scooping up the eggs. I’m so glad there are compassionate people like you out there

 

[TheofficialParakeet]

I ended up giving to rehabber, all passed of sickeness