I'm a mom to an abandoned house sparrow

[GaleriaGila]

He *DOES* look like a real bird now!
I bet we'd love to hear his music, if you could capture it.
You know little Gibbs is pretty much the darling of the Forums!

 

[janquito]

He is such a sweetie! He definitely is looking more "adult bird" like. That last picture. I love this story. I've tried helping different wildlife in the past that weren't happy endings so your story really cheers me up. Yes, an Instagram page would be nice.

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[Iholm5]

Wow, I love love LOVE this story, and little Gibbs is so cute! I would love to see him have an IG page as we follow tons of birds online and love seeing his progress! He's an absolutely adorable little floof!

 

[Mimsy01]

He's adorable! Do you think he's a boy or a girl? We got one this year as well and I'm thinking boy, he's getting dark feathers under his chin and some nice brown on his back. Did you get him a critter nation for a cage? I see it in the background. That what we have a starling in and he loves his cage. You can put a ton of toys, branches and such in there. Our sparrow loves bells and mirrors and chasing the other birds..he thinks he's HUGE.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

WOW! So tiny! He fits in the palm of your hand! I am so pleased you didn't listen to your sister! What does she think of Gibbs now??


Gibbs? which one? Barry? Maurice? or Robin??maybe Andy??? lol <for those who don't know or remember...The Bee Gee's!>


Jim

 

[Rival_of_the_Rickeybird]

Gibbs you are a joy to my lady who loves all birds especially those who fall on hard times and find redemption/salvation. My thanks.

 

[glutes]

Wow, it's been a while! You'll be happy to hear that Gibbs has her own Instagram page now(gift.of.gibbs) and yes, Gibbs is a girl! The name will stay as it is despite this. At this age if she was a male there would've been dark feathers coming in and that cute little black beak, but she has a little pink beak and some light Browns and beiges. Gibbs has been quite the little terror lately... Just like parrots, she is moody, impulsive, attention-seeking, hormonal and cranky. She's also molting. She gave me a good bite when I asked her to step up. Nothing like what you guys probably endure but it's the first time she's left a mark! She has a very different bite from a parrot. She uses the tip of her beak to pinch on and then pulls repeatedly. I'm having major difficulties getting her back in her cage when she doesn't want to. A fully flighted tiny bird is not easy to catch. And if I catch her with my hands, she begins to become wary of them. I thought I would try throwing a small towel over her, but she saw the towel and was immediately terrified of it. I used this to my advantage and put the towel on top of her cage(where she goes to get away from me, I can't reach her up there). She flew off and I was able to get her to go in the cage with a treat. Oh, and she hates change. I did a toy swap in her cage and she sat on the floor of her cage for a week. I ended up having to change her toys back. She has refused to do any of her tricks, including step up. I've been working with her gently these last few days and today I'm seeing a bit of progress. She actually cuddled with me and even did a few tricks. She's an aspiring hairstylist as well. She took one of her own feathers that had fallen out and two different strands of my hair all in the same beakfull! Then she tried to take them all into her cage. She was pretty disappointed when my hair wasn't there anymore lol. Other than those few problems, she's been doing so good. She loves bath time and gets the entire room wet when she splashes. She eats a good variety of foods now other than her veggies... Currently she hates all veggies but she loves grapes and will eat apples. She used to love strawberries but now she won't touch them. She loves her seeds now. She is currently munching on a millet spray. Just last week I discovered she had air sac mites. It's nearly impossible to get the bird specific products here in Canada, so I had to make due with horse dewormers. The infection is all cleared up now. The other day I whistled at Gibbs and she chirped a strangely similar tune back at me. I thought it must be coincidence, but I found a video on YouTube of a little male sparrow who had learnt how to wolf whistle! This bird continues to amaze me, even when she's having a fit.


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[glutes]

All fluffed up after a bath.

I really just have no idea what she is doing in this picture...

Look at that sass!

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[janquito]

I really do enjoy reading these updates. I'll have to look Gibbs up on Instagram.

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[Allee]

Thanks for the update and sweet photos. I'm glad Gibbs is doing so well.

 

[Kiwibird]

She is so cute! Glad she's thriving with you.

 

[Yorkiemum]

We just lost ours last June. He was just past 9. The day we found him was a very hot day.
We have a yard planted for birds and wild life. We feed small and large birds, squirrels and rabbits, 5 crows now that began with 2.
The larger birds drink from the spa. We have hanging water for the smaller ones and a big fountain that even the squirrels can get into. Of course we have humming birds. The babies will land on my arm if I have something sweet.

We have multiple fruit trees and about 23 queen palms we planted when we moved in.
We also planted cypress trees. We planted 6 more this summer. The grown ones are about 12 years old and they are over 30 feet. There are now 19 total. The cypress are like bird condos. The sound of all the parents coming and going is almost deafening. And you better duck because they are quite used to use and fly right over our head.

That evening one of my sons found 2 birds in the pool. I was saddened and felt that we hadn't put out enough water. These were little guys and too little to reach the spa.
That night all the parents came and went. About 45 min later we heard peeping. Babies make no noise until a parent shows up.
We looked and saw one baby about 5 days old, alone and crop empty. Temps drop here with the sun. It's similar to desert temps.
He will not survive alone.
We assumed the birds we found were mom and dad. Either way, I could not leave him.
Right away I began to make a box. I found a vet from Australia who explained how to make baby food for a sparrow like bird. Mostly began with chicken dog kibble, soaked, then a jar of chicken baby food. Some egg white and I always added a fruit flavor of baby food.
Took me longer to warm it than it did for him to eat it.

I fed him every hour at first. Lucky he slept at night. He'd sit with me is a rocker by a big sliding glass door looking out to the yard. That was where we placed his cage because he loved his window.

I remember when he was barely 4 weeks. He began to flap his wings and pretend to fly. So I thought. Right there he took off, lifted about 4 feet and over shot the end of the couch.
That went on for months because I could not teach him to land. When he'd end up on the floor he's be silent, even tho I was calling. Not until he saw me did he chatter on as tho someone had to pay, this was not acceptable!

Our vet deemed him a LBB...A little brown bird. Probably a sparrow. Probably. Lol.
I'd open his cage, (which was a flight cafge and really huge) around 1 pm and he'd go to sleep at dark. He had his places around the family room he loved and one was a cabinet with glasses we rarely used and the cabinet was lit from above. Yes, it was like Disney land as he hopped in and out of cups and glasses. My sons knew not to use those glasses without washing.

He knew where his bed was , he knew where his toys were. He knew what I meant when I asked where the other birdies were.
He had no desire to be with them tho. Just after we got him the bigger cage the birds outside flew up and over the house. He flew out of his cage and hid in the back of my hair.
I think he feared they could come through the roof.

Tho he didn't talk, I knew what he was saying. He had all of the inflections and he was adamant sometimes.
When I could not see him, I'd ask him where he was. Sometimes twice. Usually he'd answer in sparrow. He'd chatter and become visible .
Sometimes it took him too long and I was concerned. He knew the sound of a recliner sitting up. When he heard me moving and getting up, poof, out he'd come, just like a child who's pushes the limits.

They are wonderful loving little guys. I could not grab him as I can with Nicolas. I had to present my hand or shoulder or back. If I walked away, he'd catch me.
If I happen to pull up a blanket he'd hop on, but he didn't want me to sleep, close my eyes or put the blanket up to my face.
A few times I had a cold and would sit on the couch to watch the tube. He would peck under and make it clear he didn't like that.

He loved computers. Loves to watch iPads and you tube. If anyone opens their phone or iPad he'd jump on their head to watch.

Often he'd fly and circle around me and fly very close. He seems to do that when someone was in the same room.
The only thing we argued about was pulling my hair. He loved to jump on my head and pull hair out. Then take it in his cage.
After enough protests from me, he began to bite the hair ( as if I wouldn't know) and then take it to his cage!

We fed him the same as most parrots with caution. He could smell things like raisin bread and he wanted it now.
Because they are very timid birds, he would rarely want to be in a busy kitchen or dining room.
We all were amazed at how intelligent these little birds are. They have a great brain, and they learn very well.
It was an incredible loss when he died. He was very healthy up till then.
I'll always miss him.

Good luck with your little guy.

 

[BIRDIGIRL]

Lovely to see Gibbs doing so well and what Fabulous photos you have of her...so glad to see her mature and live such a wonderful life with you . .Beautiful pics...Well Done

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

YorkieMum...your story made me well-up a bit.:31: Bittersweet. 9 wonderful years with LBB,brought back memories of Chii Chii, a common female English house sparrow I raised when I was just 13.
My neighbor found her in the grass one spring day. She was just a baby,just starting to get feathers.
I had an old 'keet cage my Gramma gave me,and I put in an old abandoned robin nest,lined with kleenx.
I fed Chii Chii earth worms,grubs..would smack house flys when I saw them..Chii Chii gobbled everything up.
Mom got in touch with a vet..( not sure if he was an avain vet or not)
He suggested a baby formula of corn meal,egg whites and baby formula.
I fed her by a plastic spoon. She grew fast and learned to fly well.
Before school I'd feed her,then take her outside,where she'd fly into the nearest tree and whistle to me as I walked off to school.
When I returned,she was there in the tree waiting. I'd call to her and she'd fly down and land on my head,and we'd go inside the house where she got her dinner,play with me,help me with my homework ( usually picking up my papers and dropping them on the floor) Then she went into her house for nite nites.
We took her on vacation to Lake Champlain where the family rented a cottage for 2 weeks. She would take off into the trees and explore and come when called.\At one point she flew all the way across the lake,where my Grammpa had to get in the little motor boat and go across the lake to get her! He called to her and she flew right down to him!

At the end of that summer, she and I were outside,her walking in the grass picking at this and that as I read a book. Little did I know the neighbors CAT was stalking her and got her before I could do anything!! :31:
I was able to get Chii Chii from that damn cats grip but the poor girl was gone.
My brother buried her in the back yard..My mom bought me Wally,the bufgie not long after,which started my love and devotion to parrots to this day.
The only consulation,or revenge,if you want to call it that,is Fluffy,the sparrow murderer,was hit and killed by a passing car..i felt bad of course..but still..
Maybe that is why I am not too fond of cats

Jim

 

[GaleriaGila]

I am so in love.
I have always secretly wished that *I* would find an abandoned baby bird to raise.

 

[Yorkiemum]

Our sparrow didn't play with a lot of toys, but he loved mirrors . One of the best I got from Amazon . It would record 10 seconds of your voice and if he passed by light, it was activated. He sat by that all the time. When he saw a big bird, he'd set that off as tho he felt I was right there with him. They still have it. It's " OurPets Mirror Mate Interactive Bird Mirror Interactive Toy".
He also liked small toys with a bell. And he had this guitar to he'd play with now and then. It also had small bells. However, it was often used when he was in his finch cup going to sleep, and we made too much noise. He'd come tearing out and smack those bells and we got the message!
Then he loved his bath. We got one that was about 6" round and secured to the cage.
But no one could look. He wanted his privacy!

 

[Yorkiemum]

That's really sad Amy. These little guys really get into our hearts.

 

[glutes]

Our sparrow didn't play with a lot of toys, but he loved mirrors . One of the best I got from Amazon . It would record 10 seconds of your voice and if he passed by light, it was activated. He sat by that all the time. When he saw a big bird, he'd set that off as tho he felt I was right there with him. They still have it. It's " OurPets Mirror Mate Interactive Bird Mirror Interactive Toy".
He also liked small toys with a bell. And he had this guitar to he'd play with now and then. It also had small bells. However, it was often used when he was in his finch cup going to sleep, and we made too much noise. He'd come tearing out and smack those bells and we got the message!
Then he loved his bath. We got one that was about 6" round and secured to the cage.
But no one could look. He wanted his privacy!

Hmmm... Maybe Gibbs gets a new toy[emoji6] lol she'll probably be terrified of it. Gibbs loves anything she can tear apart. Paper towel pieces and bark from her perches are favorites. Occasionally she likes bells, but really just prefers to forage. Gibbs loves her baths too! I have to put my hand in the dish with her so that we can bathe "together." Her baths are very wet if it's at 4:00pm, I guess that's her favorite time for bathing!


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[glutes]

YorkieMum...your story made me well-up a bit.:31: Bittersweet. 9 wonderful years with LBB,brought back memories of Chii Chii, a common female English house sparrow I raised when I was just 13.
My neighbor found her in the grass one spring day. She was just a baby,just starting to get feathers.
I had an old 'keet cage my Gramma gave me,and I put in an old abandoned robin nest,lined with kleenx.
I fed Chii Chii earth worms,grubs..would smack house flys when I saw them..Chii Chii gobbled everything up.
Mom got in touch with a vet..( not sure if he was an avain vet or not)
He suggested a baby formula of corn meal,egg whites and baby formula.
I fed her by a plastic spoon. She grew fast and learned to fly well.
Before school I'd feed her,then take her outside,where she'd fly into the nearest tree and whistle to me as I walked off to school.
When I returned,she was there in the tree waiting. I'd call to her and she'd fly down and land on my head,and we'd go inside the house where she got her dinner,play with me,help me with my homework ( usually picking up my papers and dropping them on the floor) Then she went into her house for nite nites.
We took her on vacation to Lake Champlain where the family rented a cottage for 2 weeks. She would take off into the trees and explore and come when called.\At one point she flew all the way across the lake,where my Grammpa had to get in the little motor boat and go across the lake to get her! He called to her and she flew right down to him!

At the end of that summer, she and I were outside,her walking in the grass picking at this and that as I read a book. Little did I know the neighbors CAT was stalking her and got her before I could do anything!! :31:
I was able to get Chii Chii from that damn cats grip but the poor girl was gone.
My brother buried her in the back yard..My mom bought me Wally,the bufgie not long after,which started my love and devotion to parrots to this day.
The only consulation,or revenge,if you want to call it that,is Fluffy,the sparrow murderer,was hit and killed by a passing car..i felt bad of course..but still..
Maybe that is why I am not too fond of cats

Jim

Gibbs throws papers too! And food. And then she looks at me, waiting for me to pick it up so she can throw it again[emoji28][emoji28][emoji28]


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[glutes]

I think it's time for an update! Gibbs is doing really good. It's amazing how much birds change when they transition from a baby to an adult. Gibbs is very different now, but I wouldn't have her any other way(okay,I admit I liked how cuddly she used to be)! She's much more independent now. She sings songs all day long, it's quite adorable. She has baths every other day(her choice, not mine lol) and she loves chips. Her songs are so complex and adorably random. I finally got the harness on her, but she was frozen in fear and I don't ever want to see her that scared again, so no harnessing Gibbs! She's nearly finished her first molt and her attitude has calmed down dramatically. She no longer taunts me on top of her cage or bites me for what seems like no reason at all. I discovered that she loves greens. Any other veggies she won't touch, but she will literally devour an entire bowl of salad! I'm not complaining, although it does make her poop green! She has become cuddly with me again, but not in the same way as when she was younger. She prefers to cuddle up to my neck or sit on my arm, rather than being cupped in my hand. She's come to really hate being constricted at all. I respect that about her. Sometimes she is so lovey and does those sweet blinks eyes at me, but other times, like yesterday, she won't even say hello to me! She's still very playful and loves to rip things apart. Because she is a female, should I put a nest in her cage? She has one in her sleep cage, but not in her big one. I wanted to knit and felt a little "pod" for her, a sphere with a hole for her to go into. Will this cause more hormones or would it be good for her? It would probably take months for her to actually go in, but I think she would really like something cozy like that. I know when she was a baby I knit her a little nesting cup and she just loved pulling at the wool fibers.


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