> Care
Helpful
Hints for Baby Birds
1. Unless
absolutely necessary, do not hold the baby while feeding it and
never hold it on its back while feeding it.
2.
As babies get older, start leaving the food along with 'their'
food stick in the cage to encourage self-feeding from a familiar
dish.
3.
Young birds will be able to fly long before they are able to
forage for their own natural foods. They will continue to return
to 'their' dish or directly to you for handouts as they learn how
to look after themselves. This soft release process will last for
1 to 3 weeks.
4.
Household hazards: hot stoves, kitchen sinks, toilets, aerosols,
stringy cloths in cage, human feet, dogs, cats, closing/opening
doors, open containers of water, etc..
5. Young
birds will be quite tame until they learn to be less dependent on
their human caregivers However, wild birds need to stay wild, so
protect them and care for them but avoid thinking of them as your
pet.
6.
Watch for any changes that might be a signal of poor health such
as: depression, lethargy, incoordination, abnormal posture of
head, sleeping a lot, consistent failure to eat, irregular
breathing, etc.. Notify the Wild Bird Care Centre of anything
unusual so that other babies don't get sick and so that a sick
baby doesn't have to spend time suffering needlessly.
7. Keep
babies warm, clean and dry. They should feel approximately the
same temperature as your cheek. Clean soiled feathers or beaks
with a moist Kleenex or Q-tip. Babies may love to bathe, which is
fine. However, being soaked for long periods invites chill which
can jeopardize the bird's health.
8. Baby
bird droppings should be well formed, not runny and not smelly. If
you're unsure, call the Wild Bird Care Centre.
9.
Death: some of the babies in your care may not survive for one
reason or another. While this is distressing for anyone trying to
help a young bird, it is important for you to realize that these
baby birds were originally rescued from dangerous,
life-threatening circumstances. These babies have been given a
second chance to survive...and you are a very important part of
the second chance.
back
to top |
