Poor Poor Baby!

[Flight87]

I am so worried about lil' newbie. To recap: we have the Three Amigos (three peach face lovies), four beeping Finches :) and two ancient parakeets. We were called about a six month old Fisher and after vet checks and so on, picked her/him up on Saturday.

I am quite used to baby birds, that's why they called me (my family raises Cockatiels and Senegals)... but this lil' one is giving me some worry!

Any help would be great!

Okay, so he was in a BAD situation... he had a small finch size plastic swing and a mirror pushed into the bars at the bottom. NOTHING else. He had two bowls, one with what looked like plain parakeet cheap seed and water.

So i don't expect him to come around quickly... it has only been a few days after all; however, i worry about him not eating. I never see him eat and I have carefully measured so i can watch his intake. I know it's new food to him, but you usually see them eat at some point (i work at home, too, so I see him all day, even now). Basically he sits there. I put variety in there to help with finickiness. I put in just two perches, one nice large/wide swing and a couple toys only (so not to overwhelm), ditched the old swing and mirror of course, and added some yums like a rawhide, cuttle and millet, etc.

I also included some aviary weaning cheerios (i call them that... you know what i mean though).

He is in a quiet environment (save the other birds) and I've kept eveyone away from him.

I worry cos he's so young and fragile and I don't know how to help him. When I try to go near him he falls to the bottom, doesn't have clipped wings, but just falls. He can jump from thing to thing.

Anyway, i've seen this before... but cockatiels are so needy and want the attention from you. I can tell he doesn't want my attention so I am not sure how to fix it.

As a side note, my three amigos were a rescue and i believe them to be related. I've had them for nearly four years. Anyway, they are not DNA'd, but two of them are closer footed/stanced and so to me seem like two males and they are chums. they leave out the girl (assumed by her actions and stance).

When I first put the Fisher in the room, the two "chums" started to fight for the first time in four years and the gal was very interested. Shall I seperate them and put someone near the newbie and make two pairs? I think it would make the newbie feel better. I have yet to name the newbie. I like to watch them a while... ( in case you were wondering why i refer to him/her as newbie).

I could seperate the three without any harm/foul. They are pretty much all close to each other and never panic when one is gone. They just pair up girl/boy when one of the boys is gone, etc.

So, long story longer, any thoughts? :)

[ittyandrita]

hi, my little foster/rescue/permanent bird resident Baxter came from a very similar situation to the one you describe of your fischers. He was in a very tiny cage, one little perch and nothing else. He was also on a poor quality seed mix. I immediately moved him into a new cage, with lots of different perches and a couple toys. He had no idea what all of these new things were and just attached himself to the side of the cage. It took him a couple weeks to start sitting on these 'scary' perches and a bit longer to investigate toys. I'm not a birdie psychology expert, but it just sounds like our two came from a similar situation- he is very young too. I upgraded his seed slowly mix and introduced fruits and veggies, which he of course ignored. He even ignored millet! I think perhaps because he is young, he now watches and mimics everything my two other lovebirds do.
about the eating- I would just put some of his own seed mix in there and some of the new stuff, so hopefully he will begin to experiment but not starve in the meantime?

oh yeah, I also thought, maybe since he had no way to excercise or move around before he's got no muscle built up? that might be why he doesn't fly even with his flights.

[linda040899]

If this baby is not eating on his own, you have no choice but to handfeed. How old is he supposed to be? Do you have any photos that we can see? If he's not eating on his own, it won't matter what you are offering. He will die without nourishment.

If you need help/advice with handfeeding/how to do it, check this link:
http://www.lovebirdsplus.com/handfeeding.html

[Flight87]

Thanks, i will try that. I don't have the type of seed the lady had; but i will go get some. Thanks for the advice. Hope he comes about. He sure is beautiful. Silly people, eh... what can you do?! I will just give him more time and some cheapo food mixed in and see if that helps. Can't hurt. As a side note, he does seem to really watch my three lovies, so maybe they'll help him learn to be himself. Poor lil' guy.

This lady has 65 Lorikeets. All of which died at the rescue from liver failure (gave seeds, not nectar). Sad, huh?

[Flight87]

He is at least 5 months old based on when the lady went to court and the rescue time etc. The vet said he's healthy and fine to eat. Suggested NOT handfeeding.

i can hand feed him but he's so traumatized. I understand though and feel as you do Linda, I don't want him to not eat at all. I've handfed before but never one so traumatized. Any special experience advice? He just bites and screams when you hold him. Is he too old for handfeeding? The link provided is for pre-weaning. i am willing to do what it takes though!

I will take a picture and post here in the next half hour. THanks everyone!

[ittyandrita]

that makes me so angry!! why on earth would someone like that even have birds???
I'm just gald there are people like you out there for that little baby' sake.

[linda040899]

At age 5 months, he should be able to eat on his own, that's for sure. The reason I suggested handfeeding is because you don't want him to get to the point where he's too weak to eat! To handfeed him, you won't have to put the syringe between his mandibles. Try putting a few drops on the outside where the mandibles meet. If he's really hungry, you will see him swallow. Make sure the temperature is 106F for best results. If he's not interested, at least you tried.

Have you tried hanging a spray of millet near his favorite perch? If he's familiar with millet, he should go for it.

Tell me about his cage. What size was he in vs. what size is he in now? Could be small space = security for this little one. A smaller cage might be a temporary solution, at least until he realizes that he's safe from harm.

[Flight87]

Thanks for the help Linda... to answer your questions:

1. I will try handfeeding tonight if no change.
2. Yes there is millet spray hung by the main branch/perch.
3. I have easy to reach dishes so they aren't far away and I didn't think he'd go for the table. I have fruit, veg, seed (my mix of all the goodies) and even some pellets. Just about everything. somewhere near. I have two things of water as well.
4. The cage isn't too big really, it's 17" wide, 25" tall and 23" deep. i don't have smaller cages. I could get one though if you think I should. I'd hate to change him again. he was in a finch cage, don't know measurements, then a holding cage, then a vet. Yes, security could be it. he was scared of the cozy, so i took that out, but thought he'd appreciate it.

He looks his age. My guess is he isn't younger than they think, just inexperienced. it will be touch and go... i just want to make it through one week, then I'll breathe. poor guy!

Thank you SO much. All comments/suggestions are welcomed. As they say, there is no right way or wrong way when when everyone's destination is the same.

[indigo]

I have no new insight or advise really for you, but I'd try a smaller cage but let him play in the bigger one. Maybe give him treats like millet etc in there. Patience, responsible reaction and a close eye is your best bet.

[linda040899]

Where is cage located in the room where he's at? If he's not in a corner location (walls on 2 sides), you may try moving his cage. His world has been turned upside down and he's safe but doesn't realize it yet. Poor little guy! I feel so badly for him.

Like you said, whatever works to keep him alive......

[indigo]

I just re-read the thread and I can completely relate with how everyone feels so angry.

Pix, my poppa bird, well I rescued him (sort of). He was with a kid (MAYBE 18 years old) for about a year after having been with at least one other person before him. Guess is that Pix is about 4 years old, but its just a guess. I took him in about maybe a year ago now and he is NOT the same bird as the guy I first saw.

He was in the same cage as they are in now, but he had two crusted poopy perches, the bottom had obviously been cleaned for show and he was eating a really crappy seed mix. He had 2 or 3 small obviously brand new untouched toys, a swing that was crusted with poop, and dirty dishes with what appeared to be clean food and what looked like freshly changed water.

He sat on one perch and didn't do much of anything when I went to look at him. Not a peep out of him. I walked over to his cage, knelt down beside him and spoke softly to him - the 'owners' were chattering about nothing to each other and soon shut up.

He eyeballed me while I was talking to him and then I opened his cage. The room had the door closed. He shook a little and then hopped a little closer to the door (and inadverantly me), dashed past me and flew across the room screaming, slid behind the TV and stayed there for a moment.

When he felt braver he peeked around the TV stand and peeped a tiny bit. Talking about breaking my heart. He ran away when I moved closer to him so the kid who 'owned' him went and got him.

He handed him to me and I asked for scissors. I clipped his wings, put him in a shoe box, grabbed the cage, tossed them the cash they were asking ($60) and left with him.

They had him for a year and did not even name him! While looking at him I coined the name 'no name' for him and he seemed to actually respond to that in the sense of realizing he was having a name, even if just a temporary one.

On my way home I was looking at him (there was a little pre-made hole in the box which he was peeking out of the whole time - how cute is that!). I asked him what he wanted his name to be.

We discussed it while waiting for the bus; the sun was setting and the sky was absolutely stunning - had so many colors it looked like the tropics. He has so many colors and they were darker but the same as the sun set. That was it, his name was going to be Pix (as in trpoics, but that was weird I thought).

When I got him home he started screaming. He screamed when I was in the room, he screamed when I was out of the room, he screamed when I gave him food, water, always.

I figured out he was screaming because he didn't want to be alone anymore. The other birds were there (at that time 2 budgies and Serenity; Pogo, a little budgie joined a few days after Pix did - pogo was also a rescue situation - I literally had the choice of him coming into my home or being killed - he was perfectly healthy but only had one leg and was therefore deemed 'unsellable' by the pet shop I was then working for - he came home with me and was marked down as having died).

Where Pix had been (with the kid) he was in a rarely used room, white painted walls, very little furniture, window blinds always down, nothing on the walls - very depressing.

The only way to calm him down was to speak very very softly and quietly to him and he would watch me like I was going to eat him for the first day. Another way he would relax was when I played him music - he LOVES music. He was screaming for about a month before he settled down a bit.

Anyways, that first day he saw Serenity (I know about quarantine but she was a reliable way he would calm down) and it was instant love. Within about a week Serenity had moved in with him and they've been bliss filled since.

He has thrived and all that fear and anxiety that I first saw is gone. His colors are bright and vibrant (before I had him he was dull weak colors, dark, but dull). Now he is absolutely stunning! Every month I see him improving.

Keep up the amazing work Flight87. Pix has begun to come to me (land on me, etc) where before he was scared whit-less to so much as have me changing his water.

All I have done is give him lots of really good food (pellets for starters - which he gobbled up immediately, veggies, fruits, some treats like millet but not often, berries, nuts, leaves and all kinds of things like that - even a piece of natural raw hide!), gobs and gobs of love, lots of space for him to trust and as much time as he needs within reason (I don't encourage him to be scared of things, instead I encourage him to be brave and to see and look then if he's still scared of what ever it is he can go hide, but he doesn't panic anymore).

Your baby will come around. Just love him and be there to help him with his fears, give him a good variety of good food, and if he needs to, bring him into the vet. Also a scale is a lifesaver (possibly literally) as you know.

[Flight87]

Here's a picture. I do have good news! I hand fed / somewhat of a screaming, okay I give in, okay I ate, now can I go situation, but I did it. My son was just telling me about the Cub Scouts in Africa and how they're called Kabu (Kah-Boo), and we looked over at him (could be a her, but that's okay) and both thought at the same time... KABU! So now he has a name, Little Cubbie Kabu. All of them have Swahili names.

Anyway, after fluffing up and getting mad at me for pictures and feeding he reached and played with his swing. It's not much, and I plan to feed him again in a couple hours, but he seems interested in it and THAT is positive. I'll keep you updated. And THANK YOU!

- Penzi, Ruka, Akida and now... lil' Kabu! (I figure even if Kabu is beyond rehabilitation, he deserves a proper name!)

(PS: don't know how to "post" pics, but made Kabu my profile pic)

[Flight87]

aaahhh sigh of relief. Not out of the woods, but after three hand feedings yesterday, today seems to be a new day for Kabu. Still not as happy as he should be, I will keep you all posted and I'll keep hoping for and working towards the best.