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Urgent HANDFEEDING

Lbond664

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A friend of mine has a 3 week old parrotlet from her birds. Her family has had an emergency and she is going out of state tomorrow and has asked me to take care of her birds: the bird is currently pulled from the nest and hand fed with formula issue is I have never done this before. She doesn’t have anyone else since her family lives out of state can anyone help me? Preferably I would take the little one to my house since it will be easier to feed but would need to figure out how I am going to set up a box for him. Please if anyone can offer any advice without being mean I would very much so appreciate it. I would like to know temp and humidity how to make a homemade area for him and how much approximately and how far in between feedings. She is writing things down but I also want to know from anyone that can offer advice here! Thank you so much
 

iamwhoiam

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Could you stay at her house since you are taking care of all of the birds? I assume your friend will spend time with you showing you how to hand feed and then observing you doing that. It is good that she is leaving you info. She should leave you a list of things to do and also give you a feeding schedule although you will probably have to be flexible with the schedule because feeding will depend on the bird, how much he/she eats and crop emptying. What type of set up does your friend have? What temp does she maintain with the baby? Does she have a brooder that you can bring to your house if you can't stay at hers so you don't have to set up something new?
 

Lbond664

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It would be ideal to go and stay there but I have two toddlers. I was planning on going there before work and after to make sure the birds are taken care of while she is gone. My schedule is.. I go to work at 7 I have a break 1030 or 11 I can stop home to feed and I am out at 3. I’m Just terrified I’m going to kill it. So many bad stories about burning crops and babies aspirating food. I was just hoping there would be something I could set up abt my house: it’s a last minute thing. One of my bedrooms stays pretty warm. I just don’t know at 3 weeks if additional heat would be neeeded.
 

iamwhoiam

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What does your friend recommend regarding heat? I have no experience hand feeding/raising parrotlets. My baby red-bellied parrots were pulled at about 3-6 wks of age and then kept in a 5 gallon terrarium with the bottom covered with layers of paper towels. I also had a heating pad set to low or medium under 1/2 of the terrarium and had thermometer and humidity gauges attached. Used something similar to this: Amazon.com: Zoo Med Dual Thermometer and Humidity Gauge: Pet Supplies
Can you just bring what the baby is in now home with you? Does your friend have a digital gram scale so you can weigh the baby daily?
 

MahaSarah

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Does the baby have all of their feathers? If not you will need a heat source.

Did your friend leave yet? Ask her to watch her handfeed the babies and then you handfeed and she can guide you.

Look for breeders in your area and contact and ask if they can help you or give advice. Or look for an avian vet.
 

Lbond664

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Pin feathers. She hasn’t left but is leaving around 4am today: I have watched some videos tonight.
 

iamwhoiam

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It really would be best if you could watch your friend hand feed and have her watch you do the same. Is that a possibility?
 

Lbond664

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She’s leaving very early in the morning. Just got notice of this before i posted.
 

Kodigirl210

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If you are concerned about burnt crops & aspirations:
Do not use the microwave to heat the formula. Either use a pot on the stove with a candy thermometer or heat the water in the microwave but check the temp with a thermometer before and after you mix the formula. Do a wrist test as a final check to make sure the formula isn’t too hot.

As far as putting the formula in, the crop is located on the right side. I’m not sure what you’ve been seen or told. I was told to put the syringe in on the left side and feed it across and down to the right to the crop. The left and right designation are done with the bird facing you. I followed these instructions and never aspirated Sif. Luckily she was much larger.

With her just having pin feathers you will need to have a heat source like a heating pad.

Good luck! :D
 

iamwhoiam

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Will you be spoon feeding or syringe feeding? Spoon feeding may be safer and easier for you although some babies won't eat from the spoon.
 

MahaSarah

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I second spoon feeding. It will be more difficult to regulate temperature in spoon feeding so you will need to be more vigilant in making sure the temperature is just right.

Also, the baby will need artificial heat until his feathers grow out.

Please contact a breeder or vet near you ASAP. Sadly one slight mistake will kill the baby immediately or a long and drawn out painful death. :c
 

saroj12

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Take her to the avian vet and board her there. They should be experienced. You might kill the baby through inexperience.
 

Lbond664

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Full crop? Thank you for the help. I’m looking for positive things only people I’m sure if she could have afforded to be put up somewhere she should have. I have him in a critter keeper humidifier going in the room keeps it between 45-50% and the room keeps the box 79-85
 

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Kodigirl210

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That is a very full crop. Almost overfull. You will need to wait until it is almost empty to feed again or the crop might not move the food or the baby could start vomiting and aspirate.

Temp should be body temp ~98 degrees so may be beneficial to stick a heating pad underneath half of the baby’s area so it can warm and cool as needed. I’m not sure how big the box is but it would be ideal for it to be a little warmer since the baby has almost no feathers. You could place half of the box on top of the heating pad.
 

Lbond664

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Really? Ok- how much should I be feeding then? I grabbed a small syringe that’s only 1ml and he didn’t even finish that but he did respond better to the spoon so he ate off that. It’s hard getting an accurate weight. He’s somewhere between 24-27grams. Also- I did notice a lot of liquid around his poop but no white area which has changed over the last 24 hours.
 

Kodigirl210

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Did he still have food in his crop prior to feeding? At that weight it, with that amount I wouldn’t think it would look so distended.
 

iamwhoiam

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Full crop? Thank you for the help. I’m looking for positive things only people I’m sure if she could have afforded to be put up somewhere she should have. I have him in a critter keeper humidifier going in the room keeps it between 45-50% and the room keeps the box 79-85
Looks like he ate well. Crop should empty all or most of the way between feedings and should be totally empty in the AM. If he's eating from the spoon continue with that.
 

Lbond664

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I’m just having a hard time telling family it’s full or empty. I fed him again about 20 minutes ago and it still looked a bit puffed but he wanted to eat. She was feeding at 7,3,7,12. I fed today at 530a,11a,3ishp and 830p should I add another feed around midnight or would that be too close to the 8:30 feed?
 

Lbond664

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Ill have to keep an eye on it. Just having a hard time telling. As you know I have no prior experience with this. I have been non stop watching videos etc and doing as much research as I can. Talking to people is always better though. He seems to Be pooping well so thats reassuring
 

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