Help with baby mousebird

[Mousebird]

Hi everyone!

I live in Johannesburg, South Africa, and two nights ago in the middle of the night my cat brought in a baby mousebird, luckily completely unharmed. It has feathers so I figure it must be at least a week old but of course I can't be sure. If I post a picture would somebody be able to help me identify it and see what kind of an age it is?
My mom and I have been looking after it as best we can but I'm concerned that we aren't able to get it the right food. We have been feeding him fruit juice, tiny pieces of nectarine and of course water, just using our fingers. I've gathered that we should be feeding it some kind of special mix but I'm not sure where to get it here in SA, or even how to mix it. Is there something else I could substitute this with that will still give the baby all the nutrients it needs? Maybe baby food puree or something of the sort?
Also I want to know, seeing as the bird already has feathers, how important is exact temperature control? At the moment we are keeping it wrapped up in a very soft, fuzzy blanket with a few tissues here and there until we are able to get a cage.
It has become tame very quickly and loves to be fed and fussed over. Mostly I am concerned that it doesn't seem to be able to defecate despite my attempts at stimulating. What can I do to fix this problem? I've grown very attached to my baby and would be heartbroken if anything should happen to it. Please advise!

Meagan

 

[waterfaller1]

Hello Meagan, welcome to the forum. This has happened so many times, and we often get people here in your same situation. Your bird is most likely a speckled. Post a pic if you can. Nectarines are not to be given! No citrus. Mousebirds can suffer from iron storage disease. And citrus is a no no. Feed banana, papaya, berries,mango, melons, grapes. I will be right back to give more info, as much as I can. There is a man in your area at a rescue who is real good with the mousebirds. I will look for his name and contact info. Be right back in a bit. Thanks for looking after him!

 

[waterfaller1]

Here is Susanne's site with a lot of really good info
                   Welcome to the wonderful world of Mousebirds - HOME

here is the feeding page
What I feed -                    Welcome to the wonderful world of Mousebirds

Still looking for the contact info for the fellow in SA.

 

[waterfaller1]

Here is the fellow's info. his name is Barry
Please call me ASAP on 0834434913 Fallen Feathers Avian Rehabilitation Centre
Gauteng with regards to the mousebird , all hours

 

[waterfaller1]

Here is a thread with good info and pics on feeding by Susanne
Help needed with a mousebird - From South Africa | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

 

[waterfaller1]

Another thread to read, it has some people from SA and they are saying they use something called Purity
Redfaced mousebird orphan South Africa | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

 

[waterfaller1]

More about hand feeding
Handfeeding mousebirds... | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

Yes it will be important to keep him warm. Baby mousebirds can not regulate their temperature well. If you have any other questions, do not hesitate to ask. Good luck

 

[Mousebird]

Thank you so much for all your help! I will definitely have a look at all those links and give Barry a call. I've just fed my little baby a bit of grape which he really seemed to enjoy so I hope this will be a turning point. Do you suppose his problem with digestion may have been caused by me feeding him the wrong thing? Also, here's a picture I took of him yesterday morning:
If anyone could give me more information based on this photo that would be great!

 

[waterfaller1]

Oh he is adorable. He does resemble a red faced.Do you know which types you often see at adult age in your area? Look at the photos Susanne and others have to compare the age and type. the speckleds tend to have more of a messy look to the top of their head. The red faced have a sleeker look. There are also white backs but they don't seem to be found as often as the first two.They also have a tan color to their belly. My Gryphon is a blue naped, and again the babies have a sleeker look to the feathers. Would you say his overall color is more grey or brown? I am not real good at age as Susanne. Lift up his wings and look over his body to see how developed the feathers look. Can you get a shot of the back end, the length of the tail may help to determine his age.

 

[waterfaller1]

Yes, the wrong food will definitely affect the digestion.

 

[waterfaller1]

If you can get a gram scale and weigh him it would also help determine his age.

 

[waterfaller1]

more about species and weight
Species Size and Weight -                    Welcome to the wonderful world of Mousebirds

 

[waterfaller1]

This is a young speckled

 

[waterfaller1]

another young speckled

 

[Mousebird]

I was so worried about the baby that I took him to the vet, who checked him out and said there are no obstructions, but his digestive system is still playing catch-up (I think this is also because it took us a full 24 hours to figure out what he was so we had no idea what he needed to eat!). He also gave me a syringe to use for feeding. We've gotten hold of some Purity, a wide selection of fruit, and some porridge for babies which is stuffed with minerals. I'll try to post a picture of him again tomorrow - although we don't know if "he" is not perhaps a "she" we've decided to name him Peeta. He seems in much better spirits and is chirruping away but still has not pooped. Hopefully this changes soon! And Carole thank you so much for your help!

 

[waterfaller1]

Did the vet think he looked good overall? Did he think he was near fledging age or younger? Any more ideas on what species he is? I love the name. He really should be pooping fairly quickly after eating.You are very welcome. Keep us updated on his progress please. A lot of members here love the mousebirds.

 

[waterfaller1]

Gryphon says hi

 

[Mousebird]

Gryphon is gorgeous!

Unfortunately I have some very sad news... Peeta passed away in the early hours of this morning. It was absolutely heartbreaking. He fought for hours to keep breathing but after a while he couldn't any more. I'm not sure what happened because he'd been doing so well - eating happily and even pooping which I was very relieved to see. Just a few hours before he died he even jumped from my hand to the front of my dress. He was so lively! I've been on the point of tears and feeling completely devastated the whole day. My mom is too. She even looked into buying a mousebird now that we lost Peeta but apparently it can't be done in SA.

I will always remember my sweet little mousebird - such a brave spirit and big heart.

 

[waterfaller1]

Oh my dear. I am so very sorry. Rest in peace sweet little mousebird.

 

[Anne & Gang]

so very very sorry for your loss..at least he had a short time being loved and pampered by someone who cared..