Drinking water for baby mousebird

[Teresa CTN]

I anticipate Mousey to be about 14 days old (not developing as quickly as I anticipated) and I am still feeding with a syringe ie. I put the food in the mouth and mousey takes it down. In between feeds I give a little water in the same way but mousey doesn't like this. At what stage will mousey start to need water separately?

 

[susand]

offer it to her now. There isnt a date to start offering any such item, its always best just to have it for when they choose. Then the food a little later because there insides cant digest .... but with parrots ive raised they get water at 4 weeks in a shallow bowl/sauser

 

[waterfaller1]

Generally mousers do not need water until they are eating on their own. Then, they still do not take in much. The diet of fruit gives them all the fluids they need.

 

[srtiels]

Please,please, do not do the water orally. It is so easy to aspirate the bird. The fomula has enough fluids. At this age the bird should also be offerred and fed bits of fruit. it can be held with tweezers.

 

[Teresa CTN]

Thanks again for all the useful info. The word aspirate has come up in a lot of my research but what exactly does it mean to 'aspirate' the bird? What happens?

 

[waterfaller1]

The fluid goes into the lung sac. It can kill them. That's why you go across the tongue. As you face the bird, from your right side towards the left.

 

[waterfaller1]

Here...
Hand-feeding - Welcome to the wonderfulworld of Mousebirds

 

[srtiels]

but what exactly does it mean to 'aspirate' the bird?
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Aspiration is when the chick swallows the fluid the wrong way and the fluid goes into the lungs. What then happens is it can instantly die, or have repriatory problems, which if not treated lead to death.

The chick DOES NOT need the water while being handfed.

 

[susand]

OMG - wait I so DID NOT MEAN GIVE IT ORALLY! I was speaking on terms of giving water IN a bowl - You never ever give straight to a baby parrot via a syringe!!!!!!!!!

 

[srtiels]

a baby parrot via a syringe!!!!!!!!!
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The bird is NOT a parrot, not even remotely close to a parrot type bird. The species, when they do drink, is just a sip which is sucked up thru the beak like a pigeon.

But, most babies/chicks that are being handfed have no need for additional fluids because they get their fluid from the formula. And this species of bird also eats fruit which is high in moisture content.

Thanks for clarifying though as to meaning the bowl