New Sparrow Dad i guess?

[sprwmind]

Hello guys and gals and everything inbetween!

A bit of time ago i have fostered a sparrow nestling.
Im a big guy, i never thought i could be so attached to a pet, especially a bird.
Nothing against them, i just never felt connected.

Well now i wake up at 6 7 am, to feed my bird, since i found him/her my browser history and youtube history is filled with bird stuff and info.

It has just started trying to fly (not great at it YET), feathers are looking nice, all of them are free from the wax casing(lack of a better term, english is not my 1st, sorry)

Back to the point, i really want to know..
The bird pecks at my fingers, but gently, like not even a pinch, just pecks at them
It s not hungry or anything, i like to think that it s playfull, so please do correct me if im wrong.

Also, when should i let it eat by itself? Do i have to teach it? Or does it just know how?

If by some mistake, it will fly out of the house, will it come back?


Can they crack sunflower seed and seeds alike?
What should i feed it after itll start eating alone?
What is considered a snack for sparrows?
Can you train them to come to your finger and stuff like that?

Any other advice is very welcome, do and dont stuff, whatever you think of.
The internet, or my capabilities to search stuff about sparrows are lacking, i think there s not much info on how to raise them.

Thanks alot, good luck to y all, wish health and prosperity for you and ur birds!

 

[Icey]

Urgent - Baby sparrow

I hope someone can help me here. Hubby sent me a message that he found a baby sparrow at work. It looks like a fledgling. Apparently it fell from the nest and couldn't get back. I tild him to put it back and it's mother would help it. Well, the mother saw it but just continued to feed the others...

forums.avianavenue.com

I hope this helps.
A couple of members gave great advice.

 

[sprwmind]

Urgent - Baby sparrow

I hope someone can help me here. Hubby sent me a message that he found a baby sparrow at work. It looks like a fledgling. Apparently it fell from the nest and couldn't get back. I tild him to put it back and it's mother would help it. Well, the mother saw it but just continued to feed the others...

forums.avianavenue.com

I hope this helps.
A couple of members gave great advice.

Thank you very much, much appreciated!

 

[Icey]

Thank you very much, much appreciated!

You are most welcome

 

[SelvaVerde]

Hi all. I grew up in Queens, New York (which is the city) and my exposure to wildlife growing up consisted primarily of pigeons and sparrows. Both are quite adapted to city life, feeding on just about anything humans leave behind. Sparrows are hole-nesting birds often observed flying into and out of crevasses wherever they are available in a man-made structure. One thing about baby sparrows is they are jumpers. They, when able, will jump out of the nest. If placed on a window sill they will jump off even if two floors up (yes, got some experience with this as a kid). The parents find them through call-and-answer and continue feeding them, their fledging process is completed on the ground. The baby bird will hide or remain still and come out when it hears that it's parent has arrived from foraging. I understand the temptation of wanting to help/rescue what looks like a lonely and abandoned baby bird (and this may be the case occasionally, anything can happen) but can also give the assurance that this fledging process as described is normal for sparrows. They attain flight and fledge rather quickly and recently flighted juveniles can be seen at just about any outdoor dining areas fluttering their wings and begging their parents to feed them. At the same time a baby sparrow that is too young will not take food from a human, it simply doesn't know what to do. I've tried but never raised a sparrow long term (until fledging) I always ended up putting it back, and have seen parents return to feed them (which is a relief after moving a baby bird from where it was found).

" The bird pecks at my fingers, but gently, like not even a pinch, just pecks at them "

In some species the parent has a red spot on it's beak and the baby will peck that spot when it wants to be fed. Can't say this is the case with sparrows but it seems like (through pecking) the baby is instinctively communicating something.

 

[iamwhoiam]

Spee got: Volkman Avian Science Super Finch, Mazuri Insectivore pellets, very small pieces of unsalted roasted cashews, cooked mixed veggies (as I wrote in other thread....preferences were corn and carrots) and millet spray. Every now and then he would get a tiny piece of oatmeal cookie as a special treat.
I don't know if there are still any posts or information but search for Spoggy the sparrow. Interesting story about some kind people who raised this little guy and he became an important part of their household. They raised a few others in addition to him. Sadly Spoggy passed away a few years ago.

 

[sprwmind]

Hi all. I grew up in Queens, New York (which is the city) and my exposure to wildlife growing up consisted primarily of pigeons and sparrows. Both are quite adapted to city life, feeding on just about anything humans leave behind. Sparrows are hole-nesting birds often observed flying into and out of crevasses wherever they are available in a man-made structure. One thing about baby sparrows is they are jumpers. They, when able, will jump out of the nest. If placed on a window sill they will jump off even if two floors up (yes, got some experience with this as a kid). The parents find them through call-and-answer and continue feeding them, their fledging process is completed on the ground. The baby bird will hide or remain still and come out when it hears that it's parent has arrived from foraging. I understand the temptation of wanting to help/rescue what looks like a lonely and abandoned baby bird (and this may be the case occasionally, anything can happen) but can also give the assurance that this fledging process as described is normal for sparrows. They attain flight and fledge rather quickly and recently flighted juveniles can be seen at just about any outdoor dining areas fluttering their wings and begging their parents to feed them. At the same time a baby sparrow that is too young will not take food from a human, it simply doesn't know what to do. I've tried but never raised a sparrow long term (until fledging) I always ended up putting it back, and have seen parents return to feed them (which is a relief after moving a baby bird from where it was found).

" The bird pecks at my fingers, but gently, like not even a pinch, just pecks at them "

In some species the parent has a red spot on it's beak and the baby will peck that spot when it wants to be fed. Can't say this is the case with sparrows but it seems like (through pecking) the baby is instinctively communicating something.

Thank youbfor your insight, i have made an update on this thread if ur interested in reading it.
Hope you are doing well, best of luck to you!

 

[sprwmind]

Spee got: Volkman Avian Science Super Finch, Mazuri Insectivore pellets, very small pieces of unsalted roasted cashews, cooked mixed veggies (as I wrote in other thread....preferences were corn and carrots) and millet spray. Every now and then he would get a tiny piece of oatmeal cookie as a special treat.
I don't know if there are still any posts or information but search for Spoggy the sparrow. Interesting story about some kind people who raised this little guy and he became an important part of their household. They raised a few others in addition to him. Sadly Spoggy passed away a few years ago.

Thank you for ur reply, ill keep the oat cookie in mind for when it will start drinking water, atm its not yet eating by itself, nor drinking, but i dont give it water, i give him moist kitty food and live (i do cut the thing that makes them alive just before feeding it) fishing worms.

I have posted an update if you are interested, also a pic of how it looked when i got it

Thank you for ur time, good luck and good health!

 

[sprwmind]

Hello, glad to have you here,
I have watched the hatchling for about 2 hours from indoors, and he kept on calling for food i guess for 1 hour 40 min 45.
Parent was nowhere in sight, not even to check or to chirp.

I have managed to raise it up to now fletcling, very few feathers from the tail are encased in tubes, like 0.3-0.4 mm at the pointy side.

I fed it by hand and i still do, i ve had it for 11 days today. Just got a cage for i guess the most common type of parrots.

It flies and hops around, i only keep it caged when its eyes are droopy and seems like it wants some sleep. But mostly at night because in daytime it "likes" to sleep on me/in my hands.


I fed it mostly worms that are used for fishing, and wiskas kitten food(soggy/moist).

It seems to be doing well, tbh im the one whose scared.
I dont want it to get hurt while flying )

For now it s well, i hope that soon it will eat by itself, not because i cant tend to it, but because i want it to be able to eat how much it wants, and drink how much water he wants.

It s very active, cant stay still for more than five minutes when it doesnt sleep.

I was scared the pecking was because he doesnt want me to touch him, but by itself it comes cuddling in my hands, just plops down in my hand or runs to my hands( i guess it s couse my hands are warm.)

He also chirps very loudly, especially when it s feeding time.

He taps it s beak alot for whatever reason.


I bought some small parrot seeds, small seeds and small pieces of seashells grit inside the seed mix. I hope it s gonna be good enough, my city doesnt have anything related or for small birds at any vet or at any petshop.

Also, funny thing i ve noticed, if it s looking at me while i speak, it opens it s beak aswell, but no sound, like it s mimicking me, very cute and funny.

I still am not sure of the finger pecking thing, but im pretty sure it doesnt want to hurt me.


Posted pic from when i found it, 2nd is like after 9/10 days
Excuse the ex bird cage, but it s all i could think of at the time, now it has a much better spot in a pretty big cage, living large (3rd pic)

Also please excuse the quality of the photos, i am by no means a pro, and have took the photos for my gf, not to post them here, but since some people might be in my spot, and need help for housing ideeas, there you go.

 

[SelvaVerde]

I'm happy to hear about the success you've had thus far....pretty impressive, and awesome that you care so much. My childhood experience is far more superficial, as they nested under our then apartment window air conditioner and were commonplace in the neighborhood. Grounded baby sparrows could commonly be seen in courtyards between buildings, etc. Admittedly, and although I loved animals and was fascinated by them, I didn't know how to raise one even if I attempted but handled many. Keep up the good work. I'm curious as to how it tuns out, whether once released it will stick around, etc. Best of luck!

 

[sprwmind]

I'm happy to hear about the success you've had thus far....pretty impressive, and awesome that you care so much. My childhood experience is far more superficial, as they nested under our then apartment window air conditioner and were commonplace in the neighborhood. Grounded baby sparrows could commonly be seen in courtyards between buildings, etc. Admittedly, and although I loved animals and was fascinated by them, I didn't know how to raise one even if I attempted but handled many. Keep up the good work. I'm curious as to how it tuns out, whether once released it will stick around, etc. Best of luck!

Thanks friend, i will update when something intersting happens.
Good luck to u too!

 

[iamwhoiam]

Seems that he is doing well. I never used grit. Used the Tums in the cat food mixture for handfeeding and then when he was able to self feed would put cuttlebone in his cage that he could peck on by himself.
If you are going to keep him then consider getting a different cage when he gets older; something rectangular or square rather than round, nothing more than 1/4" bar spacing.
Have you tried millet spray with him yet?
They can actually learn to mimic. Spee could say a few words. Here is a sparrow in Japan who learned to talk: