3 week ok zebra being attacked by mother...not fed

[cindy]

Do you have a heat lamp on him....very important, the warmth will help him not use up reserves staying warm and it will help him heal.

[Corkysgirl]

Yes, the heat lamp is right on him. It's about 85 degrees in his cage because there's an oil radiator in the room. The father's still in there but he doesn't want to be, so he flies to the top to see the other birds and then a few times, fell on top of the baby, totally oblivious. He won't feed him or pay attention to him. I don't know how often to feed him. I heard cheeping...the first time, very loudly! I knew it wasn't the three babies so went in to investigate and he was up and out of the nest, standing and waddling around. It's the first time he's walked around, and flew a good amount. He's much more energetic. I think he was hungry, not being fed. He still won't open his mouth to be fed. I just force fed him oatmeal cereal with blueberries we had frozen from the white cap mountains, and honey water. He ate a good amount and now is sleeping, his head tucked. I'll just keep trying different things. After I feed him, he pants somewhat, just a little mouth open and shut very slightly, every time. He's not choking and I am very careful he's a little downward so nothing goes in his lungs.

[cindy]

With young chicks handfeeding I would be extremely carefull...stick to a basic formula mix, leave the berries and veggies out. They get use to a certain texture and taste and sometimes will refuse food if offered.

Hold off on the fruit for now. The rice cereal will be easier for him to digest, the oatmeal will be to heavy for his sensitive digestive tract...piece of advice...if you keep changing the formula mix you will end up with a sick chick, his digestive track is still growing...stick to the basic rice cereal mix with applesauce I suggested, easier to digest, don't try different things at this point.

Once he is weaned then try the fruits and veggies on a plate with his seeds.

[Corkysgirl]

I said oatmeal cereal. I meant rice cereal. Earths Best Rice Cereal, the same I've been feeding him. I keep thinking it's oatmeal. It's good to know about not changing the food. I'll stick to the same thing. Just fed him the egg yolk/water/honey mush. I saw him open his mouth one time to his father. First time I ever saw it. Had to take the father out because he's on purpose going to the top of the cage and jumping down full body on top of the baby. I thought it was just by chance until he did it over and over again and could have landed other places. He won't feed him or even look at him. The baby's fluffed up now. Also seems like he may be having seizures. I can only keep him warm and feed him. He ate by force and then is still doing the open beak...sort of panting afterwards. (Title was supposed to read 3 week "old" zebra)

[cindy]

Add the rice cereal every time you feed him, it has some vitamins and minerals in it. if it is 85 in your room, he may be panting due to the heat lamp being on him, you can move it away from him or take it away to see if the panting stops.

[Corkysgirl]

I will add the rice cereal each time. Thanks! He's not panting, as in beak open like my other bird did. He can also get away from the lamp. He only does it immediately after feeding him, no other time. He's not even in that room when I feed him and it's much cooler in the living room. Also his beak is only opened about 1/16th of an inch, not 1/4 inch like when they pant. It's different. Tonight after feeding him he didn't do it at all, first time though. He was very vocal all night. First time I heard him was this afternoon, cheep once. Then tonight non-stop, and I mean....non-stop! He seems much better, though fluffed up (that's new). But still, much more energy, flying more, yet is off somehow, like drunk when he flies. Still think he's having slight seizures. Keeps doing the twitching but tonight his whole body did it again and again. This is so different to me than anything I've seen before!

[cindy]

Open beak is sometime a reaction to stress. Like if you chace a bird or working in the cage some birds sit open beak a bit nervous.

[Corkysgirl]

That makes sense! He's still not opening his mouth for food but is very vocal and animated, I'll keep doing wahat you advised. Thanks!

[Corkysgirl]

Wow, it's only been two days! It feels like a week. The first two days...Thursday, Friday, I had to force feed him. There was no way he was opening his mouth. I thought something was wrong with his ability to eat because he never once did. Today, he saw me and immediately opened his mouth looking to eat. All day, the same thing, so now I won't feed him unless he opens his mouth for food. He hasn't gained any weight in the last two days but the fact that he's survived to me is a big deal at this point. I think he now gets the idea and he is serious about eating! Should he have food in his crop at the age a 3 weeks plus. I assume that's what he is. He's completely feathered out and can fly. He has no food in his crop after I feed him. I don't know much about this. I feed him until he doesn't want any more. Then when he calls and I go in and if his mouth is open, I quickly prepare more food. I think he'll start gaining now because today he ate 5 times more than yesterday.

[cindy]

The crop should empty before you give him more food. If his crop is still full after an hour or two and you top him off with new food on top older food from the previous feeding he can get sour crop or bacteria can form.

[Corkysgirl]

I don't know how to tell if his crop is empty or full. I can see with the new babies, the yellow. There is nothing...by sight on him to tell me if it's full or not. How can I know?

[cindy]

same way you can with babies but you will need to move the feathers back to see them.

[Corkysgirl]

I did do that and I see no crop. His neck is skinny as in scrawny and no meat on it and very short, goes right to his chest. Is it possible to not have one? I just feed him a full meal a little while after all night not eating and I still see no crop. Would the mother have booted him if he had a defect and that was it?

[cindy]

all birds have crops....you can also see the seed/food inbtween the back shoulder blades...it the crop is empty then you can feed him, after the meal take a look and see if you notice the food in the crop and between the shoulder blades.

[Corkysgirl]

Yes, I just fed him again. Before and after, there is absolutely NO food in the crop. It is thin skin, no air, no food. His poop is dark green. I know that's not good. Can it just be bypassing the crop because something is wrong with him? He eats a good amount so I would think some should be going in the crop!