FINCHforum

So I have two six day old zebra's. One of them is doing great, it's chirp/crying when I open the shoe box to check on/feed them, it eats plenty and is gaining weight and getting more 'feathers' every time I look at it. This one is a lot lighter in color than the other it seems (don't know if this is relevant, but I figured I'd give all the info I have), he/she has looks like it is going to have white feathers and its beak is predominately pink.
The other one is the problem chick. it is about 2/3 the size of the first one, and while it eats willingly, it isn't as voracious and it is not growing as fast, the size difference was quite less when I first picked them up. This chick looks to have mostly black/grey feathers coming in as well, and a dark beak. I'm using Kaytee Exacta Handfeeding Formula mixed as the directions say; a clean, 1/2 cc syringe for each, and I'm boiling filtered water to mix it up (I do check the temp before I feed them). I'm feeding about every five hours (when their crops empty).

And thoughts?

Usually at this age, they need feeding more often than every five hours--every 2-3 hours is more like it. It is hard to handfeed finches, since they are so tiny, but sounds like you are doing it right. The smaller one just may not be doing as well, but as long as it is eating willingly, that is a good sign.

When I first got them (four days old) they had crops full of seed from the parents, so I got up every two hours to check and see if their crops had emptied. It was about 6 hourse before they did. I've pretty much been watching them really close and trying to estimate my night feedings accordingly. However, I fed them at 8 this morning and they were ready again at about 11.

Thanks though, I feel a little better about him/her now.

The smaller one may have hatched later too.. there is usually one baby that is smaller than the rest.

So if they parents were originallu feeding these babies, why were they taken away???

I think that at the age they are currently at, you are supposed to be feeding them in the middle of the night.

I was told by a couple of people in my area that raise them and read online somewhere that you can hand raise them for tame pets and that- though demanding- it was do-able. [shrug] I decided to give it a whirl.

Also, they were in an outdoor aviary at my grandpa's (the temp here lately has been 50's-60's in the day) and the parents weren't sitting on them at all, so I was a little worried they would get too cold anyway. If I made a mistake then I'll not do it again, but as it stands they seem to be doing well and I'm commited to doing everything I can to be sure they're healthy and happy.

Oh yes, I am feeding them during the night. I just meant that I was trying to gauge when I needed to get up to feed them by how long it was taking their crops to empty during the day.

It's like having a newborn baby.... oh my, I remember those days! I was ALWAYS tired! When baby slept, so did I. I was lucky to get to stay home with my daughter the first two years, then got divorced and now I work, but I'm glad I got to watch her those first years. They are precious!

Same with birds.... I think that is why so many people breed them, b/c babies are always so exciting. Then they become adults... and we don't like them as much

ha ha, yeah. Sunday, the first morning after I got them, I walked down stairs and grumbled something about needing coffee before church. Dad heard me, laughed and said, "Hey, welcome to parenthood." I adore babies though! I worked in a vet's office for a summer job last year and my favorite part was definately the C-Sections: dogs, cats, even a cow! I loved helping.

Oh yeah, the smaller of the two is still not catching up, it isn't getting that many feather's in and it just doesn't seem that active. I'm starting to wonder if maybe it needs something diff from the other one, who is starting to scramble around the 'nest' and who chirps every time I open the box. I have some pedialyte, should I mix the formula up with that for a couple of days, just for the smaller one?

I think the pedialyte would be OK to try, and about all you can do at this point. The formula has everything it should need, just have to see how it does.

when i was raising a zebra i always finished thier food with a few drops of tepid water dont know if there is any liquid in that formula but you dont want them bunged up


ken

It comes in a powder form and the directions say to mix it with hot water and allow it to cool before feeding. The little one's doing a bit better; suddenly he/she/it seems to be catching up some.