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

[Corkysgirl]

One of my zebra pairs hatched out one baby. It is about three weeks old. I wasn't expecting it so not sure exactly. It is fully covered in feathers and can fly somewhat. I noticed it's very lethargic, not sick looking, but slow, yet if I pick it up, it has a lot of energy, moves all over, turns head fast, etc.. I wondered if maybe it was just not very bright as it just sits and watches things. He lets me pick him up, and hold him willingly...too willingly. Tonight his mother threw him out of the nest but then attacked him viciously. I put him back in because I was putting them to bed for the night and she did it again making a hole in his head. I removed him to another small cage nearer to heat, full spectrum bulb, but now wonder what to do to feed him. He didn't seem interested in seed yet at all. Before bed I put his beak downward into pedialyte/really raw honey on a spoon, thinking, if he's dehydrated, or low sugar, hasn't been fed in a while, I didn't want him to die overnight and he drank some. I put him in a cage with small millet from a spray, water and a tiny nest. He was getting himself comfortable in it when I put him to bed. It's seems like he's "not all there" yet he has energy, not fluffed up, clicking, or any other symptoms. I don't know how to care for him now.

[finchmix22]

He's probably stunned from the attack and head injury. You're doing the right things, so in the morning give him some hard boiled egg, chopped up finely and sprinkle some handfeeding formula on top or mix into the egg. All fledges love eggfood. Just watch him and see if the wound on the head may need some neosporin or Quick Gel, if you have some to prevent an infection. I'd add Thrive or Vitalize to his water for now to help him recover. Heat and something he can eat and drink should help him regroup. Hopefully, he does not have any permanent damage. Hope he gets better.

[Corkysgirl]

Thank you. I will try the hard boiled egg in the morning. I don't have any handfeeding formula, or anything else for that matter except antibiotics, acidopholis. I have to mail order everything as I live very far from stores. I wasn't thinking they were going to hatch out any yet. They'd been sitting on them a while and they're 2 of 8 born in May. Guess I thought they waited till they were a bit older. Well, now I see three more just hatched in another nest. I did put vitamin drops in the water and I put colloidal silver on the wound before bed. I'll put neosporin on in the morning. Thanks again.

[ac12]

He is at the just fledged age.
You have another 3-4 weeks before he will be weaned.
Gud Luk.

First, go to the Breeding section and read up on hand feeding. There is a LOT of info there.

Tomorrow go to Petsmart and buy LaFebers Nutri Start hand feeding mix, or Kaytee Exact. That will be what you will feed the chick until he weans.

When you mix the hand feed mix, the mix will thicken over time as they absorb the water, so you need to constantly watch how thick it is. Kaytee absorbs water much slower than LaFeber. As it absorbs water it thickens, add more water to get it back to a liquidy state. The water must be at about 105F when you feed. The temp is is from memory so check the posts and the instructions with the hand feed mix. It is IMPORTANT that you don't make the water too hot, or you will burn his crop.

When you feed, you must be VERY VERY careful not to aspirate him. The best method that I have read is to use something like the back end of a banding tool or a flat toothpick and let him lick the food off the tool. That way he swallows the food and less likely to aspirate him. Feeding with a dropper is very tricky unless you know what you are doing. It is too easy to put the food into his lungs and aspirate him.

Again gud luk

[cindy]

Baby zebras when they fledged still need to be handfed. If he does not eat on his own he will need to be given back to the parents or you will to hand feed him until he weans.

Often when young fledged they will return to the nest to sleep for a few nights. The parent eventually chase the young out but continue to feed, usually dad finishes out the feeding if mom is sitting on eggs again.

If you can not handfeed him you can put him in with the dad so he can feed since chances are he is not ready to eat on his own.

Another option is placing him in with the parent let them feed him out but give him a separate nest to sleep in.

[ac12]

Duh....
Yes Cindy's recommendation.

Separate mom and dad and give the chick to dad to finish raising.

That is what I have done when I had one chick picked on by one of the parents. I my case it had been white or pied chicks picked on by mom. Funny how mom was always the nasty parent.

[cindy]

Gary, I watch mine a lot.....the father seems to be the primary care giver after the chicks fledged. Mom helps some but it is mostly dad. Mom is to busy trying to nest again if she slipped a second clutch in.

[ac12]

@Cindy
I wonder if that is why the mothers were almost always the one that picked on the chicks. She wanted to get back to another clutch, and the chicks were a distraction. I always though it was the male that was like that.

I remove the nest after the chicks fledge, so there isn't the distraction of the nest, specifically to prevent another clutch so close behind.

[DanteD716]

The reason I started handfeeding is because MOM was also picking and plucking the little guy. Dad just ignored him. Why is it the mother is always the mean one?

[cindy]

Gary, if she snuck a second clutch in prior to the first clutch fledging she is worse, she chases them about, almost scolding them, she often chaces the dad. He ends up with babysitting detail as the mom is busy in the nest.

This is one reason when putting a nest up in the cage I add another roosting spot/nest/mesh tube for the young to go to. They are doing what is natural going into theire roosting spot only to be shooed away by mom. Seems to work, the young have a secure place to sleep and dad feeds out. I just whent through tht with the penguins.

[Corkysgirl]

I got up and feed him oatmeal babyfood flakes mixed with warm water and really raw honey until the eggs cook. I noticed he never opens his mouth looking for food. Didn't do it when I put the father in with him though at that point he didn't eat yet after all night. I thought it was a great idea, he would take over and feed. The father is anxious to get out of that cage, back with the others, keeps jumping up and landing on the baby and not caring. The baby is acting lethargic until you touch it and it's full of energy. I thought it was blind because of how it's acting but it's not. He ate some but I had to force him. Used the tip of a plastic fork. No Pet Smart until 50 miles from here and my father in law is dying so we're on death watch...at the hospital back and forth. Can't make the trip now. I have millet, no hulls. Can I cook that and make mush with a food processor? That, the egg, the organic brown rice cereal. I can buy baby food...carrots, green beens, etc. and thicken them with the brown rice cereal. I'm going to have to go with second best diet here. Any ideas why he won't ask for food, yet he's still got a lot of energy? Never saw anything like this!

[ac12]

I would mash part of a hardboiled egg into a paste, so it is easy for him to swallow it. Egg probably has the best nutrition for the chick. You only need part of the egg. If you use the entire egg, it will go bad before you finish it.

gud luk

[DanteD716]

are they in a flight or aviary all together? (your birds) if they in a breeding cage, put dad and baby in their original cage, and take mom out.

[cindy]

We use to make our own formula up prior to the ready made ones...

Rice baby cereal
Honey
Water
unsweeten non chunky applesause
Petamine (since you are far away from stores the egg yolk mashed will do as well as pelllets ground)
Wheat germ unsweetened

I assume you are using a microwave so take the water a tiny bit of honey and warm it, mix in the baby food egg yolk and wheat germ. (If the wheat germ is to course you can pwoder it in a coffee grinder)stir well until it is a runny pea soup texture, you may add a tiny bit of applesauce. The temp needs to be between 100 and 105, use a candy thermometer.

If you do not have a banding tool a Bic pen cap (long pionty part that hold the pen to your pocket) will do in a pinch.

[Corkysgirl]

Trying to reply to multiple posts. There are 6 zebras in a flight cage. Each pair has their own nest...one extra. The mother of this baby has one egg in her nest that she hasn't been laying on but checks often by looking in. No idea why! Their is another pair in the same flight cage with the 3 babies, about 1 week old. I don't think I can do any rearranging to put the father in that cage with original nest as that would mean upsetting 6 birds. I have them, father and baby in a sick cage with a nest. Another female in a medium cage, a male in a separate medium cage...a pair. She had a previous eye infection. He doesn't let her eat. They are permanently separated now. I have a sterilized flight cage not being used. I didn't separate the 6 because whenever I take one out for various reasons, they protest loudly until it's returned. I fed the baby the egg, applesauce, honey, oatmeal mixture. Can't get to the store yet for wheat germ. It does not open his mouth at all, ever! I have to pry it opened. It will swallow what goes in but he never does what all babies do to look for food. He's resting in the nest now. I saw him twitching his head to the side like a seizure motion earlier, but only to one side. He lays in one place, won't look for anything to do when on the floor. Will sit in a corner and look at the wall, the reason I thought he was blind, but he's not. If I pick him up, he's very animated and has a lot of energy and is strong. Not fluffed up and no other signs of illness. Head wound looks good. Not sure how often to feed him.