Handfed Fire Finch Baby - Photos

[Sally]

Last Friday, my Senegal Fire finch pair started tossing babies. I replaced the first one 2 times, then gave up. Next they tossed a dead baby, then another live one. With that, I took their nest away, and found another live baby in the nest. I tried placing them with Society fosters, but I didn't have any of them ready for babies, so none of them would take over. I started handfeeding. Monday, I lost the middle baby (these guys were all different sizes, so obviously hatched different days). So far, the other two are still alive, but I take it one day at a time. I estimate the larger one to be about 11-12 days old now, with the smaller one 7-8 days. Here they are in my hand. It was hard to get a photo with both of them still--they are like little bobbleheads, constantly moving their heads back and forth when begging.



This is a photo of my brooder--a reptile carrying case with a heating pad taped to the bottom. I got some kind of electrical or plumbing tape that is heat resistant from Home Depot. I put a small dishtowel in the bottom, then a wet dishcloth is on the left, then babies in a paper-towel-lined canary nest, then a thermometer/hygrometer.

[L in Ontario]

Oh my gosh! GOOD LUCK with those tiny fellas, Sally! If anyone can keep them going, you can.

Were they first-time parents? Are the parents young?

The babies are adoreable!

[dfcauley]

Well Sally it looks like your doing a great job with them. I love your brooder set up. I am curious about the wet rag? What is it for?

Too bad we don't live closer. We could throw them in the nest with my societies which are fostering two courdon blue babies right now.

Keep us posted!

[Sally]

Liz, these are not first-time parents, which is why I am very surprised they tossed. These Fire finches are imports that I got September 2007. I lost the male from one pair, then the other pair made a nest and laid infertile eggs. The hen had lost most of her foot (think she had gotten caught in the wire mesh) and couldn't balance on the perch for mating, which I think is the reason for infertile eggs. I switched out hens, and that pair then laid, hatched, and raised 4 babies. I really didn't expect any problems with them this year--finches always keep you guessing!

Donna, the wet rag is to raise the humidity. I keep the temp in the low 90's, and the air has to be kept humid to keep their skin from drying out.

These little guys about wore me out. I was going to a mart last Saturday, so it was either take them along or leave them to die. The mart provided me with an electric cord so I could plug in my brooder, and I took a 'diaper bag' with me--thermos of hot water, bag of formula, plastic spoons and small cups, banding tool, kleenex, paper towels--like having a human baby! I had a converter that you plug into where you plug in your cell phone in the truck, then it converts DC to AC, so I could plug in the brooder for the trip to the mart. Had fed them every two hours Friday night, so I was really short of sleep on Saturday! Thank goodness they are sleeping thru the night now!

[L in Ontario]

I know what you mean by "finches keep you guessing." I had a pair of proven (by me) Gouldians toss their babies this season too. Go figure.

You're doing a terrific job there.

[Sally]

Well, I guess I posted this too soon, jinxed myself. I waited a week to see how they would do before saying anything about them. Anyway, I went to check on them just now, and the biggest one was dead. Food still in its crop. The littlest one is so tiny, it's like it is not growing, so I will be surprised if it makes it.

It's always hard to lose finches, but when handfeeding, you invest so much of yourself into it that you really get attached to them.

[dfcauley]

Gosh Sally, I am so sorry. At least you tried. I know alot of people hand feed, but I suppose there is nothing like the parents care.

Keep us posted on the other one. Again....so sorry.

[L in Ontario]

Aww I can only echo Donna's words. I'm so sorry for you and the babies. Handfeeding is the toughest job...

Hopefuly the parents will get it right next time.

[mickp]

Sally, when you say senegal firefinches do you mean red billed?
seem's odd for a pair of firefinches to toss young, mine never have. they are sitting on their 2 clutch for the season already.
all I can think of is that either the parents believed there was something wrong with the young or they got spooked.
it sucks though when you have no idea as to why it happened

[Sally]

Yes, mick, these are redbilled fire finches. I was very surprised to see them toss, too. I keep trying to figure out what went wrong, and I'm wondering if something was wrong with the babies--the two that have died since I started handfeeding seemed to be doing OK, and then just died, the third is so incredibly tiny still, like it is not growing. It is just starting to open its eyes tonight, they should be all the way open tomorrow. if it makes it thru the night.

They are in a breeding cage with a pair of Goldbreasts, these four were set up together last year, and both pair had one clutch each. They seem to get along just fine. The Goldbreasts haven't gone to nest yet--maybe they disturbed the Fires too much.

[Sally]

The lone survivor of the three Fire finch babies is still alive--it must be about two weeks old now, eyes have been open for about 4-5 days, and it has a good appetite, so I think it might make it now.

Last Sunday, I had to take away 4 babies from my BCCB pair #2--they had already tossed 2 dead babies, then I found the four in the nest, with one near death already. Sunday night, I lost another one. Two are still alive, and they seem to be doing better each day, though I have more than once thought that I was losing them. They started out eating just ONE DROP of formula at a time, then an hour later, they would eat one more drop. Their mouths were almost smaller than the one drop, so each drop was a lot for them.

Here is a photo of the three, with the Fire finch on the right. The photo is misleading--the Fire is much bigger than the BCCBs, and the BCCBs have more than doubled in size since Sunday. I'll keep you posted.

[Sally]

This is the three babies just after their last meal for the night. The Fire finch on the left is about to burst--and he still would have taken more, if I had let him! For reference to their size, I placed the leg banding tool which I use to feed them to the left of the Fire, and there is a normal size small plastic spoon in the back.

[dfcauley]

Sally your being kept busy with this hand feeding.
Perhaps you need to get some more society finches so you won't have to work so hard.

My two have been raising two that I THOUGHT were blue capped, until last night and I took them out and they were owls. Don't ask.....

My BCCB has just hatch some more... not sure how many, but I doubt he will take care of them. We will see.

Good luck and keep us posted on your babies.

[Sally]

Sounds like your Societies are doing a great job. I have 8 Societies, plus the Bronzewing/Society cross, and they are doing nothing! Even Felix and Oscar, my best fosters, aren't interested in breeding right now--grr!

[L in Ontario]

Good job Sally! I know how hard handfeeding is - it never seems to stop. Best wishes for getting these wee ones all the way through to weaning. They look adoreable!!