Handfeeding: HUGE air bubble in crop

[Sandra]

My 5 day old Gouldian baby swallows tones of air when he eats. He begs so often and I can hear him chirp too often. This AM his crop was fully empty. And sure enough, I gave him his first feeding of the day and oop more air then food goes in. I use a brush to get food in.

The food seems to go at normal timing but he's left with a huge air bubble! I tried 'burping' before a feeding but it just seems stuck there. So when I feed him it makes less room for food. He eats likes theres no tomorrow.

Am very concerned this will affect his health if he doesn't have proper quantity of food.

Any suggestions?

[Sally]

I've had this before with handfed babies. The ones that are the most eager eaters are the ones that seem to gulp in a lot of air while they are eating. I use a banding tool, and they still can get a lot of air that way. I've also tried burping, without much success. That is good that his crop is empty in the morning, that is natural--the crop should empty completely at least once per day, so the overnight no feeding period usually is when this happens. My babies that took in a lot of air seemed to do OK, the air bubbles finally go down somewhat.

[Sandra]

Thanks Sally.

Yes my baby is really at eating. He even hangs on the different feeding tools when I try to pull out.... he will literally hang on the tool!!!!

I tried the banding tool and it scares me because that the one thing he will really get a grip on and not letting go!

Even when he's in the incubator, and if he wiggles and his wing or leg passed in front of his beak, he will grab it and think its food!

I give food at longer intervals as I it seem his crop skin gets so thin it could pop. As soon as he'll poop, he'll start chirping and begging.

[MiaCarter]

I wouldn't worry about it, as long as the bubble goes down.
Some are just more eager than others.

If necessary, the air will get displaced by the food, (the air can exit while he's begging, as the "tube" to the crop is open during that time.)

So there's no need to worry. It will get better as he gets older.
Are you crop tubing him? That would eliminate some of the problem. If he's super enthusiastic, he'll swallow the crop tube straight away.

I too have tried burping without any real success. I'm frightened to apply real pressure. I used q-tips to apply pressure while he was begging, as they were smaller than my fingers.

[lovezebs]

Sandra
Good luck.

~Elana~

[afinch]

As Sally and Mia said, I wouldn't worry about if there's no compounding issues. the dangers of attempting to properly burp him are far greater than any benefit he'll get from it. I use a syringe so I very rarely see air in crops. But when I do, I check in the morning - if the crop is completely empty, all's fine.

[afinch]

Also, it's not the amount of food in the crop that matters. It's the amount of food that the baby processes during the day. So if the crop is never completely empty during the day (only overnight), then it makes little difference whether there's a bit of air in the crop or not.

[lovezebs]

Sandra
How is your baby doing? Hope all is well.

~Elana~

[Sandra]

Sandra
How is your baby doing? Hope all is well.

~Elana~

Baby seem to be ok. He is 7 days old already! Baby continues to swallow air but with the tube feeding is much less. Just last night it was more. This AM the crop seemed to be fully empty of food but there was like a little bubble and it seemed to be air. This morning he got more air in and he's already stretching his crop again! + He passes his days chirping with his beak closed and when he begs is worst! He's very very loud.

Look at him! His crop is full and look at his eyes is like they will open soon!

[cindy]

As long as the crop deflates completely and the baby is pooping normally I would not be to concerned. He is likely gulping air as he eats.... you posted this on a fbk group. Found it interesting one of the members suggested using different typed of long pasta as a feeding tool, disposable to.

[Sandra]

I think the scary part for me, is to see how much the crop stretches. When I barely put food in and its already full air.

With tube feeding is less air in but still gets in. Now I try to keep feeding at 2h as it gives more chances of catching a emptier crop for feeding.

[lovezebs]

Sandra
I think he's adorable. I hope things keep going well as he gets older. Yes lol, they do get loud.

~Elana~

[lovezebs]

cindy
Pasta.... that's an excellent idea. Never would have thought of that. No need to wash or disinfect, just break off a section. Any particular type that was recommended?

~Elana~

[cindy]

and she adjusts the size/type of pasta as the bird grows....disposable to. There is a video of it being used on a tiny owl finch baby on Finchaholics. Interesting!!