Owl Child

[finchboy]

With your love for the little one, if it pulls through, the joy will be immeasurable for you.

[Smurf]

So sorry to hear this and he/she was doing so well, hopefully he'll pull through.


I found that if nest was disturbed they would abandon/ignore chicks and start a new clutch either in new nest or on top of abandoned clutch which was learned the hard way and it was only by leaving nest alone that they started rearing successfully, i've a pair at moment with a clutch that was due last sunday but won't go near nest until possible chicks would be an estimated 6-8 days old for banding and even then i cordon off the parents at 1 end of double breeder so they don't see what i'm doing, all i know is when 1st egg was layed with and will have no idea if any hatched until then. Maybe i'm over cautious but it works.

[debbie276]

Same here Padraic, there is no messing with them once you see an egg or they abandon the whole lot.

[lovezebs]

Smurf

Hi Padraic.

I did leave these guys alone, until I stopped hearing begging, which was shortly after the other two (Star raised fledglings) decided to sit in the nest overnight.

Right now the little darling is sleeping in the palm of my hand, following his breakfast.

He reminds me of premies in a neo natal unit .

[Malti]

lovezebs

2 hrly during day or night as well? I reared thrown house sparrows but they would be mostly fledged

[wilkifam]

Do you have any societies that might feed him?

[lovezebs]

Malti

With tiny tots (just hatched) , I have fed every two hours around the clock for the first few days, then cut it back to last feeding (a big one) around midnight. First feeding, (a big one) around six in the morning, when babies would be clamoring for a feeding.

Owl Child doesn't beg (which worries me). He'll eat, if I poke the food Into his mouth, but he shows no enthusiasm about it.

However, as long as he eats and he poops, and he sighs and goes to sleep peacefully in my hand, I'm going to offer him a chance at life. At least he knows warmth and a full tummy, and some comfort .

[lovezebs]

wilkifam

He won't beg, so the Societies would not feed him.
I had thought of seeing if my two Stars (who are just weaning two Owl fledglings) might step in, but again (same problem), he won't beg (even when his parents step into the nest).

[lovezebs]

.

[finchboy]

Talking about leaving them alone to raise the hatchlings, it reminds me of a time when my hamster ate all her hairless newborn babies alive, apparently because she thought the cage was threatened. The sight of it was extremely heartbreaking as the tiny squeaks of the young ones could be heard as they were bitten into bits.

Such is the natural instinct of these small animals. Great care should be taken not to disturb them.

[lovezebs]

Well, I removed Owl Child out of the Owl nest. Parents, are not feeding anyway, so no sense upsetting the whole flight by contorting myself into a pretzel everytime to get him in and out.

He is in his own little home now, under a warming light, and appears to be comfortable.

He actually opened his mouth to beg for the first time. It was a soundless begging, but begging non the less

[Babs _Owner]

lovezebs

By tomorrow his association with you and food will be much stronger.

Looks like you will be on your way to a tame little friend there. **LOUD COUGH** He needs his own cage (I sad that superfast you didnt hear me), cough, cough COUGH!!!.

[finchboy]

lovezebs
That's a great sign. As long as he eats, chances of success are high.

[lovezebs]

Babs

Right now his abode consists of a plastic margarine container, well padded with paper towels and kleenex.

Once I see that he's mobile and thinking of greener pastures (if he survives that long), there are several small cages that he can move into, until he weans.

You really need to take care of that cough girl, maybe some tea, or chicken soup.......

[lovezebs]

finchboy

Keeping my toes crossed here .