Weaning hand reared bird?

monotwine · Post by **monotwine** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 2:08 am

Hi All just a quick Q.

It is probably a very obvious thing, but I have never hand reared finches successfully enough to get to the weaning stage. However, I have a young little white eye (insectivorous & fruit eater) that I think will get that far and would like to know how you go about weaning a hand fed baby. Especially not a seed eater. They are a bit easier to wean i suspect. I have handraised doves successfully.

This was a wild fledgling caught by a friends cat. Nursing it back to health, it feeds happily but it should within a week or two be ready to start eating on its own. I just want to be prepared.
It should have healed from its wounds then and will be off antibiotics within this week if that affects anything.

Help from all you experience persons will be much appreciated.

akidsgal · Post by **akidsgal** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 7:13 am

You have great patience and are a great person to save that little one. Weaning will come. They do tire of begging believe it or not. Some sooner and some later, but they do almost wean themselves. Are you planning on keeping this bird? I am thinking it to be so tame that if you release it it may think that all people are kind. Not sure what I would do about that.....

cindy · Post by **cindy** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 8:07 am

Depending on where you live there may be an wild bird sanctuary that can take the bird and teach it to survive in the wild, if you can't keep it.

If you keep it at least it will be used to you.

Out of curiousity does it look kind of like the picture below? I think the one below is an Oriental white eye, kind of like a Pekin. I have seen these at one of the shows. They also had ones that have a yellow head and tail with a gray middle. They were at the recent show I got my Red headed finches from.

monotwine · Post by **monotwine** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 4:16 pm

It is the Cape White Eye, Zosterops capensis. It has the grey middle with a smaller white ring around the eyes, yellowish head and tail with olive green type colored back.

This little one, if he survives his ordeal, will never be released. The cat that caught him did a good job on one of his legs and it had to be amputated fairly high up. The leg was broke in 3 places with the joint completely severed.

If I can get this little one rehabilitated, he will have a better life in my aviary than the local bird rescue. At least with me he will get individual attention and I can regularly check to see how its coping with one leg.
I just keep

ing he will be ok. I don't know why but I just felt I had to save this one. Usually with a leg that bad I would have put it down painlessly. This one is just a little fighter.

monotwine · Post by **monotwine** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 4:23 pm

How could I say no I won't help to such an innocent face? Vets only cost money and this is a little precious life.

Meagan83 · Post by **Meagan83** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 4:27 pm

Bless it's heart. And what a good person you are for helping the baby.

akidsgal · Post by **akidsgal** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 6:35 pm

And what a beautiful baby it is too! I am glad you were there to save him/her. Does he/she sing at all now that you have helped so much?

cindy · Post by **cindy** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 6:41 pm

Monotwine, he is adorable. I think you are doing the right thing and keeping him with you. He will bond to you with all the care you are giving him. He is sweet.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your little bird, hope he does well and improves and grows stronger everyday.

lovemyfinch · Post by **lovemyfinch** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 8:08 pm

Such a cutie pie...just look at that face...bless you for saving its life.

Post by **Sally** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 11:10 pm

How adorable, and I agree, you just have to save something that cute! I don't know much about softbills, but I have weaned a few handfed finches, and they always wean themselves. They start by sampling the eggfood, spray millet, hulled millet, plus the handfeeding formula I am giving them. They eat more each day, and then one day when I show up with the formula, instead of flying to me for their treat, they fly away, and from then on, I have been the great big predator to be feared!

CandoAviary · Post by **CandoAviary** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 12:07 am

Monotwine,
I sure hope this little guy makes it. So big hearted to try and save hime. I would do the same.
I have raised bluejays, thrashers, wrens.... I would always play a game with them once they got old enough and curious enough with their food... I have used worms and thick canned dog food for this...I would hold it up above the birds head and the chick would peck at it. I would then give it to him. Soon he would go after the food when I sat it on the ground. Then that was it... I could just sit a plate down and the bird would come running and eat just like a dog. Once outdoors...... there was much danger. But as soon as they became sexually mature they seemed to prefer the other birds company more than human company and soon reverted back to the wild bird they were meant to be. Of course they did not have the disability of a missing leg. A sanctuary would be a great option.
My prayers are with your little chick.

monotwine · Post by **monotwine** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 2:30 am

Thanks all.

Cando by your description I am then on the right track. It (which we named Sweet Pea) plays a little, but I don't think its old enough yet to know about pecking. Just fiddles and spits out for now. Its a start though.

akidsgal I think it is still too young for singing. All it does is cheep and "purr" for now. It is just a fledgling.

cindy · Post by **cindy** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 5:43 pm

Monotwine, I had to look up what the little baby will look like as it grows up. They are very pretty. I saw a yellow white eyed softbill similar to this but I believe the one the man had was Japanese.

I hope it continues to do well for you. If they are anything like the softbills, the Pekin robins they loved their meal worms!

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 10:51 pm

Well done bringing the bird along as far as you have so far.

Continued best wishes! It is adoreable!

monotwine · Post by **monotwine** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 2:00 am

I will keep you updated on Pea's progress. Seems to be going from strength to strength at the moment. Really likes the dried blood worms with its baby meal. Pea is off all meds and now been giving probiotics etc.
Stiches are due to come out Friday so only then will I see how well the wound has closed.

Learning to do a one legged hop under supervision everyday. I was a bit worried that Pea was not trying to stand / fly. However yesterday he/she discovered its wings and I eventually had to put him/her into the carry cage again to calm down. Just wanted to fly everywhere, but has no grace and I fear an accident.
So I have the little one on "bed rest" in its carry cage with short periods of excercise under supervision.
So far our prayers have been answered for this little one.

Below is a pic of what they look like when grown. Zosterops pallidus/capensis. Will see which as it molts out.
http://10000birds.com/cape-white-eye.htm

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Weaning hand reared bird?

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