I have been looking after a sparrow that fell from it's nest 5 days ago but she (milly :)) is turning her nose up at bread soaked in milk now. I have been giving her some tiny slugs which she loves. yuck! but I am running out. Now under normal circumstances I would be overjoyed to be slug free but right now I need as many as possible, she's getting hungrier and hungrier. Any ideas what else I can feed Milly on.
She's got her eyes open now and some wing feathers but not much on her body. Bless ;D
Worms, if you can find any in this weather. Maggots, you'd get them from a fishing tackle shop. Hope it works.
Mealworms (or mini mealworms) would be the best thing - you can get them from http://www.gardenbird.com/index.htm or http://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/ & lots of other bird food suppliers. Get the live ones not the dried ones as baby birds need moisture with their food. If I remember rightly wigglywigglers are cheaper but gardenbirdsupplies do next day delivery if you want them in a hurry. In the meanwhile you could try pieces of sultana soaked in water - don't know whether sparrows are normally fruit-eating birds but other garden birds eat them & they might keep her alive.
Hope she survives!
Hello, hope the little mite is still bright and active.
I've done a bit of a stint at a wildlife hospital, and orphans' season was total chaos, but gave immense satisfaction in that, despite all the ones that pegged it, those that survived do have decent chances in the wild.
I've been looking for something that would give you the basic do's and don'ts (web-based)... and contains feeding info that those outside of specialist units can find easily....
How about this... http://www.sttiggywinkles.org.uk/Discover_St_Tiggywinkles/Costs/Fact_Sheets/Orphan_Nestlings/body_orphan_nestlings.htm
...any use?
Spuggies are pretty tough little birds.
Make sure it's not standing on a flat surface (foot problems), try and replicate a nest, say a small bowl (low lipped), or equivalent, pad the base a bit, and line it with something like kitchen roll. You are looking for a bit of softness, protection from draughts, and warmth. Later on it'll need rough perches/twigs etc.
I'm afraid that bread and milk are not good options for most babes, but never fear, like I said, spuggies are tough.
Good recipe on the link above, and you can freeze the resulting 'glop' in ice-cube trays, and just defrost as needed.
When it gets bigger, you can add stuff like Bogena (from pet shops), mixed seed (separate little bowl), mealworms (pricked first, or chopped in half - can give it now, in addition to the 'glop' if you want), and a little water bowl...
Thank you for all the advice. Milly still going strong, gets noisier by the minute ;D. Sorry about the quality of pics but it gives you an idea of progress.
I put her outside in her box underneath the nest that she fell from so she can hear her siblings calling, is this a good idea?
Taken on 11/07/05
(http://img323.imageshack.us/img323/6854/milly11078gz.jpg)
16/07/05
(http://img323.imageshack.us/img323/7033/milly16076iy.jpg)
Aww bless.
Awwwwww :o She is ADORABLE !!
You can get some live mealworms from the pet shop down here. the dried out ones are no good as she could choke on them, but please do feed her on the live ones !
Well done - it's hard work feeding a baby bird !
:D ;D
Desperately trying to teach her the time so she knows the difference between 5 am. and 7 am ;D
Tried the local fisheries for food but they didn't have any, will try pet shop tomorrow. I broke up for the summer hols. today so shall have time to hunt.
Milly has quite a character and spits out the food she doesn't want/like.
As soon as she's had her first mouthfull she backs into a corner to do her business and waddles back to her nesting space.
Oh Ani, I wish you so well with her !
Of course you could also call the RSPCA to see what they suggest you feed her on. But live mealworms should be OK, I hope !
Good luck !
;) :D
aww bless she is so sweet good luck with her and do keep us updated of her progress
What a lovely dick bod :) Hope she makes it. The RSPA and B will be a source of info. Don't hesitate to call them - they may have some suitable food :) I hope your hard work pays off and she makes it. Would like to see you teaching her to fly ;D
Latest update: Milly is fine but a lot smaller than her siblings, I put her out underneath the nest with some food spread around and her family come down to eat the food but ignore Milly :'(.
Got some maggots which she loves, OH didn't secure top last night maggots all over kitchen floor this am. managed to vacuum all up before children saw. Though my 12yr. old had been in to make his breakfast and hadn't noticed ;D and there must have been about 100 of them crawling around. Hope I've got them all ;D It makes me cringe just thinking about it.
I've taken Milly for some flying lessons which she's mastered quite well but I can't see her being independent before I go away on Monday. She won't peck any food up off the floor.
(http://img314.imageshack.us/img314/4837/milly21078mu.jpg)
ani she is so lovely, glad to see she is doing well , what are u going to do with her when you go away , can you get in touch with the RSPB and see if they would take her for you ,or last hope she is up and away before u go on your holidays . Good luck
PS keep the maggots in the fridge it will make them not so lively
They were in the fridge! Had to chuck out all the stuff from the salad drawer. How they got out onto the kitchen floor I don't know. I thought fridges seals were meant to be just that - a seal! When the kids asked why I was vacuuming at 7am (obviously not usually that domesticated) I told them my their dad had spilled sugar while making a cuppa!
It's always the same isn't it - blame the bloke ;D - why couldn't it have been you who spilled the sugar?
RC its allways the mens fault u should know taht being a man
Ani she is absolutely adorable ! :D
Hopefully the RSPCA or the RSPB will take her in or know of someone in your area who could take care of her whilst you are on your holidays. When I could not keep my pet duck any longer, I was given the address of a nice man in Essex who took her into his lovely home. I just hope you can find someone similar !
Good luck !!!
Please let us know what is happening soon !
:D :D ;D
She is lovely, and you've done so well with her. I wish you luck. :)
I have been following this thread with interest. Really hope the sparrow will be alright. It looks like you are doing a difficult job well ani :)
If you still need slugs to feed her on, you could try watering the lawn well, pegging a plastic sheet down and turning it early in the morning. We did this to see how effective it was and there were hundreds of them hiding in the cool underneath.
 Then you could either pick some up and give to her or encourage her to peck on her own, maybe putting some of her favourite food amongst them so she recognises it as food, not just 'something else interesting to look at'.
 You may find that one day she starts to flap on her own and then she'll be gone <sniff, wibble> (but probably fairly tame in future). Incidentally, how do you know it's a girl?
wg
                :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(
Sadly Milly was caught by a cat while OH was babysitting her. She was perched on his shoulder and took off for a 5 metre flight and as she landed the neighbours cat who must have been hiding under their car, pounced. OH and the guy next door leapt up but it was too late.
I was so upset when I got home to be greeted with such awful news. OH was very apologetic and feels terribly guilty, he used to feed her as well.
When you called her she used to look at you then fly onto you. Poor Milly
                  :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(
Oh ani, this is terrible terrible news. :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(
But do try not to feel bad about it. You fed her and looked after her as best you could and she became a very handsome little sparrow. I know you must feel horrible. :D
Oh how very sad and shocking :o I'm crying now as I'm typing this. After all your hard work :( Cats will be cats though :( I really feel for you as you worked so hard and you must have bonded with the little mite. :'( :'( :'(
oh! ani!
how sad,
but you know, she really was living on borrowed time since she fell out of the nest. i know it's little consolation now but you gave her a far better chance than she would have had otherwise and i guess some things are just not to be.
chin up mate, you did all you possibly could.
Tara xx
aww, the poor wee spurdie!!! :( I rescued a swiftlet this evening from the middle of the road. It had fallen out of the nest in the roof, glided a short distance on the road and was lying helpless. Black and white cat one way, sparrowhawk in spruce trees other way. It's now tucked up in a box with a glove puppet for company. It was listening to rock n' roll on the radio till it nodded off and is now snoozing peacefully 8). It can crawl well - it crawled up the sleeve of my jumper and sat on my shoulder for ages! Can't fly though. Have caught moths, long legged sandys and other beasties, but it won't take them from my hand OR tweezers. Hopefully it'll be more hungry tomorrow or else I don't know what I'll do! Nest is far too high up to pop it back in :(
Spurdie, you could give the RSBP or the RSPCA a call. I am sure they can give you advice. Good luck !
;D ;D
awwww ani after all your hard work thats so sad , i do now how you fill i hand reared a budgie once and my own cat killed it :'( :'( :'( i even used to get up in night and feed it i was heart broken , i really do fill for you