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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


16/07/05

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.

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