one of the baby budgies in the nest of two ( the oldest one is 13 days old) wasn't looking very healthy, and now today I saw it at the corner of the box, ice cold, and having trouble breathing..the dad had been just walking over the top of it, and its 8 days old...and identical to the day it was born..I'm keeping it warm, the mum has fed it but not very much..Please help, is there any chance of it surviving, and if so, what should I do with it? I can't really put it back in the nest can I?

Edited October 26, 200816 yr by Jen144

awww it doesn't sound good if its 8 days old and still the size of the day it hatched. Can you post photos of it please

For now, keep it warm and when the crop empties see if you can get any food or water into it using a syringe (with no needle) and just touching a drop of fluid to the side of its beak - it should suck in the fluid on its own...

Edited October 26, 200816 yr by **Liv**

Well, I can't get any photos of it today, but here is one when it was 3 days old...it is exactly the same as that.

Also, what kind of food should I give it? I don't have any handraising mix for it..And its really having trouble breathing, its got its beak open and gasping for air..I don't think it will survive much longer..

 

I gave it some warm milk, and it went MAD for it, peeping and moving around heaps..It actually seems to be getting better now its warm and fed a bit..If it does survive, what should I do? I don't have an incubator (if I shouldn't put it back with its parents) and absolutely no experience handfeeding..Could someone please help?

Edited October 26, 200816 yr by Jen144

Pm Libby. she is one of our talented hand rarers here.

good luck. Doesn't sound good.

Alright, thanks for the help..one problem though, how do I pm people? I have no idea. (other than clicking on their avatar in a post and sending a pm that way)

I click Members up the top and then type in the persons name...

Edited October 26, 200816 yr by JimmyBanks

Best way is to click on members .... VERY Top right hand corner ... she has * in front of her name she is in the top listing

 

 

 

But if that baby is still the same size as it was at age 3 - It is extremely deprived of food - But are you sure that you have your days correct and the size?

 

If that was the case it really shouldn't be alive .... Good luck with it all mate ...

Edited October 26, 200816 yr by Neat

I am sure I have the days correct, I recorded exactly when it hatched etc..It is 8 days old today. Well then I am very glad that it is alive..Thanks all for your help.

If it warmed up now you can try takoing the older baby out for an hour and seeing if mum and dad will feed it

I'd have to do that every time it was time for them to be fed wouldn't I? (if I put it in and mum did feed it) And it was being trampled by the dad, because of its small size and how weak it was..Would it be safe to keep it in there, perhaps remove the dad so mum can raise them on her own?

do you have another pair that are breeding that have kids around the same age? You could always foster the healthy one out and see what happens with the young one.. I dunno I've never fostered so I'm not sure if you foster out the one that is having problems or the one that is healthy... others might be able to help you...

Unfortunately, I don't have another pair to foster to..but I could put the 13 day old bub and dad in one cage so he can feed it and mum can concentrate on the littlest one? I'm not sure that dad would incubate it, and if not, whether 13 days is old enough for it to keep itself warm, especially during the night..Also, other than be majorly under-fed, the baby appears to have one splayed leg, its right leg can fold up normally, but it keeps it sticking out almost side-ways, its hip joint seems to be red like it does have a splayed leg....

I had one with a leg like that, she's fine now she grew out of it. You wouldn't necessarily have to do it all the time, just keep an eye on it, once it has had a couple of good feeds it will get stronger

Edited October 27, 200816 yr by Neat
typo

Sent you a pm back, don't worry about the splay leg, that can be fixed at a later date, but the main problem with this bub is hydration by the sounds of the redness

okay thanks..I did send you another pm libby, I have a few questions. Going to get the handraising things I need now, have to bring the bub with me..Thank you all for the help, wish me luck. :hug:

GOOD LUCK!!!!

Oh mate... Good Luck! Please keep us updated

Okay the baby is fine so far, I've fed it twice. Its last feed was 3 hours ago, its crop isn't empty but it is around 3/4 to 1/2 full..does this mean that the temp is too low, that its digesting the food too slowly? Or is this normal..I've been trying to feed it but at the moment its refusing any food. Forgive me if I'm just being overly paranoid lol, but is this okay? Please reply soon.

Edited October 27, 200816 yr by Jen144

Can anyone answer? Should I just wait until it wants food or its crop empties, or should I be worried about it?

Hi there, hand rearing is difficult. When I was hand feeding a 2 day old baby it let me know when it was hungry and I did only feed it when it became restless or began to make noise. It seemed to do really well by that and I had no experience at all with hand feeding. Unfortunately I over heated it in my eagerness to do the right thing and it passed away. I'm pretty sure someone with lots more experience will be on soon to help you. Stay positive... and good luck.

Sorry mate... never hand fed before. They may be something in the FAQ's about it... or in Libby's post about crop milk?

Wait until the crop is empty!

 

If you feed it while there is still food in their you have high chances of sour crop

Found this mate: Hand feeding. Hope it helps some.

Please review our FAQ in the Breeding Section we have an article also we have an article on Crop Feeding too PINNED in one of the forums. Good luck and keep us updated.