Taking Care of a New Young Baby Bird
Bringing a handfed baby bird home for the first time can be stressful for the bird and the
owner. It can also be a very enjoyable time if you make sure ahead of time that you have all
the equipment you need and everything is set up properly.
Your first concern should be making sure your new arrival will be set up in an area of your
home that is not loud and hectic. Keep him out of high traffic areas, but don’t hide him away
where he won’t get any interaction. Try to find a place where you will be readily available to
him, but he also won’t be right in the middle of the action.
If he is an addition to one or more birds that you already own, you’ll need to quarantine the
new bird for at least 30 days in case he is carrying some kind of infectious disease. This way,
you reduce the risk of your existing birds getting sick. If you can, keep the new bird on a
different floor of the house than the original bird. Keep all of their cups and dishes separate as
well. Homes with central air may be problematic since the air circulates all over the house.
You’re still better off than if you would put the birds together right away and risk spreading
disease.
The next thing you should do is have your new bird seen by an avian veterinarian. He can
rule out any worms, infections or contagious diseases. Do this as soon as you can, because if
your bird was not handfed properly, he could be at risk for a bacterial infection. For a bird this
young, it could prove to be deadly if not caught right away.
It’s very important, at this point, to make sure your bird gets the nutrition he needs. After
24 hours, if your bird hasn’t started eating, you may give him some spray millet. This is often
considered a treat for birds. You might be able to get your bird to nibble on some whole grain
cereal as well. Sometimes a newly weaned baby might come home and refuse to eat because
he wasn’t quite ready to be weaned yet. If this is the case your bird may make a squalling
sound along with not eating. When this happens, you should contact your breeder for
assistance with handfeeding.
You can find handfeeding formula at most pet stores if your breeder is unavailable. The
mixed formula should be about the consistency of pudding. If you take a small amount and offer
it to your bird from a spoon, he should eat it right up. Continue this for a short time, and then
try weaning your bird again.
Finally, don’t over stimulate your new bird by interacting with him too much. It’s
recommended that you don’t spend more than 10 minutes at a time. Any more than this could
stress your bird. If you have to chase him after he flies away from you a few times, place him
back in his cage to allow him to calm down before working with him again. Always monitor your
bird closely to be sure he does not become overstressed.
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