Constipated sparrow - need help QUICKLY!

[fuzzhead_smurf]

I have a little bird that I'm fostering, and I'm pretty sure it's a sparrow from what everyone has told me. He's maybe two weeks old, and has most of his wing and head feathers, but no body feathers except for a few on his back. He's eating well, but I think he's constipated. His poops used to be normal - a big slimy brown blob and some white stuff. Now they are thick, and no white stuff, and sometimes I have to sqeeze his bottom gently to help him poop. He's on a diet of small crickets, some nectarines, and cilantro, which another member recommended. I thought the fruit would loosen him up, but not yet. Now I'm giving him the fruit soaked in water, but I don't know if that is working either. What can I do to help?, because I shouldn't give him water directly or he might drown in it. Please respond quickly, as I'm concerned for his health.

[Reti]

I am not sure of what is wrong with the baby as I am not familiar with sparrows. I would give water, he might be dehydrated.
Why can't you give water to sparrows?

Reti

[Trees Gray]

Have you checked the starling link for help?

http://www.starlingtalk.com/babycare.htm

The bird does need a certain ratio of water.

http://www.supra-cell.de/english/e_pro4.htm#sc60

[naturegirl]

Hi fuzzhead smurf try some olive oil not much maybe one drop and put a dap on his bottom as well. this may certainly help out and move things around. Give him some water with a syring dripping a little at the end of his beak it will run down his beak into his mouth. Stop with the crickets as this may be what is binding him badly. As he gets older his instincts will kick into high gear and he will hunt his own food automaticly. Stick with baby bird food and small seeds for now. Let me know if this works, have rehabbed many many sparrows so I know where you are coming from.

Cindy

[Maggie-NC]

I too think this baby is still a bit young for even the smallest crickets. Mealworms would be a better choice since they are soft. This sounds awful but I usually cut the heads off while birds are still young. When he starts eating on his own he can go back to the crickets and will be able to kill the mealworms on his own. However, sparrows are more seed eaters than insect eaters although they do need some insects - like mealworms.

You might try giving it a few pieces of scrambled eggs - no salt or other seasoning.

Get a good quality dry dog food - like Science Diet Adult Bites, soak them until they are soft but not mushy, split each soaked pellet and feed the baby with this. It will provide both nourishment and moisture.

I have never heard of feeding birds nectarines but maybe they do. We usually use cut up grapes or "smushed" apple pieces, kale or romaine.

[Charis]

Originally Posted by Reti

I am not sure of what is wrong with the baby as I am not familiar with sparrows. I would give water, he might be dehydrated.
Why can't you give water to sparrows?

Reti

You certainly can give water to sparrows.
With a dropper just give small amounts at a time. By small amount I mean a drop or two, let the baby swallow and do it again.
It will help if you very, very gently massage the crop after you give the water.
I don't know if you can get it in Alaska but I also use the Exact hand feeding formula for some of the feedings when I'm raising a sparrow. I supplement with little pieces of grapes, berries and what other soft fruit I have on hand. As Terry mentioned, egg is good too.

[TAWhatley]

I'd guess the little one is dehydrated too. Definitely get some fluid in the little bird and switch to food that is easier to digest until the little one is older.

Terry

[pdpbison]

Hi fuzzyhead smurf,



I myself would say do not ever give plain Water to any Baby Sparow, even if we hear of occasions where people have done so and got away with it. You will not feel any too happy spending the rest of the day watching it lay there on it's side gasping and contorting as it takes hours to finally die from aspirating it. And they will aspirate it, they are not endowed by Nature to be given plain Water, and would never have any till after they are self sufficient and hunting and so on, for them then, to drink...and for them, drinking is different than having Water put into their Beaks.


Your description does sound like the Sparrow is not getting enough Water-content in it's diet, or, is having some Kidney problems.

They do need "Cherrys", fresh ripe ones, or, non sulfite dried ones which one pre-soaks. This has to do with their manner of Calcium uptake...'Cherrys' and Chlorophyl both.

Nectarines, unles Organic or homw grown and for sure pestacide free, and definitely 'ripe' would not be so good.

Cut up, pre-soaked "Goji Berrys' are excellent, get at any Health Food Store.

They need Chlorophyll...and Chlorella or 'Super Greens' powders are fine to include also, and one rolls damp food bites in the powders...in addition to whatever other actual Greens such as the Cilantro.

They need Bugs which will have fresh Greens in their stomachs and intestings, if possible...or creative substitutes.

One sets a little saucer with the imminent ( pre=soak everything for that metter, and just shake off any clinging Water before 'rolling' and feeding) food bites...splashes a little fresh, new Bottle ( never an old one from the shelf ) Olive Oil on the saucer...sprinkles whatever powders onto/into that, and rolls the little food bites in this, then feeds the bites to them.


There are many instances where Meal Worms have been implicated in making problems for Baby Birds, oweing to bacteria the Worms can have in their guts... I myself tend to use them spareingly.

Buy the little thing of Meal Worms, and empty it into a good sized Bowl in which you have put fresh sliced Apples and Potatoes and Oat Meal...and let them cleanse themselves and thrive in the Bowl with those things for a few days before feeding any to the Bird youngster. Just keep them at room temperature. Mash the Mealworm's head with your fingernail, and or cut them into a few pieces in addition.

'Two Layer', Water-Pac Sardines, in moderation, are excellent...especially bites which contain skin and spines and so on. Rinse lightly is all...or pre-soak along with other impending food items.

I always pre-soak all food bites for ten or fifteen minutes, then shake off any clinging Water.


They can get constipated or dehydrated otherwise...especialy if one is in an arid clime.


Blue Berrys, Black Berries, Boisen Berrys, when ripe and wholesome, are great also in little bites...makes purple poops too...



Good luck..!


Phil
Las Vegas

[Rockie]

Hi Fuzz head smurf. I too have had great success w/moistened dog or cat kibble. I soak them in warm water for about 20-30 minutes, until I don't feel any hard parts left, but, not so mushy that it falls apart. Then I break them into small enough pieces that the sparrow can handle. They get a tremendous amount of water this way and a good amount of nutrition.

Also, I would dab a warm wet tissue on his/her vent for stimulation to help him poop.

Is he still aggressively asking for food?

Good luck and please let us know how the baby is doing.

P.S. Make sure you don't give any LIVE worms to him. Like Lady Tarheel said, you need to cut off the worms heads for him.

[fuzzhead_smurf]

Thanks so much for all of your quick replies! I especially want to thank the guy named Phil. You were really helpful with my other sparrow diet question. He's doing much better. I was giving him nectarines before and I think they were too dry and clogged him up. He's now eating crickets (a LOT of them! lol) and grapes as fruit, which have a mugh higher water content. His droppings are looking normal again and he's growing fast! He has almost all of his feathers except for the ones on his back and tummy. His wings and tail are coming in nicely and he's getting pretty mobile. He scoots around his box all day long and figured out how to tuck himself further under the blankets when he gets cold. When he's hungry he pops his head out from under the blanket and peeps for me. I've been taking him everywhere with me so I can take care of him, even to class. In two days my teachers have said he's gotten much louder! I took a whole bunch of photos and video but haven't uploaded them yet. I will soon! By the way, we named him Ronald (because of his big Ronald McDonald smile!)

[Reti]

That is great news.
Thank you for the update.

Reti

[Maggie-NC]

Thank you for the update. I am so glad he is doing well.

I love the name and your reason behind it - baby birds have great smiles!