[Fnnkybutt]

Surprisingly enough, I've found another baby cuculi. Actually passed a woman in the street carrying it - but she gladly handed it over to me when I started trying to explain what she needed to do. This one seems a bit older than the last, has most of its feathers in. Unfortunately, i can't take a photo, between the last squeaker I found and this one, my husband has lost my camera.

Here's the situation as it is now - this one seems very thin. Hasn't pooped yet, I've only had it about 5 minutes. I don't have ANYTHING I can feed it - I spread a little bit of canary seed in the bottom of the box, but as of yet it's not touched it. No luck getting it to take a little water from a cup, either, but i'll mix up some rehydrating solution and give with a syringe. Tomorrow, I'll go to a bird fancier shop I found - mostly canaries and budgies, but hopefully they'll have some kind of baby bird formula.

My question, given how badly and quickly the last baby went down, should I go ahead and give it Bactrim? Will it do any harm to give it a course just to be on the safe side? It appears generally healthy but is a little puffed up, which after my last experience I'm assuming is a bad sign.

Any advice?

Thanks!

 

[Charis]

Oh my...
I think you need to start hydrating the little guy and warming him.
Do you remember the process?
I think you have a new calling.

 

[Fnnkybutt]

Oh my...
I think you need to start hydrating the little guy and warming him.
Do you remember the process?
I think you have a new calling.

Well, hopefully we'll be moving into the country in a couple years, I can have my own flock.


And yes, I've got him in a clean box with white paper towels, and am heating some water to mix up rehydrating fluid. He doesn't seem cold, but I'm not taking chances. I am concerned that he feels very thin - although it's clearly older than the last one, it's smaller and seems to weigh less.

 

[Charis]

Well, I think you should move to Oregon. I could use a crony near by.

 

[Fnnkybutt]

And a poop - little bit of white, with a little bit of brown solid. A very small poop, but not a touch of green that I can see.


What do you think about giving it Bactrim?

 

[Charis]

Warm and hydrate.
Look inside the mouth to see if it looks clear and pink with no yellow crusties.

 

[Pidgey]

Sounds like he's starving to death, besides possibly being sick. Actually, starvation is probably the biggest single reason that they do get sick in the first place. It's like an energy budget--you're burning so much to keep warm, so much to get around finding food and water, so much to digest food, so much to maintain your equipment (body) and so much to fight off infections all the time. When the income isn't enough to pay all the bills, something eventually gives.

Supplemental heat is one way to help take a lot of the burden off when they're sick. Safety (confinement) takes away the need to get around. That leaves one with the need to digest food (you can kill an emaciated bird very easily by feeding it too much at a time), fight off infections and start rebuilding the body. Antibiotics can also be thought of as "supplemental income" and can sometimes help even if they're the wrong antibiotic for the primary infection by freeing up the body from a lesser, secondary infection.

Usually, though, the best practice is to forego giving antibiotics blindly until some symptom shows up that suggests which one to use.

Pidgey

 

[Fnnkybutt]

OK then - I've got him in a box that's hovering around 80F inside, and I got some of the sugar/salt/water down him. I'll keep him warm and give him more water every hour until I go to bed. He sure did fight it, bless him - he does not like to be held. And fingers x'd, he'll still be ok in the morning, and i'll go on a hunt for some baby bird formula.

 

[Pidgey]

At his age, seeds, peas, wheat, milo, corn... all that stuff... would do. When I've got a youngster who's old enough to be on his own but that's not doing well in the loft but isn't actually sick, I often hold 'em and roll a few dried peas down them one at a time to give them something to tide them over while they learn how to fight for their own share. Some of them are just too timid by nature to do that and get run off from the feeder too easily. And the waterer. Don't have a crystal ball and can't tell anything about this one so far but it's often nice to see if you can start getting poop out the other end in order to tell how things are working and which way to jump. If you do feel that the Bactrim is warranted then you can go back to your other thread for dosing information based on the weight difference between the two birds.

Pidgey

 

[Fnnkybutt]

Well, warming him up sure made a difference - no more puffed up, and quite active. I'm having a hard time getting any fluids in him - he's much more of a fighter than the other one. I put a drop on his 'lips' and he shakes it off - I think I got more on my shirt than down his throat. :/ Tomorrow when it's a little warmer I'll try setting him a larger space, and see if I can't get him to drink on his own.

 

[Charis]

Great. Let us know in the morning. Fingers crossed for this baby.

 

[Fnnkybutt]

Well, morning always brings new surprises. There's definitely some sort of problem with him. I've looked in his mouth, and don't see anything unusual - but he keeps shaking his head - like he might if he was shaking water off, or a stray crumb caught on his beak. He was doing it when we woke up this morning, and gives it a shake every few seconds. I'm at a loss on this one - think I'm going to carry him to the bird man, see if he has an idea.

 

[Charis]

If you have a local bird man, that'a a good idea. It makes a huge difference when you can actually see, touch the bird live, rather than look at a picture.
Let us know.

 

[Fnnkybutt]

Unfortunately, didn't even have a chance to take him. The little fellow collapsed shortly after I wrote that and expired quickly. I'm stunned at how quickly he turned bad - but there was clearly something bad going on. He went from standing around shaking his head, then seemed to have seizures and lost control of one side of his body, with his wing stretched open and wrapped under his body, and unable to stand up. 5 minutes later, he was laying on his side, gone.

 

[Charis]

I'm sorry. You are gaining some very valuable experience though. We love hearing from you.
Still, its so hard to loose them. I never gets easier.

 

[Fnnkybutt]

Yes, I felt a lot more sure of what I needed to do, just a shame it was too late for him. I'm thinking of going to the bird guy anyway - I'm sure he could show me how to crop feed in case there's a next time. I hate feeling so helpless.

 

[Charis]

Good idea. There will be a next time because now you notice birds that need help. Best be prepared so you don't have to scramble.

 

[Skyeking]

Sorry to hear this bird didn't make it.

Best if you could find a rehabber or an avian vet in your area for future emergencies.

Thanks for helping.