bendy Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Will go off googling after this post - anyone lese had what looks like a foetus almost of a bird and what it's chances are - seems to not be injured but too young to survive alone. Have set it up high in an unreacable bucket with 'bedding' to hope it's family finds it, no idea if the weather will kill it off though or how to feed it (though it's belly is massive so I reckon it is already full of food). Obviously have the option of taking it to the vets tomorrow if it's still there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Masked Tulip Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 You need to find someone local who specialises in looking after birds. Search online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 You need to find someone local who specialises in looking after birds. Search online. I believe Mr CCC is online! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gigantic Purple Slug Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Will go off googling after this post - anyone lese had what looks like a foetus almost of a bird and what it's chances are - seems to not be injured but too young to survive alone. Have set it up high in an unreacable bucket with 'bedding' to hope it's family finds it, no idea if the weather will kill it off though or how to feed it (though it's belly is massive so I reckon it is already full of food). Obviously have the option of taking it to the vets tomorrow if it's still there. It will probably die without the warmth of its parents, which are unlikely to come and pick it out of a random bucket and take it back to the nest. After all, have you ever seen birds flying around with babies in their beaks ? My guess is you need to take it in if it is to survive. You will need to maintain its warmth at the body temperature of the parent (no idea how) and feed it nasty stuff such as mashed up insects. I think a lot of birds feed their young on partially digested regurgitated crap. I have no idea how you do the partially digested bit. Surely the internet has some sort of site, how to care for a baby bird you can reference. Qualifier : I know sod all about looking after baby birds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendy Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 Cheers for the replies = phoned our local national vet centre and being a bank holiday monday got fobbed off to a place 30 miles away ring this guy. I think i'm just going to have to go with gut feeling as GPS says and take the thing in as it is literally featherless. Depressing stuff reading about birds There is a shop not too far a drive from me that does the stuff like dried worms/cockroach and all exotic meat waffle that I guess I could get a few bits from (probably cheaper to go to a fishermans shop and buy stuff from there that I'm sure birds will eat). It'll probably be dead by the morning regardless, cute thing though, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTMark Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Would agree with the above. One of ours did catch a fledgling once which couldn't fly and we managed to reunite it with parents by placing it near the nest (we knew roughly where it was) but it could call out and that was how they found it. For tonight it probably needs to be indoors and kept warm - must be more online - and will need specialist attention to stand any chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XswampyX Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Don't the smaller ones get tossed out of the nest by the bigger ones? The cat found it on the floor and brought it in. It's up to you or the vet to look after it I'm afraid. Even if you could find the nest, it's sibling would throw it out again. It's natures way, harsh, but for good reason. Once I was waiting for a bus and there was three of them on the ground. All dead. Like little aliens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Masked Tulip Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Any cuckoo sounds nearby? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiveinHope Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Dare I say, 'kill it' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Would agree with the above. One of ours did catch a fledgling once which couldn't fly and we managed to reunite it with parents by placing it near the nest (we knew roughly where it was) but it could call out and that was how they found it. For tonight it probably needs to be indoors and kept warm - must be more online - and will need specialist attention to stand any chance. Well done Sir! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ntb Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 See here http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00Man/AvianHusbandryTechniques/UKBHusbIndTech/HR_Av_Passerines.htm You will need to keep it at around 30C. Dried food is not a good idea. Wet cat food, chopped hard boiled egg. Iirc, some birds need stimulation to poo. The odds are not good but good on you for caring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wherebee Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 It's dead already - survival is just not likely if it does not have feathers at all yet. Give it back to the cat, and then get the cat a bell to stop if catching other birds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNACR Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 It's dead already - survival is just not likely if it does not have feathers at all yet. Give it back to the cat, and then get the cat a bell to stop if catching other birds. Yes, only feed it dead birds and animals, that come in a tin, from an abbatoir - it's what nature intended. My cats fed themselves before they got too old to catch enough. Was a bit miffed as I suspect the big one was behind the sudden mysterious disappearance of a green woodpecker that liked bouncing around in the cut grass. There's definitely more birds, post-cats, but on balance probably preferred the cats - more rodehts too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turned Out Nice Again Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 It's dead already - survival is just not likely if it does not have feathers at all yet. Give it back to the cat, and then get the cat a bell to stop if catching other birds. Hate cats. A non-native species that kills literally millions of UK garden birds every year. Putting bells on them should be an ownership requirement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StainlessSteelCat Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 Yep, tempted to say give it back to the cat myself. The chances are not good and it will require a lot of attention at that age. I once found a starling chick - fully feathered. Managed to keep it alive for a week before it died. Birds are very susceptible to shock and will die on you for no apparent reason other than they simply give up. I've had several rescues/road traffic accidents. Again the odds of them surviving long enough to recover are quite low - I did have a couple of successes though. I have a love/hate relationship with cats (and dogs too). Really like the idea of a cat - but for sure they are very damaging to local wildlife. Plus the neighbours ones crap all over our garden. I guess our own would stop that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bovinedealer Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 Hate cats. A non-native species that kills literally millions of UK garden birds every year. Putting bells on them should be an ownership requirement. +1 I attempted to save a little baby bird many years ago a cat had got once. Spoke to the RSPB (IIRC), and they said give it sugar solution, keep it warm etc, but I couldn't get it too feed and it died within three hours of my pathetic attempts unfortunately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendy Posted May 26, 2015 Author Share Posted May 26, 2015 Gonna have to take the poor blighter to the vets, afraid my full size turkey baster doesn't quite work as a pipette, more likely to drown it (even if it did it's hardly opening its beak). Sad thing is I can't see the vet doing any more for it than we can so would guess its chances are just as slim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Bear Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 I read somewhere that if a cat's teeth have pierced the skin even slightly, then the bacteria on said teeth will kill whatever it is pretty fast. Not sure I could do it myself, but I would guess that knocking the poor little thing on the head, hard, might be the kindest way unless you are an expert at these things. I remember as a kid, bringing in a baby robin, more or less fully feathered, that a cat had got. It had seemed fine, and was eating, but we came down in the morning to find it dead anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longtomsilver Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 Hate cats. A non-native species that kills literally millions of UK garden birds every year. Putting bells on them should be an ownership requirement.It would only serve to make cats better hunters. There was a documentary on this ~twenty years ago that I saw and the cats would get closer, more quietly until the pounce where the bell would then sound by which time it was too late for the prey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahBell Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 Dare I say, 'kill it' Let the cat finish the job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wherebee Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 It would only serve to make cats better hunters. There was a documentary on this ~twenty years ago that I saw and the cats would get closer, more quietly until the pounce where the bell would then sound by which time it was too late for the prey. well that is true - my old cat actually learnt to cover his bell with one paw whilst he stalked three legged to get closer. First time I saw him do it I thought he'd lost a leg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Masked Tulip Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 Reminds me of my time in college driving home with a very feminist friend in the passenger seat. At traffic lights a magpie chased a smaller bird down onto the road and began smashing it head on the road. My friend jumped out of the car, scared off the magpie and then we were left with a small injured bird. At which point my feminist friend told me to drop a brick on its head as I was the man. Yep. She then decided we needed to find someone to look after it and we ended up going to various animal shelters and eventually the local Police station where - I am sure they were trying not to laugh - they directed us to the home of a vet who took in stray birds. Yes, the vet did indeed take it in saying that it had a broken wing. This was over 20 years ago and, to this day, I have no idea whether the bird survived or whether it was dispatched within minutes of us leaving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Bear Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 Let the cat finish the job. No! Cats play with their prey. Quick bash on the head would be much kinder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendy Posted May 26, 2015 Author Share Posted May 26, 2015 Taken it to the vets and they are going to call some avian specialist - may find out later what's happened to it if i return for my 3 quid bucket it was in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendy Posted May 26, 2015 Author Share Posted May 26, 2015 Brown bread I'm afraid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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