Alright, guys. Starving orphan arriving in T-16 hours. Help me dot my i's in prep

The good news: I really think we found #3.
The bad news: she is trying to starve herself.

Someone bought this bird from a "breeder" who didn't mention the bird was still on 5(!!!!!!) feedings a day! Person works and cannot spend the time to raise the baby, and the breeder will not respond to them(surprise, surprise). So tomorrow afternoon I am taking in this little lovebird, with the sinking suspicion it is the baby that I tried to adopt off of craigslist a little while ago who was not weaned but was away from parents. The person(the "breeder")stopped responding to me when I tried to talk them down on price.

Considering the circumstances, I do not think this will turn into another no-show, so I have placed an emergency "next day" shipping order thru Amazon for supplies, and the person who has her currently is bringing the tub of formula she is eating. Help me make sure I have what I need and I am not forgetting anything, please.

Have on hand some Kaytee Exact formula in my emergency kit, plus the tub being delivered with the baby
Have heating pads, thermostat, also a still air hova bator incubator(I have no idea how old this chick will be, have not seen a photo or anything)
Ordered Zupreem monkey chow to assist in weaning
Spray millet
probiotic
Clean towels, both paper and cloth
Clean boxes, as well as a sterilized cage
Syringes

What am I forgetting?

Yes I have experience hand feeding, and a vet local and on call. But I have not hand fed in a while, so I want to make sure I am as prepared as possible for the little one. I don't even know what species she is. o.o

It honestly sounds like you have mostly everything to me. I don’t know what you could be forgetting, I have had some experience hand feeding too but I’ve read your post over and over again and I really don’t know what you could be missing so all i can say is good luck.

That “breeder” makes me angry. That sorta situation sounds like the same one that my eclectus’s previous owner was in.

Apple cider vinegar if you don't have it, papaya/papaya enzyme in case of slow or sour crop.

Ultrasonic or cool mist humidifer as well.

I always have apple juice boxes around, might be beneficial for helping the little one take care of itself a bit or giving medication. Apple sauce too. Going to unfortunately depend on how old it is.

Trying to think of things but it seems like you'll have it pretty under control.

Thermometer for checking the food!

Still have not been sent a photo, but apparently the baby is 5 weeks old. Will update when I have her and can better assess the situation.

From phone

Have you contacted your avian vet? It seems this baby would need an appointment ASAP given it's background. Very young birds are very fragile. AV could also give pointers on hand feeding and demonstrate proper technique to you in case your skills are a bit rusty. Good luck!

Tho, I've only assisted in feeding baby lovebirds before so am not an absolute authority on raising that group of species and the timing for their milestones. However, 5 weeks seems pretty old to be on 5 feedings a day. The woman I apprenticed under at the bird shop would pull small bird babies for hand feeding at 3 weeks and definitely they were starting weaning (slow wean at the baby's pace) by 5 weeks. Shrug, maybe the stress has caused her to revert on any weaning progress. I don't blame her. 5 weeks old and already on home #3. I can't even imagine.

Either she will live out her days with me, or the person who has her now has expressed they really really like her and wouldn't mind having her back post weaning. We will see how it goes. When she drops the baby off I will be paying her what she paid to the breeder, and I will keep in touch as the baby progresses. The ultimate owner of the baby is less important now than just making sure she gets to weaning ok.

The person who has her now seems like a really nice person who feels bad about the situation. They apparently used to breed 'tiels and would feed the baby if they had more time and experience, but opted to send Baby to me for to be sure she gets the attention she needs.

At the very absolute least, maybe I will get a new local bird person friend out of this, regardless of who Baby ultimately calls mom/dad.

For the record, there is no custody battle. Just two people who care for a baby bird and agree getting the baby to weaning is the most important thing. I think both of us would be happy if Baby ends up in either home permanently, though obviously Baby should stay with me.

Baby is what the other person is currently calling her. May change the name (kinda like Orphan or Eva, tho who knows).

Very excitedly waiting to meet her, and quite relieved she isn't in the bald stage or anything.

From phone

Yup, vet is on call.

From phone

I saw your list was missing a food thermometer (to check the temperature of formula) but LTriggs said it. And a humidifier. Depending on where you live baby birds tend to get dehydrated easily and this helps keep their skin looking good and healthy. Otherwise....just make sure the heating pad you get doesn't have an auto-off timer, make sure it can stay on for the whole night. Sunbeam ones are good. Otherwise you seem prepared on supplies!!! Wonder what kind of parrot it is...

keep us updated!!

I know nothing about this but i know you can do it and good on you for adopting this baby Love bird x

Baby is here, and a very messy little peach faced lovebird. She seems slightly splay legged, tho it is probably too late to correct that. Also the beak seems off to me, but hopefully that is an illusion due to extreem messy-face.

Very nice people had her. A young mom and three small kids came to drop her off.



Now to get down to settling her in and cleaning her up and such

From phone

Edited to clean up the typos! Sheesh, this was a bad one lol!

She do a (cuddle)

From phone

Awww. Take good care of her. God bless you both x

Thanks. Baby bird has taken a hand feed with no issue and now is nibbling on spray millet, parakeet seed, zupreem fruitybits, and soaked zupreem nut pellets (ordered monkey biscuits but they have not arrived yet). Shelling seeds well enough, but dropping the shelled seed 60+% of the time. Lol that's ok. Gotta nibble before you can swallow I suppose. Crop full with formula though so no grumbly tumbly bits.

Skinny, no doubt. Keel protruding, but no starvation bands on the feathers and no anorexia. I think the person who had her and had "experience hand feeding" really did not. She is not a trouble feeder, or at least she hasn't been so far for me. I'm quite pleased with her activity level. Sweet cuddly thing with sass to spare and opinions? Yup, sounds to me like a lovebird.

Now she needs a name.

From phone

Bird does not act like she was socialized at all. Acts like maybe an aviary baby who was sold out of the nest. It really makes me see red. This bird could have easily died. It isn't guaranteed yet that she won't. Signs look very good she will be ok, but she has been thru a bumpy start in life that's for sure!

From phone

I'm wondering if it was an amateur breeder, considering you think the beak is a little off, that could be from improper handfeeding, plus the other information you got about the number of feedings and her being underweight.

good to hear she's starting to do well

this entire thread right here is why USA needs the laws we have int he UK regarding selling of unweaned pets (note, it's 100% illegal here)

Its great that she is starting to try foods and eating. She will get stronger, healthier and happier a little more every day now i bet. Good work x

LordTriggs said:

good to hear she's starting to do well

this entire thread right here is why USA needs the laws we have int he UK regarding selling of unweaned pets (note, it's 100% illegal here)

Click to expand...

Oh I wish. A few months ago I was looking to adopt a second cat (have since reconsidered. Charlie isn't a lonely cat, she just has a crazy amount of energy), and encountered not one but TWO "humans" trying to sell litters of unweaned kittens. Both cases for over 100$ each kitten. O.O nothing wrong with either mom cat, who was photographed in one of the ads with the babies, and in the other ad mom was moving with the "family" but the kittens had to be rehomed "this week, we are moving and can't take!".

People disgust me.

On a brighter note, the little one just took feed #3 since I got her.

Could be an amateur breeder or a scumbag. Either way, I'll likely never know and the outcome is the same. Shrug, I know we all have to start somewhere, but this is not an OK place to start. Granted, the only prep work I did before starting breeding budgies (I was a kid, if I had my first breedingexperienceto do over, I'd learn from a local breeder first or something) was to keep them for a few years and to read frigging everything about them I could (and had a bird vet). But I had already been shown how to give oral medication to a bird, and had practiced that with a super willing cockatiel, as well as had raised an orphan robin to weaning from pincushion stage. But also none of my babies were **ever** sold unweaned, and none had issues with lack of food (little piggies).

Some people shouldn't have houseplants, let alone pets and/or kids.

From phone

So glad to hear baby is taking to formula. It's amazing what a full crop, warmth and getting all cleaned up will do for a young bird. Continue to handle her as much as you can to get her more comfortable with people, she'll need all the socialization she can get at this stage of life. Keep her as clean as you can after feeding. Don't be afraid to wipe her down with a damp wash cloth. Sad to hear she was in a situation like this without someone with proper knowledge of how to care for her, but glad these people found you.

Keep us updated on her!