What to feed a bird i just found (urgent)

[Ske]

Dear forumers

I just found a lost bird on my balcony, think its a small cockatoo. Judging from the 4-5 stains of excrement, it must have been there for a while and could be weak (although it bit me hard enough to break the skin)

What should i feed it while i try to find the owner?

Thanks!

Sjors

PS it looks like this but with some yellow and isnt much bigger than a parakeet

 

[sonja]

If you post a pic, we can help you identify what type he is.

As for what to feed, I'd try a little of anything you can find around your house just to get something in his belly first. Start with healthy high energy things, like warm mashed sweet potato, banana, strawberries. See what he likes. If he won't eat that, go to plan B, other fruits and veggies, cooked pasta, nuts - preferably not peanuts or sunflowers, but if that's all he'll take, I would give him some just to get some food into him.
Also, I would not let him gorge himself. And water. Plenty of fresh water.

Let us know how it goes!

 

[wenz2712]

Can you take a pic of it?

 

[Ske]

Thanks a lot for the replies so far!!!

I'll try to take a pic, i might well be very mistaken by the species. Bet in general I'm much more interested in identifying the owner

 

[OolovebirdiesoO]

PS it looks like this but with some yellow and isnt much bigger than a parakeet

maybe it's a cockatiel?

 

[MaraWentz]

Sounds like a cockatiel. You can give them millet or treats, fresh fruits and veggies, and you can buy tier food at walmart or a petco.

 

[Ske]

Here's a quick pic with my phone, think you can see the most important distinctive marks


i know nothing about keeping birds, please forgive my ignorance, just trying to keep this little guy as happy as possible

• what kind of tempertature range should i maintain
• does it need to sit on something? or is the floor ok (it just for a few hours i hope)?
• is it more comfortable in the dark?
• any foods of these i shouldnt give? apple, orange, pine seeds, raisens

 

[wenz2712]

Yes, its a cockatiel

Look at Marawentz post as she has said what to feed him

I hope you manage to find his owner.

 

[Ske]

Hadn't seen some of the replies before posting the pic. Cockatiel it is indeed, thanks

 

[MaraWentz]

Thats a cockatiel- they're beginners birds (like for kids) so don't freak out. Just bring her inside. Unless your temperature is over 75 or under 65 I wouldnt worry. You can feed her apple (but not the seeds), bananas, oatmeal, grapes (no seeds), orange, celery, broccoli, mashed potatoes, meat, green beans, peas, etc. They can eat alot of things we do, but not caffeine, chocolate, keep the dairy limit low, most seeds are toxic (but pomegranate is good), mot leaves and stems are toxic too. You may ahve to cut things small for her because she s small- some birds liek to work at big chunks of food, lik foraging, others are very lazy and wont touch it if too big. Keep the lights on- birds cant see in the dark and can easily be scared.A box would be much safer so she doesnt eat anything on the floor within her reach, or get stepped on or lost.

 

[Ske]

Thats a cockatiel- they're beginners birds (like for kids) so don't freak out. Just bring her inside. Unless your temperature is over 75 or under 65 I wouldnt worry. You can feed her apple (but not the seeds), bananas, oatmeal, grapes (no seeds), orange, celery, broccoli, mashed potatoes, meat, green beans, peas, etc. They can eat alot of things we do, but not caffeine, chocolate, keep the dairy limit low, most seeds are toxic (but pomegranate is good), mot leaves and stems are toxic too. You may ahve to cut things small for her because she s small- some birds liek to work at big chunks of food, lik foraging, others are very lazy and wont touch it if too big. Keep the lights on- birds cant see in the dark and can easily be scared.A box would be much safer so she doesnt eat anything on the floor within her reach, or get stepped on or lost.

Thanks very much Mara and the rest, I'll stick to your advice and hopefully report back a happy ending soon

Cheers!

 

[MaraWentz]

Heres a list of things that are toxic to birds
Foods & Plants Toxic to Birds

 

[aliray]

Where are you located. Someone has been posting in the lost and found section of the Englewood Fla paper about loosing their cockateil. You could always call your local vets, animal shelters and petstore to see if anyone lost their bird.Also your local craigslist in the lost and found section.That is where most people would start to look and ask neighbors around if they lost their pet bird. For now on a tempoary basis and box of cockateil seed mix even from a supermarket as well as fresh or frozen thawed veg. cooked plain pasta,little bits of peeled cored fruit such as apple with no seeds

 

[Ske]

I live in Portugal, so I'm pretty sure it didnt fly 10.000 miles

Called the local veterenary hospital, which refered me to a local zoo. There the will accept the bird, do a check up and keep it in their quaratine facilities. If no owner shows up, they have a network of zoos etc where they will find the most suitable home, if needed.

Thanks again everyone for the quick feedback!

 

[aliray]

You're right that would be a very long flight for a cockateil. Sounds like you have a good solution.Portugal is a country I have always wanted to visit. We used to live in Massachusetts usa before moving to Fla Usa. and we had a large Portugese community. They all had the most beautiful yards with tones of blue hydrangers that they brought with them as cuttings from the Azores. My favorite flower which unfortunatly doesn't seem to do well where I now live. I had lots of them up north

 

[crimson]

maybe you can go over to your nearest pet store, even wal-mart and purchase a cheap bag of cockatiel seed, just for now. provide water and warmth for now(even a heating pad on low, on the bottom of the cage, also cover it with a towel to keep it from getting soiled) for the next day or two.
cover the cage on three sides, leaving one side un-covered.
do you plan on keeping this little one?? very pretty!

 

[MonicaMc]

That is actually a male cockatiel.


I hope his owners are looking for him!!! Searching in the local ads, major super markets (if they have an ad/lost & found board for customers) and the veterinary offices may be the best chance of finding his owners.


I wouldn't think that Portugal would have a Walmart, btw...

 

[Ske]

So I took him (thanks monicaMC) to the zoo, which was a good thing because he was really weak, hopefully only dehidrated. They were really nice, the vet had waited for us till 8PM and went to treat him immediatly, and promised to give us regular updates. all free of charge (although we'll certainly make a donation), it's good to know that this type of care exists here, even in times of debts and cost cutting.

@MonicaMc, no Walmarts in southern Europe indeed. As it turns out, this species is protected here and subject to strict permitting procedures, so assuming all paperwork is in order, the owners will be found easily (and if not, IMHO they don't deserve to get him back. I was assured by the vet that if the cockatie is not in the system, he would never be sold or given away, he would be placed somewhere in a big aviary in another zoo)
@crimson thanks for the tips, the soiling one came a bit too late, but well... Not going to keep him, I certainly understand the appeal of these beautiful creatures, even more so after my hands-on experience today, but in general I love animals and haveing them around me, but i hate cages. no offence intended at all, i realize that birds are better off in an enclosure than flying around in the house with all its dangers, but its not my thing anymore. In college even tried to keep insects, its easy to assume they are not aware they live in captivity, but couldn't help feeling that they were in there for my benifit only.
@aliray, thanks, happy with this solution indeed, and i'm convinced it's good he is receiving professional care now, think he really needed it. Portugal is certainly worth a visit, the Azores as well and as they are roughly half way between the US and continental Portugal possibly more convenient too

I'm getting repetive, but wanted to thank again for the help, really nice forum community here!

 

[kc_y0]

I just wanted to say Kudos to you, most people would find a bird and not care but you came online and tried to find out info so you could feed him and try to find his owners. You have a kind heart! Thank you!

 

[MonicaMc]

I must commend you as well! I have a "found" cockatiel, but no idea who the owner is! Worse yet, I'm not the one who found her. I got her from a family that nearly killed her after finding her in their yard. They made no effort to find her previous owners, let alone learn how to properly care for her.

I know a member of another forum that lost their cockatiel, and the people who found her also did not search for her owners in any way. The two were only reunited because a friend of the family had a newspaper in the bathroom which someone read while looking through the ads and came across the one for the tiel.


Thank you so much for helping this little guy out! I hope the zoo and their vet will be able to help him further in regaining health, and perhaps finding his owner!