Please HELP baby conure not eating

[strawberryflutters]

I recently had to take over hand feeding on a 4 week old green cheek conure. I have never handfed before but did a lot of research to try to help this baby survive. He has been eating well until today. He ate 11ml in the morning, next feeding, wouldn’t eat at all. Got 2 ml in but that’s it and even then, he is not bobbing his head at all, only taking it reluctantly. Next feeding, still not eating, but got 5ml in. So like 20ml in total and it’s already 9:30pm. Today, has been squinting a lot and sneezing. Going to vet on Monday ( NO AVIAN VETS R OPEN ON WEEKENDS HERE) is there anything I can do in the meantime since it’s still 2 days away??? I really love this bird and can’t have him die. This video was him being squinty just after he ate the 2ml

 

[wrench13]

Hi there. Lord, there are so many things that can go awry with feeding hatchlings and babies. The temperature must be right, the consistency of the formula has to right, the equipment immaculate and the technique sure and done knowledgably. And thats just the obvious points. I think my worry here is that the baby might have aspirated some of the formula from a previous feeding.

There is not much you can do, as a non-veterinarian; keep her warm, dry and cozy until you can see a Certified Avian Vet on Monday. I would offer a thin formula, to her as long as you are certain you know how to feed properly.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I recently had to take over hand feeding on a 4 week old green cheek conure. I have never handfed before but did a lot of research to try to help this baby survive. He has been eating well until today. He ate 11ml in the morning, next feeding, wouldn’t eat at all. Got 2 ml in but that’s it and even then, he is not bobbing his head at all, only taking it reluctantly. Next feeding, still not eating, but got 5ml in. So like 20ml in total and it’s already 9:30pm. Today, has been squinting a lot and sneezing. Going to vet on Monday ( NO AVIAN VETS R OPEN ON WEEKENDS HERE) is there anything I can do in the meantime since it’s still 2 days away??? I really love this bird and can’t have him die. This video was him being squinty just after he ate the 2ml

Try to get the baby to take warm water from the syringe so he doesn't get dehydrated. Don't force it. Just dribble into his beak. Keep the baby as warm as possible (about 85-90 degrees) to conserve his energy. Let the vet keep the baby hospitalized for supportive care if they can. The baby will likely die without prompt intensive medical care ASAP.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Try to get the baby to take warm water from the syringe so he doesn't get dehydrated. Don't force it. Just dribble into his beak. Keep the baby as warm as possible (about 85-90 degrees) to conserve his energy. Let the vet keep the baby hospitalized for supportive care if they can. The baby will likely die without prompt intensive medical care ASAP.

How many days have you been handfeeding this baby bird?

 

[strawberryflutters]

How many days have you been handfeeding this baby bird?

About 5 days now

 

[DonnaBudgie]

About 5 days now

I assume you've been using a syringe, right?

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I assume you've been using a syringe, right?

I assume you've been using a syringe, right?

I did not use a syringe when I hand fed my budgie Rocky from an egg because it's way to easy to push too much food into their mouths at one. I used a baby size teaspoon and let Rocky take and swallow the formula at her own pace. As a result I did not have any problems feeding Rocky and never risked even a small aspiration. It takes a parent bird quite a while to get 10ccs of food into a baby- way longer than a 10cc syringe feeding can take. I think a lot of inexperienced people feed baby birds much too quickly and I think a lot of babies that die while being hand fed die after aspirating when being fed too quickly with syringes. The deaths don't always happen quickly- it can take days for a respiratory infection to take hold and kill them. I just had a person on these forums lose a month old baby cockatiel they had been hand feeding for ten days because they accidentally pushed too much food at once. The baby began to sneeze and cough and five days later it died. You may not even be aware that you fed too much too fast but the telltale sign of a respiratory infection are there now. I'm not CERTAIN this is what occurred to your baby but it seems likely because the baby was being fed pretty large volumes during the five days you've been handfeeding it. I hope the vet can save your baby. In the future I highly recommend you ditch the syringe and spoon feed your baby bird. It's just safer.

 

[bonita]

I also fear he may have aspirated. I will pray for his recovery.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I also fear he may have aspirated. I will pray for his recovery.

I pray for both the baby bird and the OP who I am sure feels horrible and certainly meant well.