# Need some help with baby blackbird!



## Mishski (Jan 24, 2009)

Hi guys

Looking for some advice regarding a baby blackbird that the cats caught this evening. 

Found him cowering in a corner whilst the parent birds shouted at the cats. They flew off when we went out to find out what the commotion was out side; we did look in the hedges for a nest that he may have come from but unfortunately, no luck. 

Got him in a shoebox with a towel and hot water bottle atm, I'm assuming it's right to be keeping him warm?

He has a couple of bloody bits, but I think they are only surface wounds; should I attempt to clean them? Or should I just not aggrivate them? They aren't pouring with blood or anything.

When AND with what should I feed him with if he survives? And how often do I give him water? Will I need to warm it to body temp or anything? I've got a syringe to give him water with, is this right?

Sorry for so many questions, I just don't want him to die cuz of my bloody cats. As much as I love them, they are pests when it comes to catching things!

Thanks!
Mish
xx


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## MrBump (Nov 13, 2009)

Hi
Good on you for saving him 

+I only know little bits LOL
Don't leave a bowl of water with him, he will drown, if giving water by syringe male sure you only give tiny droplets and make sure they are swollowing because if you push the water to quick or into the mouth it can enter the lungs and kill them.

For the first 30 minutes try not to disturb him as shock will kill him, that time alone will allow him to calm down, leave him on a water bottle covered by a towell with warm (not boiling water) and check on him in twenty-thirty minutes 

What to feed him..no idea LOL There are plenty of websites on the best things to give them and I know they need feeding every 30 mins/hour.

Sorry just read that back and realised it's no help :lol2: but welld one for trying  xx


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## MrBump (Nov 13, 2009)

Oh and yes keeping them warm is very important, they can quickly die from the cold when so little. I wouldn't attempt to clean the wounds yet as the shock may kill him, give him 30 mins to an hour to settle down, warm up and recover. You may find you lose him to the shock of the events anyway  but too much interation straight away can send them over the edge.

he will need feeding very soon, so after his time alone to settle you may need to consider what to give him  x
best of luck and let us know how it goes x


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## emmilllyyy (Oct 9, 2010)

i did this, got an old fish tank and filled it with straw from my rabbit, i dug up and offered it worms  the first few days id let it out in my garden cause all the cats were scared to come in there because of my dog:lol2: i put him out at about 5 and got him in when his mum left, and brought him inside. luckily it was only down the road i picked him up, so the mum heard him and every day id let him out and the mum would come down and feed him, then he learnt how to fly and it was just amazing watching him i always stomped up to him to almost 'scare' him, i didnt want him becoming brave around people and fall into the wrong hands! still see the little guy now


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## Mishski (Jan 24, 2009)

Thanks for the replies. 

Well he survived the night and is looking fine today. Fed him a couple of chopped up worms (eww) which he took no problem, but he won't gape for long enough to feed him more than one mouthful. Is that ok? Don't want to choke him by opening his gob and shovelling stuff in there.

What else can I give him asides from worms? Any insects? I have some mealworms anyway, if I chop the head off these guys, the little darling can eat these too I assume?

Also, I wish I could leave him in the garden, but that is the main problem; I can't, because we own 4 cats ourselves and then living in a town as well, there are plenty of other cats about. :/

Thanks
Mica
xx


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## gazz (Dec 9, 2006)

Mishski said:


> Fed him a couple of *chopped up* worms (eww) which he took no problem, but he won't gape for long enough to feed him more than one mouthful.


Don't chop them up, Feed the chick long ones it will keep going till gone, 
Only chop worms up when you see black birds with knifes & forks :lol2:.


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## gazz (Dec 9, 2006)

Mishski said:


> What else can I give him asides from worms? Any insects? I have some mealworms anyway, *if I chop the head off these guys*, the little darling can eat these too I assume?.


You don't need to chop there heads off, What you can do is drown the mealworms:whistling2:, Throw them in a bowl of water at feeding then they take in water that the bird can use when it digests them, Plus there dead so if feeding live bothers you no worrys. You can try netting some crane flys there load about, Or set up a moth trap get some little moths, Or get some wax worms from a pet shop.


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## Mishski (Jan 24, 2009)

gazz said:


> Don't chop them up, Feed the chick long ones it will keep going till gone,
> Only chop worms up when you see black birds with knifes & forks :lol2:.


Haha thanks for pointing that out, I now feel like an idiot. :blush: 
After reading this, I did just give him some whole worms and he took em like a pro. 


Also, do the mealworms need to be dead before feeding in case they bite or something? I don't mind feeding live cuz they are my chameleon's mealworms, but I sure he won't mind sharing. 

So little birdy can eat pretty much anything? I just collected some small slugs from the garden seeing as we have an abundance of the effers. I can fob 'em off on the bird, yes?


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## gazz (Dec 9, 2006)

Mishski said:


> Haha thanks for pointing that out, I now feel like an idiot. :blush:
> After reading this, I did just give him some whole worms and he took em like a pro.
> 
> 
> ...


No you don't need to kill mealworms before feed, But a parent bird may well crush them when collecting so up to you, See post #7.

Yes they can eat slugs, Here a link to a parent with a bill full for the nest.
Blackbird eating slugs | Flickr - Photo Sharing!


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

If you look in the wildlife section there is a sticky about orphan birds.
If the cat has wounded him he may die due to the bad bacteria the cats carry in their mouths, rescues would give the bird Baytril to cover this. We have over 20 loose cats that live at our sanctuary and we keep them in at nesting time.


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## Mishski (Jan 24, 2009)

Thanks for your help guys. I just went to check on him and feed him, and found that he'd unfortunately died.  I guess I didn't do enough to help. :/

Well at least I'll go in fully prepared if it happens again.

RIP Little Baby.

Thanks again 
xx


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## emmilllyyy (Oct 9, 2010)

aww thats such a shame, rest in peace little birdy
dont feel like you 'didnt do enough', you did the best you could do, if it werent for you then the cats would have had him, and if i was a little birdy id rather have a full stomach and be nice and warm than get ripped apart by cats, well done for trying


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## slugsiss32 (Nov 14, 2010)

At least the little birdy died in peace and he was warm, dry, full tummy and not feeling threatened  I think as people have said and i know from when i had a sick bird and from when i hand reared baby birds the most important thing is to keep them warm.


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