Baby sparrow (help!)

[Ben.L.T]

Hello i'm a new member and i need some help, i found a baby sparrow on my drive and i'm wondering what i need to do to keep it alive, i'm not quite sure if its going to make it through the night so i'm wondering if anyone can help! Urgently please, its about 5 cm in length

Thanks

Ben Trawford.

[StuartDH]

Hi Ben,

The essentials for the bird is to provide shelter, warmth, food and water. The first one is easy enough if you've got the bird in your house and away from cats etc, but to make life even more comfortable then a simple tissue nest for the bird to rest in would also be good. It's also important to ensure that it's kept clean to avoid disease.

Warmth can be provided by a small bottle or jar of warm water next to the tissue nest.

Very finely mush up puppy or baby powder with water to make a creamy high-protein paste and if the bird isn't feeding itself then you can feed it to the right side of it's mouth - make sure it's the bird's right and not yours. Only make enough for each feed and avoid storing it.

Beyond this start, you'll need to feed crushed mealworms with the above mix. Feeding should be every four hours, ideally using a syringe, but a small spoon should be OK.

Best of luck

[Ben.L.T]

Wow thanks, well im 15 so feeding during the day will be very hard due to me being at school. But i'll try my best, will very soggy bread thats been mixed in milk be ok to feed it aswell, becouse i had a problem when trying to find baby powder

Thanks

Ben

[StuartDH]

You should really avoid feeding bread, even it has been soaked, unless you've got absolutely nothing else. Unfortunately, milk is not really suitable either as birds are very delicate and need quite specific food with the right levels of fat, protein etc. The crushed dog food is far better and generally suitable for all types of baby birds.

Either way, it's a big job trying to raise a chick and so it may be worth seeing if a neighbour can take over the feeding during the day.

[ant]

If you can get it to a rescue centre that would be best I am based in Sheffield
www.voluntaryrescuecentre.org.uk
or check for nearest on wildlife hospital page

[Ben.L.T]

Well Sheffield is 90 miles away from where i live. Its doing quite good now, its eating good and its very energetic and its got alot of feathers coming through.
I want to find out if its a boy or girl, but its to young to see.

[Tinkerbell]

How about an update Ben.L.T. Did your little sparrow survive, even for a short while? I'm sure we would all be interested to know the outcome of your endeavours.

[Ben.L.T]

ah yes it did survive an is still alive, i took it too a bird specialist who actually lives up the road from me and now they are looking after it, i miss it quite abit and its not stop chuping through the night

Ben

[oogitstudio]

Hello my cat bought two baby sparrows in after the storms we had, I am guessing they fell out of the nest at the tree top where they usually build as it is all bent. I have lost one as I did not wake up in time to find it despite my cat protesting to me. I thought she just wanted some love. But then I discovered them and she sat there watching all happy whilst I rescued the other, she sits and helps me feed it. Thanks to this forum I have been able to get it to accept food, thanx to the advise about stroking its right side of the mouth. Hopefully it will do well, I have sadly only got cat food but plan to purchase some baby food later.
Thanx a lot and hopefully I shall have some more good news soon
Charlie

[Streetch]

HELP!!

My cat brought home what I believe to be a baby sparrow. It's so small it has only a few feathers on the top of it's head. It does not seem hurt in any way at all as my cat was careful. However, it continuously opens and then closes it's beak. It's eyes are not even open yet, I worry it's too young and their is nothing I can do.

[owlmomma]

Where are you in the country?

Follow the above advice and if it is too tiny to feed with a syringe, use a cocktail stick with the end nipped off. If you can get hand rearing formula from the local pet shop, that would be brilliant. Mix to a runny paste, dip in the stick and pop into baby's mouth when he gapes for food.

Then look for a local wildlife rescue who will take him on.

I am in Norfolk if that is of any help

[Capperman]

Originally Posted by StuartDH

Hi Ben,

The essentials for the bird is to provide shelter, warmth, food and water. The first one is easy enough if you've got the bird in your house and away from cats etc, but to make life even more comfortable then a simple tissue nest for the bird to rest in would also be good. It's also important to ensure that it's kept clean to avoid disease.

Warmth can be provided by a small bottle or jar of warm water next to the tissue nest.

Very finely mush up puppy or baby powder with water to make a creamy high-protein paste and if the bird isn't feeding itself then you can feed it to the right side of it's mouth - make sure it's the bird's right and not yours. Only make enough for each feed and avoid storing it.

Beyond this start, you'll need to feed crushed mealworms with the above mix. Feeding should be every four hours, ideally using a syringe, but a small spoon should be OK.

Best of luck

Why the right side of the mouth? I haven't got a young bird to feed, I'm just interested.