"Chip" the baby Sparrow says PLEASE HELP!

[vixalina]

hello i found a young sparrow in my garden this morning- i think it fell out of its nest(which i can't find) and hopped away and got lost. it is almost fully feathered, but still is pink on its belly, but it is too young to fly. it seemed to be in shock, but when i put it on the carpet in my house it began hopping around, so i know nothings broken or seriously hurt. at the moment it is in a shoe-box with some hay and straw, and some leaves from treees in my garden. it is very quiet, though, and is not interested in food or water.

he seems quite happy and alert in his [or her] box, and is looking around and blinking, but i am worried that i have nothing to feed it.

please help!

Vicky x x x (and the little bird (who i named "Chip"))

[Lance Morgan]

Hi Vicky and welcome to WAB. There are lots of threads about baby birdncare. The best thing is to leave it outside where you found it. The parents will continue to feed it. Best to let nature take its course.

[owlmomma]

Firstly, I think you should try putting it somewhere safe outside, make sure no cats are about, and see if the parents come back to feed it.

Because it has been taken in and then put back, they may not.

If nothing has happened in an hour or so, I would say bring it back in and see if your local vet knows of anyone in the area doing wild bird rescue.

Hand rearing it yourself will be difficult and will mean you getting in various foods and will take up a lot of your time.

As a good stop gap, soak some Go Cat biscuits or similar in hot water until like little sponges, not dripping!! and break off tiny pieces. If it is as young as you say, it should gape for the food, try to keep tempting it as if you have to force feed it, the stress may well finish him off.

UNDER NO CIRCUMTANCES give him any water by mouth, it is very easy to get it in his lungs and this will kill him. There is enough moisture in the go cat. As an emergency, you can use wet cat food but this will give him a runny tummy so avoid it if you can.

If you need more advice, my number is on my website, feel free to ring.

[vixalina]

ok i used some cat food, dog buiscets and seedy granery bread mixed with water, and i used tweezers to feed him it like the mummy bird

he is eating fine- and chirrups when he wants food. he is happy to perch on my finger while i feed him, or equally happy in his little box of hay which he uses as a nest.

he is also half hopping, half flying short distances, so i think he will soon be able to fly free.

thanks for the info- i will continue feeding him and looking affter him... how should i release him when he is ready to go? should i just leave him in the garden to fly away on his own, or keep him in his box so he can come and go or what?

Vix
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