How Does a Baby Bird Catch Food?
Baby Birds Cannot Feed Themselves
Baby birds are not able to catch their own food. Even if you place a worm or bug next to it, it will probably not be able to eat it. The majority of mother birds feed their babies by chewing up small, soft insects, then regurgitating them into the baby's open beak. Therefore, to feed a baby bird, you need to put the food directly into its mouth. This article is specific to baby pet birds such as cockatoos, as wild baby birds usually do not survive being taken care of by people unless cared for by a specialist.
How Much and How Often?
Baby birds grow at a tremendous rate, and as such, need a large amount of food. They also need to be fed at very frequent intervals, which depends on age. For a bird less than 1 week old, this could mean every hour around the clock. Birds 1 to 2 weeks old need to be fed every 2 to 3 hours, again around the clock. At age 2 to 3 weeks, baby birds should be fed every 3 to 4 hours, stopping at midnight and resuming at 6:00 a.m. Once birds become 1 month old, they can be fed every 4 hours or so, from 6:00 a.m. to midnight. It is easy to tell how much to feed baby birds; feed them until they do not open their beaks for more.
What to Feed and Feed?
If at all possible, use a commercial brand of bird formula, such as Kaylee Exact. Warm up the formula by mixing it with warm or hot water until it is as thick as gravy. Use an eye dropper or syringe to feed the bird. Fill it with the formula, and insert it into the bird's beak, above the tongue towards the back and on the bird's right side. Hold the bird's head between your index and middle finger, and pry the beak open with your thumb, if the bird does not open it automatically. Slowly squeeze the formula diagonally across the back of the tongue. Give the bird a chance to swallow and breath before giving him more food.
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