Raising baby birds is easy with these tips.
- Ask your vet or another pet expert what temperature would be right for your animals, and heat them appropriately. You'll want to get a thermometer so you can monitor the temperature daily. Also, it may be a good idea for you to create a place your birds can perch.
- Keep babies away from other birds. Keep babies of the same species separate from those of other species and from other birds altogether. This will protect each group of birds from bacteria and diseases that other birds might carry. Be sure to wash your hands before you handle each given group of birds.
- Feed your baby birds. How you feed the birds should be based on what you feel most comfortable with. If you are an inexperienced bird handler, you may want to spoon feed your babies, rather than feeding them via syringe. Syringes can choke a newborn if they're not used correctly. When feeding by spoon, place the utensil inside the bottom rim of the animal's mouth and tilt the food in.
- Use shredded paper as bedding. Shavings can get caught in a bird's air passages or throat and can be hazardous.
- Clean the pen daily. You want to remove any excrement as soon as you can. It contains bacteria. Baby birds may be curious about it and you want to keep them from eating it. If ingested, it can disrupt a bird's digestive system.
- After babies reach about three-months old, they'll be about ready to make the switch from formula to adult bird food. Put some formula on top of adult food, perhaps with a vegetable to lure it.
- To properly socialize baby birds, you'll want to handle them often, regularly and carefully. Play with each bird for about 15 minutes several times a day. The more you handle your pets, the faster they'll get used to being around you. This is important for proper domestication.
- Teach them to fly. When your birds appear that they are interested in trying to fly, find a room with soft flooring to help them practice. You'll want to remove any pictures and mirrors from your walls, because they will be appealing for your birds to fly into.
- Trim their wings. Use young bird clips to keep your birds from escaping and will also ensure the tameness of your animals.