Another Wild Baby Bird - Page 2

08-13-2007, 09:26 PM

Thanks for the support everyone, it means a lot. He continues to do well. My main concern right now is that he's starting to respond to our voices when he's hungry. I'm keeping him in our bedroom - no other birds in there, we can lock out the cat and dogs and we try to stay out of there except to check on him, feed him and of course when hubby and I sleep. But I noticed tonight if I was talking when I walked in the room he would start chirping, moving around and begging. I worry about doing things right so we can have a successful release. We found some recordings of barn swallows and have been playing them for him. He responds strongly to those. I'm wondering if when we go out to the barn, we should take him with us so he can hear and see the other barn swallows while we supervise and keep the cats away. But I wonder if it would stress him out too much. Any thoughts on that?

Here's some pictures as promised. This was taken at the last feeding we did today when we were still having to pretty much force feed him. He's way beyond that now and there's no need for us to handle him, except to wipe some of the food off him after a feeding or put clean paper towels under him.

(Emily is holding him in the 1st picture - it was the last "cuddle" I allowed her with him. I know it's hard for her to understand (and he's so gosh darn cute!) but I know it's for the best we have as little contact with him as possible.)

08-14-2007, 04:27 AM

I'm sorry. The little one passed over a few minutes ago.

08-14-2007, 06:24 AM

Its very hard to keep these little ones alive, You done all you could do Steph.
Very hard to duplicated there natural diet, I took many classes to learn how to hand feed and still have lost a few now and then...
That little bird could of had internal injuries from the fall, many things could have been happening so be easy on yourself...
I always beat myself up when a little one falls silent, something I will never get used to...
Take Care Steph
Peace
Arty

08-14-2007, 08:17 AM

I'm sorry, Stephanie. Thank you for your kindness, and for doing what you could for the little one. As Arty said, it's very difficult, and you couldn't know what was going on inside that little body. Between the fall and the possibility of cat damage - well, who knows. The important thing is that you tried.

08-14-2007, 08:28 AM

Thanks Arty and Nate. He just went down hill so fast. He was chirping, begging for food and walking around at 1 a.m., 3:30 looked to be content and sleeping well, (even chirped kind of annoyed at me for turning on the flash light to check on him) and by 4:30, it was just very obvious he wasn't going to make it. I just got off the phone, telling Emily (she spent the night at Grandma's). I thought telling her over the phone would be easier, thought I could keep from crying again, but it didn't work too well. We're waiting till my husband gets home and then we'll bury him out back in our garden.