Injured Bird

[cmsally]

Picked up an injured bird (prob. broken leg)

Trying to let it recuperate but don't know what to feed it.

Can't find a picture in the bird book but looks like a sort of Wagtail - long tail and greenish wings.

Any ideas?? Please

[Tywais]

First don't is not to give it milk, their digestive systems can not handle it. Dry dog/cat food soaked in water to soften it should be ok. Water given as a drop on the beak (careful not to get in the nostrils) and let capillary action work. If it is a broken wing/leg it is very important to get that dealt with by a vet because the longer you wait the less chance for proper recovery. If it is an adult, not fledgling, perhaps bird seed.

[phetaroi]

First don't is not to give it milk, their digestive systems can not handle it. Dry dog/cat food soaked in water to soften it should be ok. Water given as a drop on the beak (careful not to get in the nostrils) and let capillary action work. If it is a broken wing/leg it is very important to get that dealt with by a vet because the longer you wait the less chance for proper recovery. If it is an adult, not fledgling, perhaps bird seed.

Although milk is not natural food to birds, my experience with my pet birds was not that it caused them any problem. In fact, they loved it...but were only allowed 5-10 beak fulls a day.

Bird seed is junk food for birds.

[PhilHarries]

It is sad but most small animals who have sustained a trauma will die.

However this should not stop us from trying to save a life and a mild mix of dog/cat food with some fine cereal matter is as good as you can get.

[Tywais]

http://www.squidoo.com/feedababybird

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/video/ho...-a-bird-192901/

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/video/ho...rd-food-238857/

Foods that are toxic to birds

As for milk, appears small amounts as mentioned above is not a problem.

What happens if a bird ingests milk or products containing lactose, the milk sugar? Since it doesn't have the enzymes necessary to digest lactose, it will often pass through the bird's digestive tract unchanged. Because it is a foreign sugar, it may draw fluids into the intestinal tract, resulting in diarrhea, if ingested in large amounts. Small amounts of milk and products containing lactose are probably not harmful to most birds.

Some milk products do not contain lactose, such as cottage cheese and other types of cheese. Generally, it is thought that it is safe to offer yogurt and cheese, although products that contain lactose are probably safe, if offered in small amounts. Interestingly, live culture yogurt does contain lactose when it is produced; however the live organisms in the yogurt consume the lactose, eventually removing the lactose entirely from the yogurt before it is consumed! Cheese products with onions or garlic in them are best avoided, because of the risk of Heinz body hemolytic anemia.

http://www.exoticpetvet.net/avian/dairy.html

[bina]

the beak of the bird should show u what the bird will eat....birds that eat meat will eat dog food; birds that eat grains will eat bird seed... if it is a young bird, than u can grind the seeds, or mash the wet dog food...

bina

israel