Back to Feeding Birds
Back to Feeding Mammals
New Orphans
All new orphans need warmth, quiet and the right nutrition
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Check the body temperature.
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Does the bird or mammal feel cool or cold in relation to you?
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If you normally have cold hands, ask someone else to gently
feel the body under the feathers or fur.
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The core body temperature needs to be near normal before the
orphan
is given food.
Birds
Warming
Warm cold birds by placing in a warm cage on a half filled hot water
bottle wrapped in a towel.
The surface of the towel should feel warm, not hot, to warm the bird up
gradually, so it regains normal body temperature.
The length of time depends on the size of the bird: bluetits will need
about 20 minutes, blackbirds and larger species an hour or more.
Give a few drops of warm rehydration fluid ( see below) before leaving
it to warm up in a dark and quiet place, then proceed with rehydration.
Rehydration
If the temperature is normal, give warm
rehydration fluid such as
Lectade or Critical Care at the standard dilution.
Add 2 - 3 drops of Rescue Remedy or 1 crushed tablet of Aconite 30 to
the warm fluid and stir well
Small birds will take a few drops up to about 0.5ml on a very fine
paintbrush or cotton wool bud.
Dab this on the side of the beak and let the bird take it up on its
tongue.
Keep offering liquid until the bird has had enough.
Quantities
Tiny
birds
These will be satisfied with 5 - 10
drops. As they eat chopped maggots,
mealworms and catfood, regular
feeding will supply sufficient moisture for their needs.
Medium
sized birds
They may need up to half a teaspoon of
warm rehydration fluid given a drop at a time.
If they do not recover rapidly and show little interest in food, offer
them more rehydration fluid with the addition
of a drop or two of Rescue Remedy if possible.
Pigeons
Adult birds can suck in liquid if a
small pot of warm rehydration fluid
is held to the tip of their beak.
If the bird is unable to drink, apply the warm liquid to the side of
the beak with a small paintbrush or cotton wool bud.
The bird should be capable of taking 1 or 2 teaspoons of liquid. See
Tube Feeding in next section.
Large
birds
Offer the warm liquid to the side of
the beak with a small paintbrush
or cotton wool bud.
The bird should be capable of taking 1 or 2 teaspoons of liquid.
Tube feeding
When they are warm and becoming
more active, pigeons and large birds can be given
warm rehydration liquid
directly into the crop.
This needs to be done by a trained
person,
using a syringe fitted with a soft, thin tube.
Mammals
Warming
Warm cold mammals by placing in a warm cage on a half filled hot water
bottle wrapped in a towel.
The surface of the towel should feel warm, not hot, to warm the body up
gradually, so it regains normal body temperature.
The length of time depends on size: mice will need
about 15 minutes, hedgehogs about 30 minutes, fox, badger 1-3 hours.
Give a small amount of warm rehydration fluid ( see below) before
leaving
it to warm up in a dark and quiet place.
Then proceed with rehydration.
Rehydration
If the temperature is normal, give warm
rehydration fluid such as
Lectade or Critical Care at the standard dilution.
Add 2 - 3 drops of Rescue Remedy or 1 crushed tablet of Aconite 30 to
the warm fluid and stir well
Mice, bats and other small mammals will take a few drops up to about
0.5ml on a very fine
paintbrush or cotton wool bud.
Dab this on the lips to moisten them and with luck it will be lapped
up.
Give time for the animal to swallow and keep offering liquid until a
reasonable amount has been taken.
Small
mammals
Mice, bats etc. give on a very fine
paintbrush, cotton wool bud or tiny
dropper.
Dab this on the side of the lips and let them lick it up.
Keep offering liquid; they should take at least10-15 drops
Medium
sized animals
Squirrels, hedgehogs etc. can be
offered the warm rehydration liquid in
a small syringe fitted with a tiny teat.
They will take between 0.5 to 5 mls depending on size.
New-born, bald or almost bald squirrels and hedgehogs with mainly white
spines: 0.5 - 1.5 mls
Furred squirrels and baby hogs with brown spines but closed eyes: 1.5 -
3 mls
Do not try and force the baby to take much more than the top amounts.
It is better to try again after an hour,
giving the rehydration fluid before a milk feed.
Never feed an animal so much fluid
that its tummy becomes hard and distended.
Large
animals
Badger cubs, fox cubs, fawns etc.
should be given rehydration liquid in a baby's
bottle with a new-born size teat.
They will need about 10 - 20mls every half hour for 3 or 4 hours
or until their condition improves.
Food and water should also be available in the cage or pen for them to
help themselves.
For more detailed information on feeding go to:
Feeding Mammals
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