Cockatiel baby help
Hi
Two weeks ago a friends friend asked if I could take care of her cockatiel baby that had been abandoned (5 days old) for two days. A close relative had just passed away and she had to go somewhere urgently. I said yes because it was so urgent (she told me 1am and she was going away 8am). She droped of the little one and showed me how to feed him.
Now afterwards I can tell that she was totally inexperienced.
Well I took care of him the best I could and when she came back she didnt want him... anyway I new that he certainly would die if I gave him back (I heard that no chick had survived that long in her care...).
She told me too feel the temperature on my arm, and that he didnt need heating. I immidiatly bougt two termometers, one for the brooder (heating pad under a plastic aquarium) and one for the formula. Well... I tried my best and kept researching for how to take care of him.
I found out that he wasnt fed by the parents, and that he hadnt grown when I got him (poor guy). The woman I got him from overstretched the crop (a lot).
The crop worked quite fine until one day when his crop didnt want to empty completely so I gave him some water and waited, when it was empty I gave him papaya. It didnt work.
Now he is very "alert" and beggs for food al lot. Well, the food comes out but too slowly. He has been "sick" for a few days :( now finally hes gaining weight again. He should be 26 (!!) days but looks like 12 days (but is much thinner than normal babies)
I feed him about 7 ml/feeding 4-5 times a day. He now weights 35 gram and has wings and a crest and very small cheeks. Hes brooder is 31 C.
Ok so now I feed him and suck up the rest with a sort-of-latex tube. If i give him 6 ml, I take out about 2-3.
I asked a friend to give me Nystatin (for yeast treatment) and it didnt work. I got the dosage from Harrisson and Harrison (a webpage). Should I give it a try again?
The thing is... we dont have experienced avian vets here in Sweden :(. I called them and they didnt know anything about cockatiel babies.
Please help
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