Dehydrated squeaker with scissor beak

There's another baby in the house. I reckon he's about 4 weeks old and, having stayed alive for the last few hours, I'm hoping he'll make it.
I found him late this afternoon in a very distressed state. He was lying on the ground in full sun (it was VERY hot), so caked in poops that his legs were stuck to his body, listless, gasping with his eyes closed. He was covered in mites.
I gave him 2 ml warm water with a little honey and a tiny pinch of salt, then 0.15 ml of Bactrim solution, and let him rest for an hour. After that I sprayed the underside of his wings and his back (you should have seen the blood-sucking mites drop off, yuk!) and gave him a long, warm bath, easing away all the muck. He LOVED that and perked up a lot, and when I offered him some warm water from a container, he drank and drank. He has a scissor beak, but it's not too deformed, so he can at least drink by himself. After that I gave him 8 ml slightly runny formula and he kept it down.
After drying and a 3-hour rest he had 10 ml of formula and 6 mg of Flagyl. At the moment he's fast asleep in his nest.

I've named him Arislan, a name fit for a little prince, because I found him just below the nest (on a high ledge) of dominant male Alpha, king of the local ferals.

Poor Baby

Sounds like you found him just in the nick of time

I'm confident that with the proper nourishment and your loving care he will be just fine.

Pictures please, when you have a chance.

Louise

Oh my goodness!! Bless his little heart.
As Louise said, it sounds like you spotted him just in time.

Do you think he will eventually be able to eat on his own with a deep dish of seeds?

Sending positive thoughts to you both.

I'm so glad you found this poor treasure in time.

Its wonderful that he perked up so fast, thats always a wonderful sign

How's he doing today, Teresa?

I like the name a lot. It's very strong.

He's quite bright and has even preened a bit, but sleeps for long periods of time. He's eating quite reasonably -- last 3 meals were 10 ml, 12 ml and 14 ml. He's still got diarrhoea, but it no longer looks like dark green oil paint in a lot of liquid, so there's an improvement. His vent is always messy.
He makes some swallowing movements after eating and there is a clump of feathers missing at the base of his neck, so I'm sure there's canker involved, perhaps more than one type, and I'm keeping him on Flagyl for at least a week. I've changed the antibiotic though, as I wasn't sure the Bactrim was still within its valid date -- he's now on Synulox. If Salmonella is involved, that will take care of it.

Sorry I haven't posted any pics yet, but I've been running around like a mad thing, plus I've got a sore throat and a fever, so I'm trying to get enough sleep for their sake as well as mine... I'll post the pics as soon as I can!

Thanks for the update, Teresa.

It does sound like a case of canker.
Will be thinking positive and keeping fingers crossed that all goes well.

You take care of yourself too. Yes!! Do get as much sleep as you can and don't forget to drink plenty of luquids.
I hope you're feeling better real soon.

So happy to hear that this little one is showing some signs of improvement.

Definately sounds like canker is an issue.

Sending you continued healing thoughts and prayers.

Louise

Many medications are good for a year past expiration and some longer.

I'm sorry you don't feel well. You must be exhausted. I had no idea until you posted the summer night on your street picture and video how difficult it must be for you to get any sleep at all. I really feel for you and hope you are better soon.
Take care of you.

How's the baby doing now? Any pics? Poor thing.

Edit: Guess we were all posting at the same time, and I had to leave for a few minutes, so didn't see your post.
I'm sorry you aren't feeling well. And we can certainly wait for pics until you are feeling better. You need to take care of yourself as well, you know.

Matilda wrote:

Many medications are good for a year past expiration and some longer.

I'm sorry you don't feel well. You must be exhausted. I had no idea until you posted the summer night on your street picture and video how difficult it must be for you to get any sleep at all. I really feel for you and hope you are better soon.
Take care of you.

Thank you, Charis, your words mean a lot to me. Right now I'm very, very worried about Xi-ri, and the stupid music outside, together with the happy drunk noises are just rubbing salt in the wound. Last night it lasted until 7.30 am, but I was so tired I slept right through it...

However... I have about Arislan.

Now don't get scared, but this is how I found him 3 days ago. I thought he was dead until I saw him breathing.





And this after his bath, the same evening -- you can see the scissor beak:



Two days ago, posing and grooming:





Yesterday, after eating, falling asleep on my hand:



A few hours ago, out for exercise -- he favours his left foot, it must have got bruised when he fell, but there's no break and no swelling:



I think he's going to be a dark check like his daddy!

Arislan is such a precious little thing

That first picture and video was indeed very scary :eek: It broke my heart watching the video

His recovery is remarkable

He looks sooooooooooo much better

Louise

Oh my goodness!!
What a difference a couple days and lots of TLC make.

Arislan is adorable and looking sooo much better. Bless you both.

Get well wishes continue.

What an adorable little survivor. I'm glad he's doing better. I just want to snuggle him.

NiteOwl wrote:

What an adorable little survivor. I'm glad he's doing better.
I just want to snuggle him.

Poor baby Arislan, just watching the video was very sad.

I'm so glad that he has bounced back so fast & looks great! I love the photo of him falling asleep in your hand.

After his initial fast recovery, his progress has been steady but slow. He's a real darling, nibbling at my fingers looking for goodies, and enjoying being preened.
He's swallowing much more easily now, and looks less puffy when he's resting.
But I still don't like the look of his poops, which still look too similar to starvation poops for comfort. However, he's been having an average of 13 ml of formula 4 times a day, with the Flagyl and the Synulox ground up and mixed into the formula (twice a day), for easier absorption. But I worry that the diarrhoea itself may prevent the meds and food from being adequately absorbed. Do you think it would be better to give him 3x15 ml plus in-between doses of a couple of ml electrolytes?

Teresa, What I have been doing with my ill little one's is to feed them first. Wait an hour and then administer the meds on their own. This way the crop has food in it so that the antibotics will be absorbed while the food is being digested and the majority of the waste has been excreted first.

Dr. Hauck always suggests a few cc's of yougart mixed into the formula for those with diarrhoea.

Slow but steady improvement at this stage is positive

Sending continued healing thoughts and prayers to you both.

Louise

That's a good idea, Louise. Some medications can make the bird very sick, if given when the crop doesn't have food in it. Another good reason to wait for a bit after feeding.

I never mix medicine with formula because I want to make sure the bird get s the entire dose.

Teresa...I think increasing the amount you are feeding is a good idea.

Thank you, Louise and Charis, I'll do that!
I'll keep you posted.

I'm glad Arislan is showing signs of improvement.
Once the 'poop' issue is resolved he really will be on the road to recovery.

He's getting his meds an hour after eating now. He continues to improve -- he's pecking now, every time I open his cage He seems quite comfortable, loves snuggling up in his warm nest in a shoe box, and he's not favouring one leg so much.
But his poops haven't changed very much yet and he's still very thin. He's having 60 ml of formula a day now. Should I give him more than that?

I'm so glad to her Arislan is doing better, Teresa.
Hopefully the droppings will being to improve soon.

Has he eaten on his own at all yet?

Teresa......I am so happy that this little one continues to improve

If I recall correctly, Dr. Hauck told me that 60ml a day of formula is appropriate for a bird of this age.

The poops will improve gradually. It takes time to get the weight back on them when they are emaciated at a young age. Try making the formula a little thicker at each feeding. You may also want to start adding some defrosed peas and corn as well. The peas and corn may also encourage him to start eating some seeds on his own.

Louise