I hope someone out there can help me on this real soon. I have an injured martin that is too weak to fly. I found him yestereday evening--an ASY male. He was weak but his injuries do not seem to be life-threatening. I brought him inside for the night. This morning I fed him several small grasshoppers and some scrambled egg. At that time he was too weak to resist my feeding. I opened his beak and put some food in and then a drop of water and he swallowed.
Later in the day he had gained enough strength to fly for short distances but usually landed on the ground or in a small tree. Each time I would retrieve him and try to feed him. He now has enough strength to resist my attempts to feed him. Every time I get some food in his mouth he shakes his head and out it comes. So, he hasn't had any food since this morning.
I am wondering if martins don't like grasshoppers or egg. Also, how much food is adequate for him to return to full strength, and what is the best technique for force feeding an unwilling bird? All he has had today is several very small grasshoppers and less than a teaspoon of egg. I figure that I need to keep him in a cage until he can fly well enough to find his own food, but now I'm worried that I won't be able to feed him.
Any information will be greatly appreciated.
How to feed an injured martin?
grandmac.2,
Your best bet is to get your sick martin to a rehabber. There are those on this forum that can direct you to someone who has a permit to take care of injured birds and animals. Until you can locate one, I"d put the martin in a box, not a cage, and offer him mealworms and/or crickets. He'll more likely eat on his own than he will when being force fed. If you can get enough down him, he may have enough strength to fly. Once he can fly, he can feed. Make sure he has water. Good luck.
Patrick
Your best bet is to get your sick martin to a rehabber. There are those on this forum that can direct you to someone who has a permit to take care of injured birds and animals. Until you can locate one, I"d put the martin in a box, not a cage, and offer him mealworms and/or crickets. He'll more likely eat on his own than he will when being force fed. If you can get enough down him, he may have enough strength to fly. Once he can fly, he can feed. Make sure he has water. Good luck.
Patrick
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Guest
Thanks, Patrick. If anyone knows of a bird rehabber in the Tow, Texas area, please let me know.
I'll take your advice about the box rather than the cage. So, if I put crickets in the box, he might eat them? Should I put them in a lid or just let them crawl around in the box? I'll try to find crickets in the morning. I looked today without any luck. It seems that they're always around until you need them.
I'll take your advice about the box rather than the cage. So, if I put crickets in the box, he might eat them? Should I put them in a lid or just let them crawl around in the box? I'll try to find crickets in the morning. I looked today without any luck. It seems that they're always around until you need them.
grandmac.2,
You might try putting in a few live ones and a few dead ones (quick frozen and thawed). The movement of the live ones might stimulate him to eat. If you have a PetsMart or a Petco or a bait shop nearby, you can buy a few crickets. I'll work on finding you a phone number for a rehabber. Sorry for the ignorance, but where is Tow?
Patrick
You might try putting in a few live ones and a few dead ones (quick frozen and thawed). The movement of the live ones might stimulate him to eat. If you have a PetsMart or a Petco or a bait shop nearby, you can buy a few crickets. I'll work on finding you a phone number for a rehabber. Sorry for the ignorance, but where is Tow?
Patrick
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Guest
Tow is in Llano County, on the western shore of beautiful Lake Buchanan--a beautiful place to live, but miles and miles from PetsMart or any other significant shopping. I'm afraid the martin would starve before I could find a store with mealworms or crickets. Do you think he might eat grub worms (Junebug larvae)? They are plentiful and they would move around in the box.
I hope there is a rehabber in this area. Llano County is adjacent to Burnet County which might have more possibilities for a rehabber. Thanks for your help.
I hope there is a rehabber in this area. Llano County is adjacent to Burnet County which might have more possibilities for a rehabber. Thanks for your help.
grandmac2...
I came up with these 2...hope it helps:
Llano County
Marsha Moore (specialized in large mammals...but might know someone)
Sunrise Beach
325-388-4541
830-798-5856
Burnet County
Arlene Pearce(specializes in small mammals and birds)
Burnet
512-756-4350
830-798-4111...nights and weekends
I came up with these 2...hope it helps:
Llano County
Marsha Moore (specialized in large mammals...but might know someone)
Sunrise Beach
325-388-4541
830-798-5856
Burnet County
Arlene Pearce(specializes in small mammals and birds)
Burnet
512-756-4350
830-798-4111...nights and weekends
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Guest
Patrick,
Thanks for all your help. I hope that I can reach one of these ladies today--Mother's Day. It's 7 a.m. so I'll wait awhile before I call.
I think that I read one of your posts last night about sparrows. They are relentless, and once you personally experience the damage they (and starlings) do, it is not too hard to rid yourself of them. I've been wondering if fledgling sparrows mate the first year. The last two years I've gotten rid of them in the early spring and won't see any around for maybe a month or more, and then I get another wave of them that drive me nuts for weeks. I've just been experiencing the second invasion.
Thanks for all your help. I hope that I can reach one of these ladies today--Mother's Day. It's 7 a.m. so I'll wait awhile before I call.
I think that I read one of your posts last night about sparrows. They are relentless, and once you personally experience the damage they (and starlings) do, it is not too hard to rid yourself of them. I've been wondering if fledgling sparrows mate the first year. The last two years I've gotten rid of them in the early spring and won't see any around for maybe a month or more, and then I get another wave of them that drive me nuts for weeks. I've just been experiencing the second invasion.
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CUL Lou~Mich
Grandmac2. I believe it's advised to NOT try to give any bird water. Apparently it's real easy to get it into their lungs, which is very bad. Try dipping the grass hopper/cricket/scrambled egg in the water before inserting into the birds mouth. For some reason, the wires in bird cages is very bad on the feathers of wild birds. Therefore, they should be kept in a box, or bucket. I'd put most anything in the bottom that would make movements. Meal Worms, grass hoppers, crickets, june bugs, etc. I'd thik it was a good sigh that he is shaking the food back out. Possibly he doesn't like the food offered, possibly just the fact that he's being forced. However, that should mean he's gaining strength. CUL Lou