Lorrie vomits while trying to hand feed him with a spoon

Jan 28, 2012

Lorrie vomits while trying to hand feed him with a spoon
by: Linda

Your spoon is either too big or you're trying to feed too much at a time. Baby birds have to be fed smaller amounts giving them time to swallow or they will choke.

The ideal way to feed baby birds is using a syringe, and I'm not sure of this baby's size. With babies like Cockatiels, you use a 10cc/ml syringe and put into right side of mouth while supporting head from behind with your left hand. This is easier done coming from behind to the front bent over babies' head. Here again, you only feed a little at a time making sure baby swallows before adding more food. It is also important to make sure you are putting it in the right side of mouth if you were facing baby because this helps you to keep from putting too much in at a time. When the side fills up some, let the baby swallow before putting in more. Being in too much of a hurry will kill your bird.

Spoons are not good because you are also introducing air into the crop which takes up space for food.It is the old way to feed, and we have since learned to use a syringe for much better results.

If your baby is a lot larger than a Cockatiel, then move to a 15-20cc/ml syringe. The syringe has to be tipped, and tip cannot be so large as to fill baby's mouth with too much food at a time. Your baby needs to be examined by an Avian Vet to make sure you have not already aspirated him, and ask him what size syringe will work, and he can give you a few. If you take some mixed formula, they may be able to show you how to feed correctly. It may be a bit different from my description, and that is okay so long as it works.

Before trying this again, I also strongly suggest you apprentice with a breeder so you can learn the finer points of feeding with a syringe.

If you still wish to use a spoon, you'll have to get a small one like a souvenier spoon and crimp up the edges a bit so it looks kind of like a funnel and do not fill the entire spoon with food either as this results in too much food in mouth. When you crimp the spoon, the edges may be rough, so sand the edges down smooth using a metal file. You can find jeweler's diamond files in stores supplying jewelry tools.

It would be better to try the syringe because it is a much better way to feed. I learned the finer points of using a syringe when I had to feed 30 babies several times a day in a store I worked in. Good Luck and God Bless.
Linda

Lorrie vomits while trying to hand feed him with a spoon

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Lorrie vomits while trying to hand feed him with a spoon

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