Discover the best way to feed a sick bird using a syringe and give your parrot the care it needs
New bird parent🆕🦜?
You’ll learn pretty soon that it’s perfectly normal for birdies to get sick and require you to feed them, baby birds as well.
Sometimes, even a bird that is entirely normal will have crazy days where he does not want to eat, and you can’t let him starve.
That said, force-feeding your bird, more so with a syringe (which you may have to do given the scenarios👆☝), is a lot of things, but a walk in the park.
You could pretty easily aspirate and kill your feathered kid, cause him digestive issues or make him downright hate your guts.
So, what is the right way to do it (feed your bird with a syringe)🤷♀️🤷♂️?
Well, let me start by saying this is a skill best taught through apprenticeship by a seasoned bird parent, breeder, or avian vet because of the risk involved…
… and what not!
Now, I use a tonsil tip irrigator with the tip cut, so the diameter is suited for my bird’s size, but a regular catcher straight tip syringe works for most birdies as well.
Your bird should attempt to bite the syringe once you place it close to the beak, allowing you to introduce food into his mouth.
You’ll then want to slowly depress the plunger to let food out into his beak with frequent breaks in between small squirts to allow him time to chew and swallow .
Do not force the syringe into his mouth. Instead, let him open it willingly, and all you have to do is regulate the amount he takes on with every bite.
Essentially, once your bird has a little taste and likes the food, he will let you administer it in his mouth.
Note, the process is also pretty tasking and will create a huge mess, so patience coupled with a handsome amount of time is recommended.
Also, remember to blend his food to baby-feed consistency and feed him warm with added water or juice to allow an easy, smooth flow inside the syringe.
Should You Force Feed Your Pet Bird
Whether to (or not) force-feed your bird depends on what you understand or mean by the phrase.
If you mean, should you encourage a feathered kid that won’t eat to at least have some food, then yes, by all means, do.
However, if by force-feeding you mean literally forcing your birdie to eat, perhaps by putting food in his mouth, then No, you should never do that.
If you do the latter, you risk aspirating your birdie (inhale food) and causing intense stress for your parrot (or what have you).
Now, assuming you decide to encourage your bird to eat, remember you still need to do it correctly since there is still the risk of aspirating your bird…
,…or even cause him stomach issue, not to mention pneumonia and alot more.
How to Force Feed Your Bird, Parrot
The best way to feed a bird that can’t (or won’t) eat or drink on its own is using a spoon or small syringe.
Place the spoon or syringe near your bird’s beak and gently squeeze a few drops of the food or drink into his mouth at a time, followed by a brief break for your feathered kid to breath, chew, and swallow.
If your bird is still not responsive, perhaps try a different recipe, more so things he (she) likes and enjoys eating. Moreover, make sure your bird can consume the food you are offering it, more so for sick or baby birds.
Warm food blended into baby food consistency will work for most birds since it’s easy to chew, swallow, plus administer using a syringe.
What to Feed Your Sick or Injured Bird, Parrot
The answer to this query will depend on the bird in question. Different species of birds have preferences, so do wild birds compared to pet birdies.
You can also not treat an injured (or sick) baby bird the same way you treat a fully grown bird.
And, of course, the type of injury matters.
I would not give the same treatment to a bird with a broken toe or wing to one with an injured beak.
Having said that…
,…if the injured bird cannot or is not willing to feed on his own, perhaps the best place to start is feeding her soft foods he likes.
A mush of baby food or pelleted bird foods mixed with a bit of water is acceptable by (and for) most birds.
I’ve noted my birdie also loves some apple juice when his appetite is low, so you could try that as well, or any other (healthy) treat your birds will accept.
Now, unless your bird has a severely broken beak, you can also try to feed your bird easily digestible foods, like mashed ripe bananas, cooked eggs, per-boiled peas, ground-up pellets (mixed with fruit juice), and pre-cooked rice (or sweet potatoes).
Sweet potatoes are ideal because they will improve your birdie’s appetite, whereas eggs are rich in calcium (and other minerals), crucial for an injured bird.
One other thing I should mention is hand feeding your sick or injured bird. Feeding her from your hand ensures she does not have to move too much and easy on the injury.
Hand feeding your sick or injured bird is also part of comforting her, which reduces stress levels and could result in quicker recovery.
Just make sure you handle the birdie with care to avoid straining the injured part.
What to Feed An Injured Baby Bird
As we saw before, you cannot feed or even treat an injured baby bird in the same way you treat an adult.
With young birdies, you can only offer them limited food options.
The most common and widely used is baby food since it’s tender and nutritious enough for young birds.
You can feed baby formula even to weaned chicks, especially if they are having difficulty feeding or are not interested in solid foods as much.
Well, that’s all for this post. See you in the next one.
Enjoy being a bird parent🦜🦜.