how to clean a baby bird

Place little dishes of chopped mealworms, fruit, or soaked dry dog food in the cage as soon as the fledglings begin to perch. Using your fingers or blunt-nosed tweezers, give them food from the dish. Encourage them to eat. At first, don’t expect them to eat much by themselves, but keep pointing out where you are getting the food. Place a small water dish in the cage. Add a few rocks to prevent drowning.

Uninjured baby birds with feathers should be left alone. These are fledglings that typically hop on the ground. The parents are probably nearby. Should the young bird lack feathers, it can be returned to its nest or an alternative nest can be constructed by drilling holes in the bottom of an empty margarine tub and filling it with pine needles or dry grass. Keep the bird in the nest and keep a distance observation of him. The infant needs assistance if one of the parents doesn’t come for at least an hour.

By 4 weeks of age, they should be self-feeding. They may try to use your screams to get you to give them a handout. Hand feeding is acceptable a few times a day, but you should be aiming to get them to eat independently. They should be misted twice a day, and a shallow dish should be provided for bathing. This stimulates preening. Without waterproofing, feathers will not repel water. This will make it more difficult for them to fly and will also make it harder for them to stay warm.

Keeping the cage clean is very important. With smaller cages, cleaning is easier. When the baby is fed, he wiggles his rear end against the nest wall, lifts it, and immediately exits the nest to poop. Because all you have to do as a foster mother is use a tissue to pick up droppings outside the nest, this keeps the nest tidy and makes your job easier.

To avoid getting sick, always wash your hands before handling the birds and afterwards. Daily exposure to sunshine on occasion is crucial, but you also need to watch out that the birds don’t become too hot. Make sure the cage is predator-proof if you decide to put it outside.

FAQ

How do you clean a small bird?

Make a lukewarm dishwater bath with a few drops of soap. Slowly rub around the bird to get it off, but don’t do it rough. Birds panic if you mess up their feathers. I would try warm water and a wash cloth gently with the grain of the feathers (downward).

How do you take care of a random baby bird?

Unless injured, a fledgling bird should be left where it is. You can help by keeping cats, dogs, and curious children away from the bird so the mother can continue to feed it. However, removing a native bird from its environment is illegal, and deprives it of the essential care it needs from its parents.

Is it OK to wash a bird?

Birds should be encouraged to bathe often, as their feathers and skin will look healthier if they bathe frequently. Start by offering a bath to your bird once or twice weekly. You may notice that your bird has a preference about the time of day it likes to bathe.