As it turns out my imagination may have been on overdrive....
In the recent 3 feedings both birds have had a healthy appetite. One is visibly runty, always sleeping more than the other. The runty one's call for food is a lot more high-pitched and quieter. The strong chick is very loud and demanding....
I asked a question about the babies on Yahoo (this was like an hour after I got them) and someone suggested adding avian vitamins to their food. I TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT THAT!!!! I have around 4 different vitamins lying around, and they're all liquid. I think I'll stick with "Avitron Liquid Vitamin Supplement for Birds" and the directions say "BIRDS: 2 drops per teaspoon, or 6 drops per tablespoon of water help provide bird with vitamins necessary for normal health and feathering"
It also gives directions for feeding other animals:
Small animals: Feed directly or add to food or water. Small animals usually like the taste
Rats, hamsters, mice, gerbils, guinea pigs: 3 drops daily
Mice: 1 drop daily
So I think it's a good idea to use this stuff.....there are a TON of vitamins in there.....for example, each vitamin amount is shown per IU:
A- 44 IU
D3- 6.6 IU
E- .071 IU
C- 2200 MCG
B1- 22 MCG
And the list goes on.....anyway, the babies are doing better. I don't think they have gapeworm, though I'll probably pick up some horse wormer anyway. One thing they DO need is something to kill mites. I'm finding them left and right!
Yea, all wild animals are full of parasites of all sorts. Usually you wanna vaccinate yourself too, at least with what I read about the baby dove I had. O.o Posted via Mobile Device
@ Painting Pintos. Well, you are surely doing your best by them. If I remember right, at the clinic (my 13 year old daughter volunteers more than I do), they feed starlings what they call "fonz gels". It's basically soaked dog or ferret food. If you want me to find out what is in them, I will, and you can make them yourself. We just chop up small pieces of it, and insert in gapping mouth. As far as calcium, all birds need that. Just take calcium pills of any kind, and crush, and sprinkle over food.
When I was a kid, back in the 70's, I also found a baby bird, with no feathers. It's a long story, but basically, I read what I could (no internet back then) People didn't know as much as they do today. The bird survived, but couldn't fly, or manage to eat on his own, so he was not releasable. I knew keeping him wasn't going to work, as we had cats in our house. I know now, his problems were related to a calcium deficiency. I gave him to the Milwaukee zoo as they had a big bird aviary. I had given my heart and sole to care for this bird for over six weeks. I woke up every few hours at night to feed him (now I know birds aren't fed at night by their parents). I told the zoo he couldn't eat on his own, and they didn't seem concerned. I went back to visit and was told "Oh, yeah, that bird couldn't eat on his own, he died (basically they let him starve). Diet is very important. I've never heard of this disease you're talking about. We release starlings out here in New Mexico, but they are not a protected species anywhere in the US. I say if you can rehab them, just release them yourself :)
It is sad though what non-native birds have done to native bird populations. For that matter, cats are the worst for all birds!
@ Painting Pintos. Well, you are surely doing your best by them. If I remember right, at the clinic (my 13 year old daughter volunteers more than I do), they feed starlings what they call "fonz gels". It's basically soaked dog or ferret food. If you want me to find out what is in them, I will, and you can make them yourself. We just chop up small pieces of it, and insert in gapping mouth. As far as calcium, all birds need that. Just take calcium pills of any kind, and crush, and sprinkle over food.
When I was a kid, back in the 70's, I also found a baby bird, with no feathers. It's a long story, but basically, I read what I could (no internet back then) People didn't know as much as they do today. The bird survived, but couldn't fly, or manage to eat on his own, so he was not releasable. I knew keeping him wasn't going to work, as we had cats in our house. I know now, his problems were related to a calcium deficiency. I gave him to the Milwaukee zoo as they had a big bird aviary. I had given my heart and sole to care for this bird for over six weeks. I woke up every few hours at night to feed him (now I know birds aren't fed at night by their parents). I told the zoo he couldn't eat on his own, and they didn't seem concerned. I went back to visit and was told "Oh, yeah, that bird couldn't eat on his own, he died (basically they let him starve). Diet is very important. I've never heard of this disease you're talking about. We release starlings out here in New Mexico, but they are not a protected species anywhere in the US. I say if you can rehab them, just release them yourself :)
It is sad though what non-native birds have done to native bird populations. For that matter, cats are the worst for all birds!
Gwen
Hmmm.....fonz gels, eh? Hehe I've never heard of that before! I'd love to have the ingredients, if you would be so kind to give them to me
I'll definitely be getting calcium pills....to the dollar store it is! Haha! Nah, I'll stop at Rite Aid tomorrow to get some. For now the crushed egg shell and cuttlebone should hold up.
That's so sad that your bird couldn't fly....eat...The poor thing! It does sound like a calcium problem to me. I'm allowed to keep the starlings because I learned online...that once you feed them for a dew days, the birds are used to being indoors because they don't have their mother to teach them everything. Sadly, they've imprinted on my already, but at least I can keep them safe from predators. Small comfort.
I called my local (and a little less local one) wildlife rehabbers and they said because they have mites and other possible illnesses, it wouldn't be worth it to rehab the birds. WHY DOES EVERY REHABBER AROUND HERE WANT TO KILL THE BIRDS??? Auugh!
Anyway, you're right about cats being terrible for birds....I left the babies in the dining room for a few minutes, and my cat sat there right next to them and they weren't afraid!
I'll be keeping them in my room, though. Where the goldfish, budgies, and betta are.
They're sooo cute! The only thing now I can get other then fish is a hamster, and thats when I keep my room clean for a whole month :S
I HATE it when my parents make me do that!! That's how my sister got her cat, and that's how I got my goldfish....except we had to keep our rooms clean for 6 months. Haha good luck with a hamster though! Hamsterhideout.com has an amazing hamster forum....you should register! I'm registered even though I don't have a hamster xD
I wish starlings weren't invasive in America. I agree though they are beautiful and intelligent! They are way better than house sparrows in my opinion.
You should see the things they (starlings and house sparrows) can do to bluebirds and purple martins not mention other birds and nests :(
Okay, here it is: You can cut this recipe in half if you want. 1cup ferret or kitten food (dry)
3T dry egg white, 3/4T of powder calcium, 1 jar strained baby food (chicken or turkey)
3 packages of unflavored gelatin, 1/8t of bird vitamins
Add 1.5 cups of boiling water to dry ferret/kitten food and let soak for 20 minutes. Blend to liquify (you want a think liquid). Add baby food and other ingredients (not the gelatin)
In a seperate bowl, dissolve gelatin in 1/3 cups cold water, let sit for 2 minutes. Than you microwave that for about 1 minute (don't let it boil over). Add that to other mix and blend again to liquid. It will "set" and become something you can cut up small pieces to feed to birds.
It is good for 2 days in refrig. You may want to freeze much of this and defrost as you need it.
Good luck! This is the fonz gel recipe for Starlings.
Okay, here it is: You can cut this recipe in half if you want. 1cup ferret or kitten food (dry)
3T dry egg white, 3/4T of powder calcium, 1 jar strained baby food (chicken or turkey)
3 packages of unflavored gelatin, 1/8t of bird vitamins
Add 1.5 cups of boiling water to dry ferret/kitten food and let soak for 20 minutes. Blend to liquify (you want a think liquid). Add baby food and other ingredients (not the gelatin)
In a seperate bowl, dissolve gelatin in 1/3 cups cold water, let sit for 2 minutes. Than you microwave that for about 1 minute (don't let it boil over). Add that to other mix and blend again to liquid. It will "set" and become something you can cut up small pieces to feed to birds.
It is good for 2 days in refrig. You may want to freeze much of this and defrost as you need it.
Good luck! This is the fonz gel recipe for Starlings.
Gwen
Thanks so much! I'm definitely going to use this. I'm going shopping tomorrow so I'll go pick up the ingredients (well, only ferret food, baby food, and calcium)
I'm sure the babies will like it a lot more than what I'm feeding them! Hehe I cannot even begin to say how happy you just made me ^______^
Oh, and as an update...
I've made a vlog about the starlings for Youtube....it's uploading right now. An 8 minute video, but it's gonna take 73 minutes to upload....grrr!!! YOUTUBE, Y U NO UPLOAD FASTER >:(
Anyway, I'm glad the babies are gaining more of an appetite every day....they're certainly growing, and they're getting more belly feathers. Their wings are still totally in pinfeathers, though.
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People didn't know as much as they do today. The bird survived, but couldn't fly, or manage to eat on his own, so he was not releasable. I knew keeping him wasn't going to work, as we had cats in our house. I know now, his problems were related to a calcium deficiency. I gave him to the Milwaukee zoo as they had a big bird aviary. I had given my heart and sole to care for this bird for over six weeks. I woke up every few hours at night to feed him (now I know birds aren't fed at night by their parents). 
I told the zoo he couldn't eat on his own, and they didn't seem concerned. I went back to visit and was told "Oh, yeah, that bird couldn't eat on his own, he died (basically they let him starve). Diet is very important. I've never heard of this disease you're talking about. We release starlings out here in New Mexico, but they are not a protected species anywhere in the US. I say if you can rehab them, just release them yourself :)
