My baby bird that i found is having troubles breathing?

Question

He has most of his feathers but cannot perch or fly yet. He flaps his wings a whole lot and tries to crawl. He eats well, i feed him moist cat food.
What other foods are better?
Is his breathing normal? If not, what do i do?
Is the flapping of wings normal?

Answer 1

Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. You can find one here: http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contact.htm These people have the training and the resources to care for sick, injured and orphaned wild animals.

In the US, it is illegal to keep most native species without a permit. Also, if you don't have the proper training, you can do more harm than good. I like the way this website explains it: "First of all, there are federal and state laws that prohibit keeping wild birds. And there are so many important but subtle elements to raising a wild bird that the job is only legally entrusted to licensed rehabilitators. Many well-meaning people raise baby birds or rescue birds from cats or after accidents, and sometimes they don't realize that the bird in their care is suffering from a serious dietary deficiency. Some of the problems aren't apparent to untrained people, but can cause death, or make the bird less likely to evade predators or to survive harsh natural weather conditions."
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/robin/FAQBabies.html

This may be exactly what is wrong with the baby bird you have taken from the wild. It may be suffering from a serious dietary deficiency. Or it may be ill. You are not trained to diagnose this bird's problems. Please take it to someone who is.

Answer 2

The flapping of the wings is a great thing... he is trying to strengthen them so that he can learn to fly. If you are looking for some variety in his diet, I know this is going to sound gross, but try blending some red worms, night crawlers, and apple together and feed him with an eyedropper. His breathing may be due to the fact that he is trying to strengthen his wings. It would be kind of like an average person asked to run an 8-mile marathon when they are 9 years old. Give him time to grow. It will get better. Good Luck!

Answer 3

okay I would lay off the cat food because you are teaching him that when he is ready to be released that he can eat out of cat food bowls which might end up causing the cats to kill him. better to give him baby cereal and yes the flapping of the wings is normal as he or she is learning to fly or perch . good luck . as far as the breathing goes you might want to take him to a vet that specializes in avairy.

Answer 4

Please go and put him bck where you found him! He is (or was!) a fledgling and his parents will have been nearby.

If you have kept him for more than a day then you need to take him to a rescue centre where they can care for him properly, and give him proper food instead of cat food!!

In future please leave nature alone and only 'rescue' baby animals if you are sure they have been abandoned!!!

I can not tell you which food is better for him without identifying the bird - different kinds eat different things! However, for the time being, Live Meal Worms are eaten by most baby birds and you should be able to get them from your local pet shop.

Answer 5

Go to the VET NOW. You are feeding him the wrong food. For better foods go to www.DrsFosterSmith.com. Get the food you will feed him there. Moist cat food is very bad for you baby. Your vet will be able to tell you more about your baby then i can. but go now or soon.

Answer 6

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